This Council is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for auditing and administering public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.
The Auditor General for Wales appoints the auditor to audit the accounts of this Council. He is also responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.
Data Matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found, it indicates that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.
The Auditor General currently requires us to participate in a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud under his National Fraud Initiative 2010. The Auditor General requires this Council to provide information it holds for this purpose. We are required to provide particular sets of data to the Auditor General for matching for each exercise. These exercises are set out in the Auditor General’s handbooks which can be found at www.wao.gov.uk
The use of data by the Auditor General in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under his powers in Part 3A of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 1998. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Data matching by the Auditor General is subject to a Code of Practice. This can be found at www.wao.gov.uk
For further information on the Auditor General’s legal powers and the reasons why he matches particular information, see www.wao.gov.uk or contact Katrina Febry, NFI Coordinator, Wales Audit Office, 24 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LJ (telephone 02920 320616 or e-mail infoofficer@wales.gov.uk )