"Councils spend £100m on taxpayer-funded credit cards"
Discussion
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/council-s...
"Councils have spent tens of millions of pounds on taxpayer-funded credit cards with local authority executives and councillors treating themselves to first-class travel to foreign destinations and stays in five-star hotels, The Daily Telegraph can disclose."
Just - WTF?
"Councils have spent tens of millions of pounds on taxpayer-funded credit cards with local authority executives and councillors treating themselves to first-class travel to foreign destinations and stays in five-star hotels, The Daily Telegraph can disclose."
Just - WTF?
chris watton said:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/council-s...
"Councils have spent tens of millions of pounds on taxpayer-funded credit cards with local authority executives and councillors treating themselves to first-class travel to foreign destinations and stays in five-star hotels, The Daily Telegraph can disclose."
Just - WTF?
"Because we're worth it"."Councils have spent tens of millions of pounds on taxpayer-funded credit cards with local authority executives and councillors treating themselves to first-class travel to foreign destinations and stays in five-star hotels, The Daily Telegraph can disclose."
Just - WTF?
chris watton said:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/council-s...
"Councils have spent tens of millions of pounds on taxpayer-funded credit cards with local authority executives and councillors treating themselves to first-class travel to foreign destinations and stays in five-star hotels, The Daily Telegraph can disclose."
Just - WTF?
Credit cards are much more efficient."Councils have spent tens of millions of pounds on taxpayer-funded credit cards with local authority executives and councillors treating themselves to first-class travel to foreign destinations and stays in five-star hotels, The Daily Telegraph can disclose."
Just - WTF?
If you get staff to pay for expenses via credit card you get one bill at the end of the month which can be signed off in minutes. The alternative is getting them to pay using their own money, get receipts, fill in lots of forms and inform payroll.
shauniebabes said:
Credit cards are much more efficient.
If you get staff to pay for expenses via credit card you get one bill at the end of the month which can be signed off in minutes. The alternative is getting them to pay using their own money, get receipts, fill in lots of forms and inform payroll.
Personally, i would have thought it would be more efficient to give them travel cards and let them pay for their own food and stuff. Easy.If you get staff to pay for expenses via credit card you get one bill at the end of the month which can be signed off in minutes. The alternative is getting them to pay using their own money, get receipts, fill in lots of forms and inform payroll.
I have a corporate credit card, if i spent even £1 on something that was not work related and did not meet the company policy, it would be gross misconduct and my feet wouldnt touch!
How can Councils justify all those trips to the far east? What are they doing there?
TBH I dont have a problem with people staying in decent hotels as long as they have a good deal. I stay in hotels often for work and a decent hotel makes a huge difference in how you feel about being away for work, how refreshed you are before important meetings etc.
If you look at my credit card spending it include some expensive hotels eg Park lane Hilton. But the night I stayed I managed to find a rate the same and the Holiday Inn Express at Kings Cross.
BTW I work in the private sector
How can Councils justify all those trips to the far east? What are they doing there?
TBH I dont have a problem with people staying in decent hotels as long as they have a good deal. I stay in hotels often for work and a decent hotel makes a huge difference in how you feel about being away for work, how refreshed you are before important meetings etc.
If you look at my credit card spending it include some expensive hotels eg Park lane Hilton. But the night I stayed I managed to find a rate the same and the Holiday Inn Express at Kings Cross.
BTW I work in the private sector
blueg33 said:
If you look at my credit card spending it include some expensive hotels eg Park lane Hilton. But the night I stayed I managed to find a rate the same and the Holiday Inn Express at Kings Cross.
BTW I work in the private sector
You were also probably doing something worthwhile, your company wouldn't pay for it if there was no benefit.BTW I work in the private sector
I said ages ago I hope the Telegraph does a similar expose on councils to the one they did on MP's expenses. Regardless of political colour local councils piss money away like it's free. Which, of course, it is.
I also have a problem with constant media (BBf
kingC) bombardment of "Tory cuts" yet no mention of the money being frittered away on walking lessons or fact-finding trips to New fking York or Dubai.Sorry for the rant but it really pisses me right off.
Edited by mattviatura on Saturday 28th May 11:19
Corporate credit cards are generally a good thing, they mean that every transaction has a paper-trail (no 'petty cash') and also the card issuer will often give a percent or so back to the corporation. So I don't have a problem with them using 'taxpayer-funded credit cards' at all.
What they are used to buy is another issue. It's difficult to see how they can justify stays at the Four Seasons for example...
What they are used to buy is another issue. It's difficult to see how they can justify stays at the Four Seasons for example...
Whilst the concept of the credit cards isn't a bad idea its the abuse of the system that's the problem.
Eric Pickles is trying to get the Civil Service to publish all civil servants expenses claims. The councils are resisting very hard and I'm not surprised. He's managed to get a few to release the info under FOI which shows how how big the problem is. Half the spending is not work related and anything under £1k isn't audited?
Whilst a good chunk will be work related you can bet your bottom dollar a good amount won't be.
Eric Pickles is trying to get the Civil Service to publish all civil servants expenses claims. The councils are resisting very hard and I'm not surprised. He's managed to get a few to release the info under FOI which shows how how big the problem is. Half the spending is not work related and anything under £1k isn't audited?
Whilst a good chunk will be work related you can bet your bottom dollar a good amount won't be.
blueg33 said:
I have a corporate credit card, if i spent even £1 on something that was not work related and did not meet the company policy, it would be gross misconduct and my feet wouldn't touch!
Exactly.I would occasionally take calls from executives who were unable to use their personal card seeking permission to use the corporate card. However, this was very rare - company cards are for company expenditure only.
I guess it's hard to sack a council worker as the bin men would immediately strike.
silver.fox.2008 said:
Half the spending is not work related and anything under £1k isn't audited?
WTF is a corporate (well, in this case HMG) card being used for then? 1k is not audited? FFS, £1 was audited in my bank. You supplied receipts or you didn't get your money back. No wonder the countries' finances are f***ed if this kind of shambles is permitted.
I don't see what the problem is with using credit cards - so long as the spending has a business justifcation.
Local Government Association (LGA) chairman Baroness Margaret Eaton said: "The use of credit cards for legitimate purposes is entirely appropriate and transparent.
"It helps reduce red tape by removing the need to invoice businesses and helps the cash-flow of regular suppliers who receive more prompt payment.
"The £100m spent on council credit cards in the last three years represents less than 0.03% of the £350bn local authority budget over that time.
"Councils are the most transparent part of the public sector, publishing details of spending in excess of £500. We would like to see that matched in all central government departments which, with one exception, currently only publish spending in excess of £25,000."
Local Government Association (LGA) chairman Baroness Margaret Eaton said: "The use of credit cards for legitimate purposes is entirely appropriate and transparent.
"It helps reduce red tape by removing the need to invoice businesses and helps the cash-flow of regular suppliers who receive more prompt payment.
"The £100m spent on council credit cards in the last three years represents less than 0.03% of the £350bn local authority budget over that time.
"Councils are the most transparent part of the public sector, publishing details of spending in excess of £500. We would like to see that matched in all central government departments which, with one exception, currently only publish spending in excess of £25,000."
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