Mr Walker said the reason the amount taken from the petty
cash account increased was because employees preferred to have expenses paid in cash and tax free.
The CAP Money system advises to put the correct amounts of money in your regular payments account and your
cash account, and then simply transfer the rest into your savings account.
Elementary school teacher Lauren McCall, states, "The Summer
Cash account has been a lifesaver for me in years past.
It is claimed Wootton-Thomas, who was put in charge of managing the petty
cash account used for staff expenses, wrote out 75 cheques, each for PS500, and kept the money herself or siphoned it into her elderly mother's bank account.
In total, 76 cheques were written out from the petty
cash account - all but one, "countersigned" by another employee who was on long-term sick leave for some of the period, it was alleged.
She forged the required second signature then faked an inflated balance sheet to cover her tracks when the petty
cash account went into the red.
The country's biggest savings bank and mortgage lender was responding to criticism of a pilot scheme aimed at encouraging those with basic Card
Cash accounts to use cash machines, the telephone and the internet for transactions.
But for this first year alone the limit is pounds 7,000, of which pounds 3,000 can go into a
cash account.
The court had previously heard how the petty
cash account was used for staff expenses like car parking, and would only need topping up by between PS100 and PS125 each month.
City Hall critics raise similar questions about the petty
cash account, accusing officials of showing little regard for the public at a time when city fees are being hiked and services cut.
CPAs with unaudited clients can provide additional services by suggesting a periodic examination of the
cash account only.
In total, 76 cheques were written from the petty
cash account - all but one "counter-signed" by another employee who was actually on longterm sick leave for part of the period, it was alleged.
