National Fraud Initiative (NFI) 2008/09

Level 2 Notice

Bassetlaw District Council (including the ALMO: A1 Housing Bassetlaw Ltd.)  is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

 

The Audit Commission appoints the auditor to audit the accounts of this

Authority. It is also responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.

 

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body

against other computer records held by the same or another body to see how far they match. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it indicates that there is an inconsistency that requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.

 

The Audit Commission currently requires us to participate in a data matching

exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to

provide particular sets of data to the Audit Commission for matching for each

exercise, and these are set out in the Audit Commission's guidance, which

can be found at www.audit-commission.gov.uk/nfi.

 

The use of data by the Audit Commission in a data matching exercise is

carried out with statutory authority under its powers in Part 2A of the Audit

Commission Act 1998. It does not require the consent of the individuals

concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 

Data matching by the Audit Commission is subject to a Code of Practice. This

may be found at www.audit-commission.gov.uk/nfi/codeofdmp.asp .

 

For further information on the Audit Commission's legal powers and the

reasons why it matches particular information, see  http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/nfi/fptext.asp.

 

For further information on data matching at this Authority, contact John Greasley on Extension 3459.