Ed Skinner, Regulatory Services Lead introduced the report and in response to questions clarified the following points:
The Home Office stipulates that a tiered approach must be taken regarding spending from the reserve account. The first priority is to re-invest to ensure that there is more capacity to carry out investigations. From 2006/ 7 there are about 25 public agencies that can employ financial investigators them including the Environment Agency, the Royal Mail and DEFRA.
The second priority is providing funding for functions that reduce crime. The team offers funding to the Safer Portsmouth Partnership for community projects that are self-funding and sustainable and have a crime reduction element.
Councillor Corkery noted that it is important that these reports come to a public meeting. It provides Councillors and the public the opportunity to find out more about what the council is doing.
Councillor Hunt thanked all the staff involved and stated that everyone should understand that the council will come after criminals involved in illegal activities including counterfeit tobacco and seize their assets wherever possible.
DECISION
The Cabinet Member for Community Safety:
1. Acknowledged the powers available to AFIs employed within Regulatory services and authorised their inclusion within the council's enforcement policy.
2. Acknowledged the benefits this work has yielded since its implementation, and approved the manner in which Regulatory Services seeks to deliver its financial investigation & asset recovery plan going forward
3. Approved the retention of the reserve account so recovered monies can be reinvested in keeping with the Home Office policy: Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme.
Ed Skinner, Regulatory Services Lead introduced the report and in response to questions he and Richard Lee, Regulatory Services Manager clarified the following points:
The council is looking at becoming more involved in the Proceeds of Crime Act and to generate more income for regulatory services.
On one occasion when working with another authority, he had been required to arrange for a house in Spain to be seized under this act.
The Home Office determines how the money from the proceeds of crime is split: 50% is allocated to the Home Office and the remaining 50% is split equally between the three agencies involved in the investigation, enforcement and prosecution. Portsmouth City Council is both the investigating and prosecuting agency.
One officer at band 10 costs the council approximately £50,000.
Approximately two years ago, the Environmental Health, Trading Standards and two other services combined their activities. .
Councillor Corkery noted that the focus on older people was sensible.
Councillor Hunt noted that the more criminals the council prosecutes, the more assets can be seized and the more criminals can be caught and that people with mental health problems living at home are at risk of falling victim to scams more easily. The council will always prosecute to its fullest ability.
DECISION
The Cabinet Member for Community Safety approved the manner in which Regulatory Services delivers its scams prevention work, and agreed that the council becomes a 'Friends Against Scams' Local Authority.