Privacy notices - Corporate Fraud

We are committed to developing an anti-fraud culture among our employees and the public. We have a dedicated Corporate Fraud Team in place specialising in the investigation of alleged frauds and irregularities. We want to make sure that fraud is prevented wherever possible and where detected, it will be thoroughly investigated.

All types of Fraud, Theft and Corruption allegations including: Tenancy Fraud, Business Rates Fraud, Council Tax and Council Tax Reduction Fraud, Employee fraud, allegations of theft, criminal misconduct by a council employee, contractors and councillors
 

If you don’t provide personal data it may not be possible to fully investigate the concern you wish to raise.
You are obliged to provide personal data to us and to keep us informed of any changes in your circumstances while in receipt of any award, reduction or benefit.  Failure to do this could end any award received and may result in possible sanctions. 

The personal information you provide will be used by Highland Council for the purpose of administering
•    all law enforcement, regulation and licensing, criminal, civil or internal enquiries and proceedings which the Council may undertake or participate in
•    all financial transactions to and from the Council including payments, grants and benefits. Where monies are due or outstanding, the Council reserves the right to use all the available information at its disposal to protect public funds.

This personal information may also be shared with other departments within Highland Council, the Council committee’s and/or boards, local councillors in the area of the application or other organisations for the same purpose and also to:
•    check the information we hold is accurate;
•    prevent and/or detect crime; and
•    protect public funds.

Other organisations may include bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, other councils, public sector agencies, governmental departments, regulatory and law enforcement bodies, including Police Scotland, and other private companies or entities (such as credit reference agencies, service providers/contractors and/or partner bodies).
 

Legal obligation. We are legally obliged to process this data. (A6(1)(c) of GDPR)

Special categories of data in relation to Council reductions are processed under Employment, social security and social protection law (A9(2)(b) of GDPR).
•    The Council’s legal obligations under the following legislation:
•    the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (to ensure proper administration of the Council’s financial affairs) (including the detection and/or prevention of fraud)
•    the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (furnishing of information and documents to the Commission)
•    the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000 (disclosure of data to Audit Scotland for data matching)
•    the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (right not to suffer detriment)
•    Bribery Act 2010
•    The official authority vested in the Council pursuant to:
•    the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (arrangement for discharge of functions by local authorities)
•    The following tasks carried out in the public interest:
•    The Council has a responsibility to promote social wellbeing and to work with other Councils and partner agencies such as the Police, Fire and Rescue Service, the voluntary services and the Health Service in order to preserve life, reduce accidents, reduce crime and disorder and improve health. To promote this social wellbeing the Council may need to share your personal and sensitive information with other Councils and partner agencies.
•    The sharing of special category personal data where your consent has not been directly secured will only occur in order to promote community wellbeing for example in saving life, reducing crime, reducing accidents and improving health and will be on a “need to know” basis. 
•    Highland Council will be able to process this form if you choose to remain anonymous. You are not required to provide your details, but it would be beneficial if you did in order that 
•    Investigating officers can ask you any follow up questions that maybe beneficial to the investigation

If you’ve been identified as a potential witness, which Investigating Officers will advise you of, we are required to obtain personal details under Part 6 of the Criminal Justice & Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.

•    View personal data
•    Change personal data
•    Delete personal data
•    Restrict processing of personal data
Find out more about your rights

We may share your information with the Department for Work and Pensions, Police Scotland, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, Immigration Services, although this list is not exhaustive

The current year plus 6 years.

Your personal information is not subject to automated decision making or profiling.

The data controller is The Highland Council

Contact our Data Protection Officer:
Data Protection Officer
Highland Council Headquarters
Glenurquhart Road
Inverness
IV3 5NX
01463 702029
dpo@highland.gov.uk

If you are unhappy with the way we have processed your personal information you can contact the Information Commissioner:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/