The City of London Corporation's new payroll system, a key component of Programme Sapphire, is progressing well and remains on track for its planned go-live date, according to an update presented to the Corporate Services Committee.
User acceptance testing (UAT) for the new payroll solution has concluded, with the system successfully meeting the required criteria. While 89% of payroll data has been confirmed as accurate, the remaining data-related issues are expected to be resolved within the week. The committee was informed that the programme is on schedule to meet its Ambition 25 deadlines, and the Chamberlain's department is moving towards recommending a specific go-live date for the payroll transfer.
During the meeting, Simon Gray provided an update on Programme Sapphire, detailing several enhancements to the payroll system. These include the standardisation of tax codes for pensioners who also work for the corporation to a single code for HMRC reporting. Furthermore, pension contributions will now be calculated dynamically on a monthly basis, a significant shift from the current manual, biannual calculation process. This new automated, monthly calculation is expected to increase efficiency and potentially accuracy, without altering existing policies or procedures.
A workaround process has also been implemented to accommodate operational needs, such as those of Tower Bridge staff, by allowing overtime claims to be submitted twice in one day. To ensure staff have maximum time to submit overtime claims for payment, system changes have been made to accept claims up to the latest possible date during the 'transfer period'. This 'transfer period' implies an extended deadline for submitting overtime claims, giving employees more time to submit them before they are processed for the next pay slip.
Additionally, a communication reinforcing standard payroll dates and encouraging timely submission of updates and claims is being distributed to employees. The UAT phase concluded with one failed test, which is anticipated to be resolved very quickly, with hopes of a fix by the end of the day. Six further tests will be completed after the payroll power run. The committee was assured that the payroll system is on track to meet Ambition 25 timelines. For more details on the committee's proceedings, refer to the Public reports pack for the Corporate Services Committee meeting on 09th September 2026.
