Agenda item

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain which provided information of the findings of a review of Corporate Purchase Cards controls and card holders.

The Chamberlain explained that roughly 10% of spend on purchase cards was for what may be considered to be expenses. He explained that a portion of that was spend on high value travel or by Police Officers on covert assignment, for which use of the existing expenses scheme would not be appropriate. He explained that the vast majority of expenses for officers were processed through the expenses scheme, which was separate from the purchase cards scheme.

A Member noted that, once the review of card holders had been instigated, a large number of card holders cancelled their cards. He suggested that this indicated that City Procurement should periodically review when cards had not seen recent use, to determine whether these cards could be cancelled.

The Committee agreed that a further report should be submitted to the Committee in one year, to provide an update on progress with reducing the number of rarely-used purchase cards and in reducing the use of purchase cards for expenses.

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report.