Councillors reveal fraud at town council

Ross-on-Wye town councillors revealed yesterday that there had been a case of fraud at the council earlier this year.

Finance and personnel committee chairman Julian Utting made the revelation while the council discussed its internal audit for 2018/19 at the full council meeting.

Councillor Utting said he had given the internal audit great thought over the weekend but was content that the council’s financial procedures were robust.

“We have tightened them with respect to dealing with prevention or future prevention of the fraud that did take place earlier in the year,” he said.

“Having reread it, I’m perfectly content as chair of finance and personnel that our procedures are robust.

“The clerk has taken measures to further minimise that, but it will never prevent fraud or theft if a person intends to do so.

“There’s been some tidying up of processes which hopefully reduces the further risk of fraud.”

Councillor Bev Pope asked how much public money had been lost.

But Mayor Jane Roberts said that to discuss the matter they would have to exclude the press and public.

It is understood to be a small amount.

Councillor Utting said he was happy to sign the annual return of accounts.

“We do have an adequate system of internal control,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it didn’t prevent the fraud that occurred due to the malicious nature of it,” he said.