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Local Authority Investigation Officers Group

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Local Authority Investigation Officers Group (LAIOG) was a British organisation involving Local Authority investigators. It ceased to operate on 1st 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

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

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

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

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

LAIOG became part of TEICCAF on 1st December 2016.[8] TEICCAF has now ceased to operate and its website redirects to the IRRV Investigation Faculty.[9][10]

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.[11]

www.laiog.org

www.teiccaf.com

IRRV Investigation Faculty

National Investigation Officers' Group

References

  1. ^ http://laiog.org/
  2. ^ Hansard 11 March 2008 Website accessed 27 May 2008
  3. ^ North Warwickshire BC Policy Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Website accessed 27 May 2008
  4. ^ HB Direct - May 2007 Archived 10 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine Website accessed 27 May 2008
  5. ^ a b LAIOG Executive Archived 4 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine Website accessed 24 May 2008
  6. ^ a b LAIOG web site Accessed 24 May 2008
  7. ^ ITS Training (UK) Ltd. web site Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 24 May 2008
  8. ^ http://laiog.org/
  9. ^ www.teiccaf.com
  10. ^ https://www.irrv.net/homenew/item.php?wid=46&iid=26302&did=63
  11. ^ http://niog.org.uk/whodunnit/