Agenda item

This report provides Members with information concerning forthcoming Joint Advisory Board meetings and the planned programme of reports to the Board.

TheBoardreceived  areportfrom  theHeadofRegulatory  Services  on  the annual  accountsfor2014/15.It wasnotedthat therewas anetsurplus  of £57,205,largelyduetoa widermanagementrestructure inBrentCounciland a resultantsalariessaving.Withinthatnet surplus,therehadbeena shortfall in  theProceedsofCrime  (POCA)  incomeasonly  £120,000ofthebudgeted £250,000hadbeenreceived.

Memberswere advisedthata reportwouldbe submittedto afuturemeeting on workcurrentlybeingundertakento reviewwhether thebudgetarytarget for proceedsofcrimework wassustainable.

In responseto questions,it wasreportedthat:

•             Theaccountsonlyshowedthree quarterlypayments forPOCA,  asthe fourth  quarterly  paymentfromthe HomeOffice  would  notbe received until  theend ofthefinancial  year.Paymentsmadeon  thelast  dayof March wereaccrued to2015/16.Thepaymentswere difficultto predict inany givenperiodas thecourtcoulddecideto spreadthepayments;

•          Planningwas alargesource ofcasesandTradingStandardsreceived a  share  of   the  proceeds  to   cover  financial   investigation   costs. Paymentswere distributed,inaccordancewithgovernment guidelines, to theprosecutor,financialinvestigator,Court  Serviceand50%  to the Treasury;

•          Dueto  thesurplus  arising  from  vacancies  in  2014/15,the lower  net POCAreceiptsdidnotpresent animmediatebudgetary issuebut there were concernsastolong  termviability  should  netPOAC  receipts  fall belowbudget againin2015/16.Theconsortiumhad afinancialreserve that wasa little  below  its  optimum  level  –two yearsof budgetednet POACreceipts.At 2014/15levelsof netPOCAreceipts,thereserve wouldnot beexhaustedforfour years.A reportwouldbe submittedto afuturemeetingon theviabilityof POCA  arrangements,togetherwith optionsfor strengtheningthe position,whichmightincludeundertaking POCA  investigationsforotherCouncils,both  intradingstandardsand other regulatoryservices;

•          Trading  Standards  had  sufficient  legal  andcourt  powers  to  obtain information fromHMRC butittooktime, particularlyfor complex. Investigations.  Planning  cases  weresometimes  moreproductive  for POAC  recoveryas  theyusually  involved  afixed  asset,  that  is  the property;

•          Workundertakingfinancialinvestigationsfor auditand investigationfor benefitfraudhad stopped,sincebenefithadbecometheresponsibility ofthe Government’sDepartmentofWorksandPensions.

TheChair  stressed  thatthe reporthadnot  fullyreportedthe netbenefits  to both  councils  arising  from  theproportion  of  POCA  receipts  recovered  for council  prosecuting  teams.This  meantthat,even whenonly  breaking  even, trading  standards  wasmaking  moneyfor  otherparts  of  theCouncils,  for examplethrough  planningcases. ThePOCA Strategyand publicityacted asa deterrent.

RESOLVED:Thatthereport benoted.