Assembly calls for random testing of City Hall expense claims
EXPENSE claims at City Hall should be subject to random testing to assess a proportion in more detail, says a London Assembly report. The call follows a series of Assembly meetings to examine “the misuse of the Greater London
EXPENSE claims at City Hall should be subject to random testing to assess a proportion in more detail, says a London Assembly report.
The call follows a series of Assembly meetings to examine “the misuse of the Greater London Authority’s corporate credit card” by a “former Deputy Mayor.”
Recommendations are being made in the report by the Assembly’s Business Management committee to toughen procedures.
“Incidents such as Ian Clement’s corporate credit card undermine the reputation of the whole authority,” committee chair Jennette Arnold said in a statement.
“Action must be taken to ensure lessons are learnt from this sorry episode and a repeat prevented.
“It’s vital that City Hall has robust systems in place so the public has confidence that the GLA expense claims are genuine and reasonable.”
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It recommends clarifying the role of City Hall’s finance department in verifying the validity of claims and credit card transactions before the Mayor authorises them.
But the report also wants random testing to assess a proportion of expense claims in greater detail.
Previous recommendations now in place include more transparency and accountability of expenses and publishing itemised expenses claimed by the Mayor, Assembly Members and those appointed by the Mayor.
