HOW many steps are necessary between an order for an item and sending the final payment for that item?

At Carrick district council, officers reckon there are 22 and that the total cost in officers' time can be around £19 per item.

Now processes are in place to simplify matters and reduce costs, members of the authority's policy development board (corporate) were told. These include increasing payments via the cheque-less BACS systems and the issue of authority credit cards to more officers.