A credit card currently being piloted by Kingston Council has racked up £17,790 in more than 163 transactions, since May 2009.

The procurement cards are used by many councils as a quick way of purchasing items, with less paperwork.

The pilot card has been issued to Alyson Piper, centre manager of Murray House Resource Centre, Kingston.

A council spokesman said it was primarily used to buy provisions for the meals supplied to residents.

He said: “This one procurement card is a pilot scheme that we are running to look at the national initiative.

“The system is being trialled in an area where the council may be required to bulk purchase low value items, such as food in this case, to see if the card offers a more flexible and efficient method than existing processes for procurement.

“The use of the card is limited to a named user and has a fixed credit limit.

"The range of goods and outlets where purchases can be made are also limited and defined.

"All purchases made with a procurement card are monitored through the council’s existing accounting system.”

The largest transactions included £914.94 on televisions, £670 on showhouse furniture, £426 for a Butlins residents’ holiday, £275.93 for mirrors and a garden shed and £222.71 on provisions at a supermarket.

The performance of the card system will be evaluated in November, when the council will consider whether to roll it out further.