THURROCK councillors expressed concern this evening after reviewing a report into officer expenses and the management of their payment.

The council's audit committee was presented with an internal audit report (which can be read via this link) that reviewed 3,268 expenses claims made in 2024/25 for 701 employees with a total cost of £250,240.

The audit discovered 40 per cent of claims did not have valid VAT receipts as required and found one expense claim where the claimant approved their own claim request.

Audit officers also found expense claims were being approved by officers who "do not have delegated authority to certify them". In addition the assistant director's approval was not being obtained as required where subsistence payment rates were exceeded.

A report to the audit committee, which met tonight (Tuesday, 24 June), also revealed some staff have been waiting for more than a year to be reimbursed due to "delayed managerial approval".

However, the audit team found the expenses scheme overall was "transparent" and "appropriate" and the majority of claims are paid "in a timely manner", with payment runs three times a week once approvals have been processed.

The council currently has payment rates of £6.25, £9.25 and £12 for breakfast, lunch, and dinner expenses, respectively.

These rates may only be exceeded if the cost of standard meals supplied at an establishment where an officer is staying for work purposes exceeds the council's subsistence payment rates and no alternative option was available.

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The report said: "The council reimburses staff for out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, accommodation and subsistence costs incurred while on council business. HR has developed a travel and subsistence policy that governs and manages the way in which reimbursement is made.

"Claims for employee expenses should be submitted on the expenses management system, Oracle, where it should be checked and approved by an authorised officer before being sent to the finance team for payment into the employee's bank account."

Members of the committee recommended greater scrutiny by managers.