A bill totalling £6,340.55 was charged to a credit card for payments to Google aimed at raising the profile of KCC's controversial TV station Kent TV.

A series of 10 payments over 12 months appear against transactions charged to the credit card of Tanya Oliver, KCC's director of strategic development and public access.

The payments related to Kent TV, the authority's internet-based TV station, which was scrapped earlier this year.

A further £304 was charged to the same card for advertising Kent TV on Facebook.

KCC pulled the plug on Kent TV in February after investing £1.8m in the project, which began broadcasting in 2008.

It was run by Ten Alps, a company founded by Sir Bob Geldof and was never far from controversy.

Efforts to make it self-funding through advertising never properly took off and the council faced further controversy when it extended the two-year contract at a cost of £400,000 to see if it could be turned around.

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At the time of the decision to end the scheme in February, KCC leader Paul Carter said: "Kent TV has proved itself to be a brave and bold innovation and we have learned a great deal from it.

"It has provided a source of practical, useful information for residents."

Yesterday, Cllr Roger Gough. cabinet member for corporate services, said: "When Kent TV was a going concern it was important to ensure it had a good internet profile.

"That was part of the business."