Benefit fraud of £840,000 investigated in one year in Walsall
Almost 200 suspected benefit fraud cases worth £840,000 were identified by Walsall Council within 12 months, it has emerged.
Staff at the authority carried out 192 housing and council tax benefit investigations in the financial year ending in March.
In 25 of the cases the suspected fraud was worth more than £10,000. There were 52 successful prosecutions where there was a guilty outcome during the last year.
None of those taken to court for housing and council tax benefits allegation were employees of the council. But of two separate fraud prosecutions, one was an employee of the authority, a report to the Audit Committee says.
There was one case of payroll and employee contract fulfilment fraud totalling £198 and also two whistleblowing disclosures between 2012/13.
In a report to the council, chief finance officer James Walsh, said: "Where fraud or corruption is detected, robust action will always be taken against the perpetrators."
The authority has also used spying powers to capture fraudsters and fly-tippers operating within the borough. It is under the Investigatory Power Act (RIPA).
They were used 25 times between last April and December. This compares to 67 annually between April 2011 and March 2012.
In the eight month period they were used four times for housing and council tax benefit investigations and nine occasions for anti-social behaviour enforcement.
They were also needed 12 times for trading standards initiatives which include test purchasing for cigarettes, knives, alcohol and fireworks. Alternatively for taxis plying for hire, counterfeit goods or litter enforcement.
The spying powers were used on 96 occasions between April 2009 and March 2010.
Jamie Morris, executive director for neighbourhoods, said: "Material obtained through covert surveillance may be used as evidence in criminal proceedings."
It recently emerged hundreds of fly-tipping investigations were launched by council chiefs as part of a crackdown on rubbish dumped in the borough.
Three people were prosecuted and two fixed penalties issued in the drive to clear dropped waste causing an eyesore across Walsall.
The 442 investigations were conducted between last April and March this year.
Fly-tipping is estimated to cost the authority almost £250,000 a year to clean up and in previous years more than 2,000 complaints have been recorded within 12 months.
Hotspot areas are now being targeted, which includes using covert cameras to capture those responsible.
