Almost £1.5m was paid to Croydon councillors in allowances and expenses last year – the highest figure in the whole of London.

According to figures released by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, £1,456,862 was paid to Croydon councillors from 2014 to 2015, comparing to just £639,403 paid to Kingston councillors, who racked up the smallest bill.

The figures analysed payments to councillors across the country over the last three years and found that the total bill for allowances rose in at least 208 of all councils.

Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Taxpayers will be shocked to discover the rate at which councillors' allowances have risen over the last three years, despite local authorities pleading poverty and in many cases raising Council Tax or cutting services.

"It goes to show that not every council has prioritised finding savings or cutting taxes over awarding local politicians above inflation allowances.”

At least 238 councils raised the basic rate of allowances paid over the last three years.