A fleet of hire cars for Ashford Borough Council staff cost taxpayers more than £100,000 a year - but the authority is refusing to reveal the vehicles' makes and models.

Senior council staff also receive a higher rental car budget than regular employees, fuelling calls for a "full investigation" into the expenditure.

In a Freedom of Information request, ABC disclosed its 29 rental cars and seven pool vans cost an annual average of £3,250 apiece.

On admitting the £117,000 annual taxpayer bill, the authority refused to reveal the car brands staff hire, citing privacy laws.

It comes after a TaxPayers' Alliance study showed Kent councils spent almost £150,000 on luxury cars for mayors and chairmen over the last three years.

In the study, Ashford ranked as one of the most frugal councils, saying it did not run a mayoral car.

But now the Taxpayers’ Alliance says people will be surprised to learn of the annual lease car bill.

Chief executive John O’Connell said: “Taxpayers will be shocked to discover their money is being forcibly taken from them, in part, to finance cars for council executives.

"Worse, senior council executives seem to get fancier cars than more junior employees - a sure sign of a broken system that should be investigated thoroughly.

"At least, Ashford realises the importance of cars to peoples’ lives, unlike central government which seems to want to tax motorists into the ground.”

Cllr Brendan Chilton, Labour’s ward member for Stanhope, labelled the expense an "appalling waste of public money".

He said: “If I was to ask any of the directors where I work for a lease car I would be told where to go

“I understand if someone needs a train ticket to get somewhere their expenses should be met, but not the hire car that gets them to the station.

“This is another appalling waste of money by this administration.”

A council spokesman said the majority of leases are on a four-year term and the authority was in the process of changing providers.

He said: “A number of positions at ABC are considered to be essential car users.

“This may be for recruitment purposes or more likely because the role requires the use of a car as part of the business as usual activities required of the role.

"If I was to ask any of the directors where I work for a lease car I would be told where to go" - Cllr Brendan Chilton

"Individuals who fill any such role are entitled to a lease car or cash alternative.

“The subsidy level depends on the individual’s seniority, officer level, management level or director.

“They are not restricted to any make or model of car and can simply pay themselves any difference above the subsidy.

“As at October 1 2018, there are 29 essential users who have opted for a lease car, there are also seven pool vans.

“The average annual rental equates to £3,250.

“In addition there is also a mileage allowance for which we use the levels suggested by HMRC.

“The mileage allowance is significantly smaller for those entitled to a lease car rather than those who utilise their own vehicles.”

Of the seven pool vans, three are used by electrical services staff, two by parking, one for the sheltered scheme and one for the dog warden.

Folkestone and Hythe District Council says it does not use hire cars to help save money and scrapped the scheme more than a decade ago.

“We do own a small fleet of vehicles for staff to use where daily travel is required such as for our grounds maintenance and area officer teams, for example,” a spokesman said. “We don’t use lease cars.”