Agenda item
QUESTION ON NOTICE TO THE PANEL FROM MR. HUISH
“Commissioner, you are aware of the widespread allegations of fraud and corruption made against a number of High Street banks arising from past banking practices. From the victims perspective, Dyfed-Powys Police do not appear to be willing to investigate such allegations or lack the resources to do so adequately. Does the Commissioner agree that it is important that victims of such offences have faith in the ability of the police to investigate their complaints thoroughly? Given the Commissioner’s responsibility for supporting victims and bringing people to justice, will he support calls from victims of such frauds in the Dyfed-Powys area for an outside force with greater experience of such cases to be brought in to investigate these complaints? If he does not agree with bringing in an outside force, how will he support these victims?”
Minutes:
“Commissioner, you are aware of the widespread allegations of fraud and corruption made against a number of High Street banks arising from past banking practices. From the victims perspective, Dyfed-Powys Police do not appear to be willing to investigate such allegations or lack the resources to do so adequately. Does the Commissioner agree that it is important that victims of such offences have faith in the ability of the police to investigate their complaints thoroughly? Given the Commissioner’s responsibility for supporting victims and bringing people to justice, will he support calls from victims of such frauds in the Dyfed-Powys area for an outside force with greater experience of such cases to be brought in to investigate these complaints? If he does not agree with bringing in an outside force, how will he support these victims?”
Response by the Commissioner:
“It is very important to me that all victims have faith in the ability of the police to investigate their complaints thoroughly. National campaigns are supporting these specific endeavours in relation to banking fraud, which are often supported by MPs. For example, there is an All Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Business Banking who have been lobbying the National Crime Agency and Serious Fraud Office to take an interest in these matters, including cases which are historical. Although it is not within my remit as Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to become involved in operational policing delivery, to investigate or to instruct the Force to investigate a particular case, I have and will continue to meet with victims, to listen to their experiences and understand any concerns and/or outstanding queries that they may have at the conclusion of a police investigation. On occasion this has resulted in my having discussions with the Chief Constable in relation to them undertaking further interests in these matters and reviewing actions taken to date. I am confident that Dyfed Powys Police have the relevant capabilities to consider all fraud allegations. Dyfed Powys Police are the only force in the country that actively encourage members of the public to report fraud directly to us and we then report to action fraud on their behalf, improving the quality of the report sent to action fraud. Additionally, during the early part of 2020, the Economic Crime Team (ECT) identified that the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) data does not accurately reflect the true scale of fraud. From 6th April 2020, the ECT have undertaken the management of all fraud and cybercrime incidents reported to the Force as a call for service - triaging the reports and engaging with victims at the earliest opportunity, in order to provide consistent subject matter expert advice, guidance and support and to ensure accurate reporting to Action Fraud (AF). In November 2020, the Force employed a full-time Fraud Triage Officer, working within the ECT to manage fraud calls for service, a post which my office has funded. I would further advise that the work being done by Dyfed Powys Force with vulnerable victims, providing advice, guidance and support has been recognised at a national level and is well regarded by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). As part of my role and remit, I meet with victims and with their permission, I contact Dyfed Powys Police and seek to ensure that the Force fully consider any concerns that have been raised and that victims are provided with a full explanation of the work undertaken by the Force. I also consider if any alternative options to progress any matters are available to victims and if so, provide victims with the relevant information. Following my involvement, a full written response is subsequently provided from my office to the victim. The recent introduction (by The City of London Police as National Lead Force for Fraud and The National Police Chiefs Council [NPCC] lead for Economic and Cyber Crime) of a monthly National Lead Force Newsletter to PCC’s, will further enable my office to hold Dyfed Powys Police Force to account, as we do with other crime types, receiving performance of our Force against the fraud cases disseminated to them by Action Fraud.”
Supporting documents:
Council & Democracy
The Council
Councillors, AMs and MPs
- Your County Councillor
- Public Participation Strategy and Petition Scheme
- Councillor allowances and interests
- Town & Community Councillors
- Members of Welsh Parliament
- Members of Parliament
- Become a Councillor
Council departments
Have your say
- Budget Consultation 2024
- Tumble Active Travel Masterplan Scheme
- Leisure Strategy 2023-33 community consultation
- Charging policy for social care services
- Social Housing Allocations policy
- Local Flood Risk Management Strategy 2024-2030
- Habitats Regulations Assessment for the 2nd Deposit Revised Local Development Plan 2018-2033
- Integrated Sustainability Appraisal for the 2nd Deposit Revised Local Development Plan 2018-2033
- Modernising Education Programme Strategy
- Public Convenience Strategy for Carmarthenshire
- Shaping Digital Carmarthenshire
- Carmarthenshire Residents Survey 2023
- Primary Rising 4s Policy 2025/26 Consultation
Committees & Meetings
- Agendas and minutes
- Governance & Audit Committee
- Council Diary
- Democratic Services Committee
- Cabinet
- Officer decisions
- Forward Plans
- Planning Committee
- Scrutiny
- Standards Committee
- Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE)
Strategies and plans
- Affordable Homes Delivery Plan 2016 - 20
- Cabinet Vision Statement
- Carmarthenshire Transformation Strategy
- Corporate Safeguarding Policy
- Digital Schools Strategy 2018 – 2021
- Digital Technology Strategy 2018 - 2021
- Digital Transformation Strategy
- Family Support Strategy 2018-23
- Libraries Service Update - Moving forward for 2017 - 2025
- Modernising Education Programme Strategy (1)
- Moving Rural Carmarthenshire Forward
- Strategic Equality Plan
- Tackling Poverty Plan 2023
- Welsh Language Promotion Strategy
- Welsh Language Standards
- Welsh Language Annual Report
The Council Budget
Council Budget
- Budget Digest
- Statement of accounts
- Dyfed Pension Fund
- Education through regional working (ERW)
- Swansea Bay City Deal
- Simple ways to save the Council money
Council Performance
- Performance Management
- Audit Inspections & Reports
- The Well-being of Future Generations Act
- Council's Annual Report 2022-23
Public notices
Brexit guidance
Welsh Language
Net Zero Carbon
Equality & Diversity
Armed Forces Covenant
Elections & Voting
- Local Elections 2022
- Voting
- Eligibility to vote
- How do I vote?
- Changes to Postal and Proxy Voting
- Register to vote
- Update your details on the Electoral Register
- Annual update of the voters roll
- How to opt-out of the open register
- Viewing the Electoral Register
- By-elections
- My nearest - Election information
- Senedd Cymru Elections 2021
- Police and Crime Commissioner Elections 2024
- Parliamentary General Election 2019
- Help for Disabled Voters
- Review of Parliamentary Boundaries
- Voter ID
- Community Review 2023
- Polling Districts and Polling Places Review
- Recruitment for elections
More from Council & Democracy