Tony Qayum, Corporate Anti-Fraud Manager presented his Anti-Fraud update relating to the Corporate Anti-Fraud Team’s (CAFT) activities for the financial year end of 2016.

He referred Members to the table at 4.1, page 252-3 in the agenda which summarised the activity of CAFT and showed the amount of money the Anti-Fraud team had recovered.

The Chair commended Tony Qayum for the excellent work his team had achieved and enquired about the social housing amnesty. Tony confirmed this had been a successful campaign with most of the sub-let properties being returned to the Council.

Councillor Wood added the success of the team ought to be publicised by the Council’s communications team so to ensure the general public were aware Tower Hamlets was not a ‘soft touch’. Councillor Wood made reference to the work the CAFT team had undertaken regarding Blue Badge Fraud and said he was really pleased how the team had resolved queries from Members and the general public. Tony informed Members the team was to feature in a BBC programme about anti-fraud, which Members praised as a positive outcome of the CAFT team’s achievements.

The Committee NOTED the report.