Council prosecutes former employee for ‘polygamous working’

On 16 December, Willesden Magistrates Court sentenced the former employee to 12 months in prison, suspended for a period of 2 years. She was further ordered to perform unpaid work, complete rehabilitation activity requirements and pay compensation to Barnet in the sum of £10,000.

Sally Bodom, who was employed as a Business Support Officer in Barnet Council’s Family Services department, was flagged by a National Fraud Initiative exercise in July 2024.

During the exercise, investigators discovered that Bodom was also employed full-time by Croydon Council in its Housing department.

Croydon Council verified her employment dating back to July 2016, while Barnet’s records showed she initially worked four days per week, increasing to full-time hours in March 2024.

According to Barnet, Bodom was paid in excess of £60,000 in salary throughout her time at the local authority, whilst engaging in polygamous working practices.

The council added that both her council contracts prohibited “undeclared additional employment that could interfere with her duties”.

On 30 October, Bodom appeared at Willesden Magistrates Court where she pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representations, and one count of fraud by failing to disclose.

Cllr Barry Rawlings, Barnet Council Leader, said: “We hope this prosecution will really highlight the seriousness of this modern-day fraud of polygamous working and will be a strong deterrent to anyone who thinks they can get away with it.”

Josh Simons, Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office with responsibility for the Public Sector Fraud Authority, said: “This case sends a strong message to fraudsters - we have the tools to find you and hold you to account. 

“My team in the Public Sector Fraud Authority is working with partners across government, through our cutting-edge National Fraud Initiative, to ensure there are no hiding places for those who seek to defraud hard-working taxpayers.”

A Croydon Council spokesperson said: “We will not tolerate staff taking on secondary employment which has not been approved by the Council, and we take a proactive approach on detecting possible signs of dual working. Disciplinary action was taken against this member of staff, and she was dismissed as a result.

“Our staff contracts state that secondary employment is not permitted unless it has been approved in advance at a senior level, and that it must not conflict with their primary employment with the council. As part of our hybrid working policy, we have measures in place to identify and reduce risks, ensuring officers are held accountable. Our hybrid working policy also states that employees are contractually required to work in the London Borough of Croydon and attend their workplace regularly.”

Lottie Winson