Agenda item

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain which provided Members with a review of the City of London Purchasing Card (P-Card) Policy, one year after the Policy had been created.

Members discussed the number of staff with P-Cards with a credit limit of over £5k, the types of spending which were made by these cardholders, and the appropriate types of controls to ensure appropriate use of all P-cards. Members suggested that it may be appropriate, as was common practice in the private sector, to link P-Cards to the cardholder’s personal bank account.

Members agreed that the Chamberlain would submit a report to the Committee’s next meeting, providing further information regarding the use of P-Cards with a credit limit of over £5k, the controls for the use of P-Cards, and the advantages and disadvantages of P-Cards expenditure being charged to the cardholder’s personal bank account before being reclaimed.

RESOLVED – That the Committee:

a)    Notes the impact of the P-card Policy;

b)    Notes the analysis of the cardholder community and credit limits;

c)    Notes the proposed trial to re-route purchases of less than £100 to a P-Card to review potential efficiencies, savings and investigate risks of a permanent intervention of this nature; and

d)    Agrees that a report be submitted to the Committee’s next meeting providing further information regarding the use of P-Cards with a credit limit of over £5k, the controls for the use of P-Cards, and the advantages and disadvantages of P-Cards expenditure being charged to the cardholder’s personal bank account before being reclaimed.