Work continues to protect the public purse, properties and school places in East Dunbartonshire.
Over the year to 30 March 2026, the Council's Corporate Fraud Team detected £424,662 worth of Council Tax fraud/error (when a person provides incorrect information or fails to report required changes in circumstances).
Other notable outcomes included:
- The recovery of nine council tenancies, identified as either unoccupied or not being used as a principal residence
- 59 offers of housing withdrawn or applications cancelled/refused due to fraud/error
- 33 school placing requests refused or withdrawn after investigations established that false information had been provided.
The results are included within the Council's annual Fraud Performance Report.
A significant proportion of the Council Tax figure was detected through the National Fraud Initiative (NFI), a UK-wide data-matching exercise used to identify and prevent fraud.
Deception related to council housing continues to be one of the most significant challenges facing local authorities.
This type of fraud can include unlawful sub-letting, providing false information in housing applications or the wrongful assignment/succession of tenancies. It is of particular concern given the high demand and number of applicants currently on waiting lists.
Similarly, high attainment levels within local schools can lead to instances where false address information is provided in an attempt to secure a place – which has an impact on families genuinely living within catchment areas.
Jamie Robertson, Chief Finance Officer at East Dunbartonshire Council, said, "We remain committed to uncovering fraud wherever possible – working with local residents and a range of organisations to protect public funds and ensure fairness.
Rest assured, we will keep investigating and taking action wherever possible – helping to ensure that maximum resources can be directed towards essential services that benefit our communities.
The Council continues to develop and adopt new methods to detect fraud, including increased use of data-matching exercises such as the NFI.
However, the support of local residents remains vital. Anyone with information about potential fraud against the Council is encouraged to get in touch. Reports can be made anonymously using the following methods:
- Online on the Fraud page
- Email: fraud@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
- Telephone: 0300 123 4510.
