Hammersmith and Fulham (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A Hammersmith and Fulham council employee resigned after learning of a fraud investigation into their undisclosed second job with the Government.
The unidentified person was looked into after being connected to a position in the Ministry of Justice, Prison and Probation Service, according to a fraud report from Hammersmith and Fulham Council. The employee “returned all LBHF equipment, and suggested awareness of our investigation” and resigned before this could be resolved, according to the report.
The council’s most recent Corporate Anti-Fraud Service (CAFS) Half-Year Progress Report, which covers the period from April 1 to September 30, 2025, details a number of cases, including this one. The CAFS targets the Fulham and Hammersmith Council for corruption and bribery in addition to fraud.
Previous findings by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) include a staff member using their mother’s Blue Badge to avoid parking fees and an employee discovered working on private projects after their council-branded van was spotted in Ealing.
The most recent report describes how 79 “positive results” were attained during the relevant time and is scheduled to be presented to the council’s Audit Committee on December 1. An additional £409,000 was “identified for recovery via court-issued confiscation orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act” after the operation stopped fraud worth an estimated £779,530.
“High/medium risk fraud” was the most often reported activity, including parking and social services. Tenancy fraud and “low-risk fraud” cases followed, with 14 properties recovered and made available to people in need of housing assistance.
The list also includes several corporate investigations, one of which has to do with dual working. The study states that accepting a second job does not violate the Code of Conduct, but it must be disclosed to the employee’s line management. However, when someone divides their time between two jobs and gets paid full-time for each, it might lead to fraud.
Regarding the instance in which the employee was linked to a role at the Government, the report states:
“CAFS initially contacted the individual’s line manager. The employee had not declared secondary employment, but it transpired that the subject requested to work from home for three months due to personal reasons. At the time, it seemed a reasonable request, and it was approved. The CAFS investigation revealed that the request timing aligned with the dates of employment with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).”
There are two further corporate fraud investigations reported, one involving a potential misuse of a Blue Badge and the other involving parents who paid council tax in Chelmsford, Essex, but applied for a school placement in the borough.
The LDRS discussed the local government’s use of AI and data to address problems like fraud with Cllr Rowan Ree, Cabinet Member for Finance and Reform, in August. This came after Cllr. Ree penned an opinion piece regarding the unique difficulty of spotting tenancy fraud for the Municipal Journal the previous month.
“Since the start of April, we have recovered a two-bedroom property due to subletting, another due to a false application, and two properties due to fraudulent succession applications,”
he wrote.
“Returning these properties to local families in need on our waiting list is a huge win as we will spend less on pricey temporary accommodation.”
What policies do councils have on declaring second jobs?
Councils generally have formal programs taking workers to declare any alternate jobs or external employment to insure translucency, avoid conflicts of interest, and maintain good governance. Workers must notify their HR department or line director in writing about any fresh employment, whether paid or overdue, before commencing the alternate job.
Failure to declare an alternate job can be considered a serious correctional matter, potentially leading to examinations and warrants including redundancy. The programs frequently enjoin alternate jobs that discord with the council’s interests, affect hand performance, or breach confidentiality or data protection rules.
For illustration, London megalopolises including Hammersmith and Fulham have clear anti-fraud and employment programs calling for protestation and approval of all secondary jobs to help undisclosed moonlighting and insure proper use of public finances.
