Lincolnshire County Council is looking to fortify its anti-fraud strategies in the face of rising police enforcement concerns.

During the 2022/23 period, the council successfully intercepted fraudulent attempts from colleagues and partners at Serco amounting to over £1 million.

Some of the 20 uncovered cases led to police referrals while others saw the implementation of new council disciplinary processes. Four were inconclusive.

During a meeting on Monday, Internal Audit Manager Dianne Downs presented the report and underscored LCC's "zero tolerance" approach towards fraud.

While no funds were misappropriated, she believes there is still room for improvement in the council's preventative measures.

"We're not complacent, but I think there is further work to be done," said Downs.

To support this initiative, the audit team will be crafting a new strategy that focuses on proactive engagement and robust preventive measures against fraud.

This strategic plan includes additional recruitment, with some roles already filled.

Downs alluded to previous "challenges with police enforcement" as several cases have been dropped because the council didn't actually suffer any financial losses.

Councillor Paul Skinner (Conservative) echoed her concerns, suggesting that part of the problem also lay with the Crown Prosecution Service, further indicating the need for changes within the system.

Moving forward, Councillor Susan Rawlins (Conservative) suggested that the council could look into taking civil action in some cases to ensure fraudsters are still properly punished.