William Eichler 15 July 2025

Council employee prosecuted for fraud

Council employee prosecuted for fraud image
Fraud © Vitalii Vodolazskyi / Shutterstock.com.

An employee who was simultaneously employed by two local authorities and a third organisation has been found guilty of fraud after earning over £230,000.

Bryn Howells of Stroud worked for Tewkesbury Borough Council, South Gloucestershire Council, and Publica Group Ltd between February 2022 and June 2023.

Mr Howells failed to disclose his multiple employments to each organisation and submitted false timesheets.

He also held a fourth role with another council via an agency. However, this employment was not included in the prosecution case.

In total, Mr Howells made £236,000 in salaries and other benefits during the eight-month period.

He told the court his failure to declare all of his employments was an ‘unintentional oversight’.

Tewkesbury Borough Council’s executive director of resources, Simon Dix, said: ‘By receiving four publicly funded salaries and benefits, Mr Howells’ conduct was wholly dishonest and represents a serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds.’

The councils are looking to recover salary, pension contributions and national insurance contributions earnt by Mr Howells.

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