Fraud costs Hertfordshire’s local authorities an estimated £12m a year.

Six Hertfordshire Councils are now working together to investigate, detect and prevent fraud across council services, from business rates to Blue Badges to ensure more money is available for services such as schools, highways and housing.

The shared anti-fraud service was officially unveiled last week, when Alan Bryce, chairman of the board at The European Institute for Combatting Corruption and Fraud (TEICCAF) was keynote speaker at a launch event at Hertfordshire Development Centre, in Stevenage.

Chris Hayward, Cabinet Member for Resources and Performance at Hertfordshire County Council, said: "Fraud committed against councils affects everyone.

"All council services are funded by taxpayers and where fraud occurs it means that money goes to people who are not entitled to it and reduces the money available for services that residents need, such as schools, highways, housing, leisure services, community safety, health care and social services.

"Our councils have good fraud defences, but fraudsters are constantly looking to gain an advantage and this innovative new partnership working will cut fraud and save money from Hertfordshire’s public purse."

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