Local Authority Investigation Officers Group (LAIOG) was a British organisation involving Local Authority investigators. It ceased to operate on 1 December 2016.[1]
LAIOG was recognised as a representative group in providing information and statistics to, for example, the UK parliament.[2] The organisation was considered of sufficient importance to be mentioned by name in the fraud prevention policies of many Local Authorities[3] and Department for Work and Pensions newsletters.[4]
Although referred to under Fraud Squad in this encyclopaedia as an investigation unit, this was not strictly the case, although members did liaise during investigations.
Composition
[edit]There were a number of regional groups within the national 'umbrella' organisation. The official regional groups, that is those represented on the executive committee[5] were :
- Northern
- Midlands
- Wales (Welsh Benefits Investigation Group) WBIG
- Eastern
- LBFIG (London Boroughs' Fraud Investigators' Group)
- Southern
- South-Western
Other groups also met, such as Northern Home Counties.
Membership
[edit]At its peak, around 400 Local Authorities across England, Scotland and Wales were members of LAIOG.[6] Membership was for the authority, rather than individual members.
Administration
[edit]The organisation was run by a committee[5] of elected and representative members, made up of :
- Chair
- Vice Chair
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- 6 Executive Officers
- Website Officer
- Representatives from the following regions :
- Eastern
- LBFIG (London)
- Midlands
- Northern
- South West
- Southern
- Wales
Activities
[edit]LAIOG's main functions and activities were:[6]
- provision of access to information relevant to the field of investigations ;
- a communication network, via the website ;
- dissemination of information to members ;
- local and national representation on policy, training and various legislative issues ; and
- a national conference, combined with an AGM.
LAIOG was also involved in setting up a number of qualifications for investigators, working with ITS Training (UK) Ltd.[7] and Bond Solon.
The regional groups also held AGMs and some offered training days for members.
Other Organisations
[edit]LAIOG became part of TEICCAF on 1 December 2016.[1] TEICCAF has now ceased to operate and its website redirects to the IRRV Investigation Faculty.[8][9]
The National Investigation Officers' Group (NIOG) was set up on 2019 and includes on its steering committee a number of people who were involved in LAIOG before it ceased to operate.[10]
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b LAIOG
- ^ [1]Hansard 11 March 2008 Website accessed 27 May 2008
- ^ North Warwickshire BC Policy Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Website accessed 27 May 2008
- ^ HB Direct - May 2007 Archived 10 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine Website accessed 27 May 2008
- ^ a b LAIOG Executive Archived 4 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine Website accessed 24 May 2008
- ^ a b LAIOG web site Accessed 24 May 2008
- ^ ITS Training (UK) Ltd. web site Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 24 May 2008
- ^ "The IRRV - Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation Home Page". www.irrv.net. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- ^ "The IRRV - Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation Home Page".
- ^ "WhoDunnit – National Investigation Officers' Group". March 2021.