MORE than £100,000 has been spent by Gwent councils on using 'mayoral cars' for civic duties, it has been revealed.

Caerphilly council forked out the most, spending £28,885.30 since 2015, according to the figures revealed in a Freedom of Information request from the TaxPayers’ Alliance.

Newport City Council spent the second highest during the same period at £23,049, followed by Torfaen which paid £18,166.30.

Blaenau Gwent council paid £17,600 and Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) £16,098.20.

The figures, which looked at how much councils spent across the UK, include cars for mayors as well as council chairmen and women.

Caerphilly and Monmouthshire councils defended their use of the cars as cost-effective.

A spokesman for Caerphilly council said: "We do not have a vehicle which is exclusively used by the mayor, but we do have an official car (Ford Mondeo) which is used for a range of different business purposes, including by the mayor, the leader, cabinet members and senior officers of the authority.

"Journeys are often shared using the official car and this can be more cost effective than using alternative forms of transport."

The car is also used to deliver sensitive legal papers to courts and solicitors, and all long distance journeys are financially evaluated to ensure value for money.

MCC leases a Ford Mondeo for use by the chairman when representing the council at civic events.

The annual cost of the lease is £3,399.50.

A spokesman for MCC added: "We also lease a number of smaller pool cars which are used by staff such as social workers and engineers who need to travel as part of their jobs.

"When not in use by the chairman the Mondeo can be used by other officers requiring a pool car when there are no smaller vehicles available.

"Leased vehicles provide a cost effective solution for travel in a rural county such as Monmouthshire where public transport is not always a viable option, particularly in the evenings."

Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent councils have both scrapped the role of mayor.

A spokesman for Torfaen council said: "The mayor’s role and supporting resources were removed as part of the budget process for 2018/19 to save the council £52,000 per year.

"Civic duties normally undertaken by the mayor will now be carried out by cabinet members."

Blaenau Gwent council removed the role of a civic car when the titles of mayor and deputy were re-designated to the role of chairman and deputy chairman of the council last year.

A spokesman for the council added: "There is no longer a civic car facility for any elected members in Blaenau Gwent."

John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, encouraged civic leaders across the UK to use "cheaper forms of transport."

He added: "Every penny wasted on excessive travel expenses is money that could be going towards social care or bin collections."