North Somerset Council has defended how it spends its money after figures showed almost £34,000 was spent on hotel stays, flights and travel over the past two years.

The council said most of the cash – £33,942.97 in total – was spent on accommodation for prospective adopting parents.

Its response came after a Freedom of Information request revealed the overall spend on overnight expenses by all council employees.

They revealed outgoings such as a £1,560 spend on eight people to stay one night each at the Thistle Marble Arch Hotel in London, £2,376 forked out on five people to stay four nights at the MacDonald Hotel in Morpeth, Northumberland and a £227 spend on a two-night stay at the Premier Inn, Bath.

A North Somerset Council spokesman said: “The figures relate to all bookings made by council employees and bookings include those made for potential parents of adopted children, not just councillors and council officers.”

But Harry Davis, campaign manager for the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said it was not unusual for local authorities to be spending large amounts and that a ‘culture of largesse’ existed within local government.

He suggest the council should be ‘tightening its belt’ given the widespread austerity and cuts to public services, all of which have made the news recently.

He said: “When councils are pleading poverty and raising council tax, local taxpayers will be scratching their heads as to why council staff have been jetting around at their expense.

“Councils should be tightening their belts and finding necessary savings, not indulging in this culture of largesse.

“The council has to make sure that every part of its spending is accounted for and that it represents the best deal possible for taxpayers.”

In November it was revealed North Somerset Council spent £17,900 on hotel stays and travel during 2015, with an average spend of £95.73 each time.