OUR GLOBAL MOVEMENT
In July 2020, Transparency International UK (TI-UK) published a research report on corruption risks in local government planning decisions.1 The research for this report included a standardised assessment of corruption risks across 50 different local authorities in England with a responsibility for housing planning decisions. This assessment looked at how local authorities compared against good practice standards for managing corruption risks. Our research found that, overall, local authorities do not meet good practice standards for ensuring propriety in the planning process.
In this document, we set out a 10-point plan for how local authorities in London can strengthen their safeguards against impropriety in planning. These should be implemented alongside councils’ compliance with their statutory obligations to transparency and whistleblowing protection; for example, the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Local Government Transparency Code 2015, and the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
It has never been easier to manage money and make payments around the world. This is partly due to the rapid growth of the electronic money institutions (EMIs) sector, which offers customers personal and business accounts, global payment services and an alternative to the more traditional banks. These firms are becoming increasingly popular.
While most EMIs will be legitimate payment providers, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests they are open to abuse by those seeking to launder corrupt and other illicit funds through the global economy.
This report explores the risks associated with EMIs like these which operate in the UK, and calls for more proactive supervision of their activities than there has been to date.
