Roles and Responsibilities
- Members
- All Members have a duty to act to prevent fraud and corruption. Every Member has a role to play in maintaining the standards of probity and integrity that the public is entitled to expect, which obviously includes compliance with relevant rules and procedures. The Code of Conduct for Members sets addresses standards and expectations.
- Audit Committee/Standards Committee
- The Audit Committee and Standards Committee will regularly review Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy and will ensure that any matters arising from the implementation of the policy are properly investigated. Internal Audit will report to the Audit Committee on significant matters arising from investigations of fraud and corruption.
- The Treasurer
- The Treasurer is responsible for ensuring that suspected financial irregularity is reported and investigated. The Treasurer is responsible for deciding what investigation action is to be taken and ensuring it is completed.
- Monitoring Officer
- Any concerns related to Members’ compliance with the Code of Conduct would be addressed to the Standards Committee which would request the Monitoring Officer to investigate. The Monitoring Officer may ask Internal Audit or others to carry out investigation work.
- Internal Audit
- Internal Audit acts on behalf of the Treasurer in relation to the investigation of reports of financial or other irregularity and can offer advice and support to managers during this process.
- Internal Audit also provides advice on appropriate controls to help prevent and detect fraud and corruption and will work with Chief Officers to provide assurance that controls are working as intended and to improve internal control where necessary.
- Management
- Chief Officers have a specific responsibility to publicise the anti-fraud and corruption policy to all officers and to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities as outlined in this policy and of sanctions that can be levied.
- Managers are responsible for actively dealing with suspected cases of fraud in a reasonable timeframe.
- Responsibility for maintaining effective systems, procedures and controls to prevent fraud and corruption rests with Chief Officers and their managers responsible for relevant systems or particular areas of service.
- Officers
- All officers have an obligation to be vigilant to the risk of fraud and corruption. They are expected and positively encouraged to raise concerns relating to potential fraud and corruption when they become aware of it. Officers should report matters of concern as soon as possible. Reports raised in good faith will be treated in a confidential manner and investigated.
- The Officers’ Code of Conduct addresses the Combined Authority’s standards and expectations of personal conduct. Breaches of conduct will be addressed through disciplinary procedures. Officers must make sure that they read and understand the rules and regulations that apply to them, and act in accordance with them.