Kent County Council spent nearly £5.7million on publicity in 2007-2008, a drop of more than £900,000 compared with the previous year.

A survey conducted by the lobby group Taxpayers’ Alliance places KCC as the fifth highest spender of all councils on publicity. At the same time, however, it emerges as among the authorities to have cut most from their spending on publicity in 2007-2008.

Across Kent, a further seven councils also recorded a drop in their spending while the budgets of three went up.

In Swale, publicity spending increased to £637,000 from £381,000 - up 89 per cent. Sevenoaks also increased its spending, up by £41,000 to £252,000 as did Ashford, where the budget increased by £49,000 to £585,000 in 2007-08.

In a statement, KCC deputy leader Cllr Alex King (Con) said: "It is not surprising that KCC comes fifth in the Taypayers’ Alliance table of spend on publicity, as we are the largest shire authority in the country with a population of 1.4million.

"It is important we keep residents informed of the services we deliver. However, it is also clear from the table that KCC has made a reduction in our publicity spend of 13.7 per cent last year."

The council was aiming to cut spending by a further £1million next year by using the website and the KCC-backed internet TV station Kent TV to avoid printing material, he added.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: "Whilst we salute the 217 councils who have cut spending on publicity, the 225 councils who have increased spending should hang their heads in shame.

"In the middle of a recession, councils need to cut back on propaganda and spin doctors and deliver savings to taxpayers."