Purpose

To consider the Notice of Motion referred by
Council 9th July 2025 to Cabinet for consideration.

Content

That it be agreed, the
Leader: 
 

1.     
Notes the Notice of Motion on the ask for an independent
investigation into Southend City Council's arrangement with
Thurrock Council's Counter Fraud Investigation Department (CFID)
and National Investigation Service (NATIS) referred to Cabinet by
Council on 9 July 2025.

 

2.      Approves the scope of the
investigation as proposed by the Notice of Motion as
follows:

a. The permissions given by this Council as to how
we entered into this arrangement.

 

b. The legality of the investigations that led to
prosecutions and convictions secured by CFID / NATIS in Southend
and whether that makes them unsafe.

 

c. Were CFID / NATIS staff members attempting to
impersonate Police Officers which is a criminal offence.

 

d. The current processes used by this Council to
investigate fraud including how we obtain search warrants,
production orders and process our own prosecutions.

 

3.      Delegates that the
Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chief Executive,
appoints an independent investigator to undertake this
work.

Reasons for the decision

To obtain an independent view on whether the
activities of the shared arrangement with Thurrock Council between
2014 and 2019, and the operations of the current in-house counter
fraud team that has been in place since 2019 were and are
appropriate in accordance with the scope provided by the Notice of
Motion.

Alternative options considered

Reject the Notice of Motion and continue
without the additional information and assurance that undertaking
the investigation will provide.