'Hush money' totalling more than £630,000 has been paid to silence ex-council staff in five years, an investigation has found.

And Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) refuses to confirm or deny whether alleged victims of sexual harassment have been paid.

The latest figures come following a previous KentOnline probe showing almost 30 members of staff had been paid for silence in five years, fuelling calls for more transparency over the payments.

Gagging orders - officially known as settlement agreements - are usually struck up when an employee leaves facing redundancy or workplace issues.

Under the agreement an employer asks the worker to sign on the line in return for cash, to keep them from speaking publicly.

The latest Freedom of Information request by KentOnline shows today six members of FHDC staff were paid £148,622 between them in 2017.

A total of 14 members of staff were paid off £244,667 in 2016.

And nine employees were handed a portion of a £237,884 payout from 2013-2015.

It means the council's average gagging order costs the taxpayer £21,764.

The payments were made to redundant staff, those who left under 'mutual consent' and those signed off under a 'settlement agreement.'

One staff member was gagged in 2015 while resigning.

The council refused to elaborate on what each gagging order was for, on grounds of privacy.

Gagging orders are largely seen as controversial because under the Public Interest Disclosure Act whistleblowers are supposed to be protected.

However, many believe they have a deterrent effect.

Cllr Susie Govett Independent district councillor for New Romney said: "I don't understand why the sexual harassment figures need to be kept quiet.

"We have no idea if these are allegations of serious sexual offences or if someone has just looked at someone the wrong way.

"So we don't know if the problem is systemic inside the council or just one-offs.

"This is another example where the council would benefit from being more transparent."

Cllr Martin Whybrow Green county councillor for Hythe called on FHDC to provide a more detailed account of the payments.

He cast doubt over whether the authority would listen because it seems to "avoid telling residents what is going on at all costs."

“These are not inconsiderable amounts of taxpayers’ money that have been spent on departing staff and I feel that there needs to be more detail from the district council.

"I won’t hold my breath as too often the council’s stance seems to be to avoid telling residents what is going on at all costs.

"But lack of transparency means a lack of trust and an assumption that it has something to hide.”

A council spokesman said the authority "neither confirms nor denies" it holds details on alleged sexual harassment cases.

"It would contravene Data Protection Principle 1, 'Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully,' " they added.

They also refused to specify what each gagging order was for because it may identify the individuals.

Their statement continues: "The council does not use the term ‘gagging order’.

"The appropriate term is 'settlement agreement', a legally binding agreement between an employer and employee used to set out the mutually agreed terms and conditions reached when a contract of employment is to be terminated or a dispute is to be resolved.

"They are normally used where the employee and employer agree that the employment relationship can no longer proceed and must be brought to an end."

Settlement agreements are "entirely voluntary", the spokesman said.