EXPERTS in preventing fraud will meet in Oxford next month when a special conference is held at the Town Hall for the fourth time.

The Annual Fraud Conference will be held to share best practice, knowledge and experience to prevent and detect public sector fraud.

The theme of Oxford City Council's conference this year is 'One Step Ahead', and will offer presentations from the Home Office, Coventry University and other cyber crime specialists.

There will also be interactive workshops which will share information on new ways to combat fraud in the public sector.

About 150 counter-fraud experts from more than 50 organisations will attend the event.

It will be the largest conference of its kind run by a local authority in the country.

Ed Turner, the council's deputy leader, said: "We are now into our fourth anti-fraud conference and it's become a landmark date in the industry's calendar. The conference has firmly established itself as the must-go-to event for counter-fraud professionals."

He added: "I want to thank and congratulate the city council's award-winning Fraud Investigation Service who instigated the conference in 2016 and who continue to organise it every year.

"The service continues to grow with a proven track record in uncovering fraud not only in Oxford, but also for the other councils and organisations both within and outside of Oxfordshire. They are continuing proof of the value of the city council's decision to invest in fraud prevention and provide a service that is second to none."

Any organisation that wants to take part can visit oxfordinvestigationservice.co.uk or contact nsollitt-hayes@oxford.gov.uk