RELOCATION costs paid by employers are perks behind the imagination of the majority of taxpayers footing the bill, TaxPayers' Alliance chief executive John O'Connell has said.

Mr O’Connell said residents would be left wondering how the huge amount of money paid out could possibly be good value claiming it was an “unacceptable waste” of funds which could be spent on adult social care or tax cuts.

He added: “How many taxpayers footing the bill have the luxury of their employers paying for removal vans and keys cut?"

Brighton and Hove City Council paid relocation costs of more than £58,000 to ten senior officers and relocation costs totalling more than £51,000 to eleven social workers.

A city council spokeswoman said the authority had a long-term issue with recruitment of social workers because of a national shortage and high living costs within the city.

She added: “In order to attract good calibre staff, managers do, on occasion, choose to offer the re-location package. This actually saves money in the long run because plugging gaps with agency staff is more expensive.”

The highest single payout by West Sussex County Council was £13,399.45 in 2012/13 which included £1,313.2 in removal costs, £8,346 resettlement costs, £3,166.75 in incidental expenses and £573.50 lodging and travel.

Two other officers made successful claims of more than £9,000 in lodging and travel costs.

Over at East Sussex County Council, five senior officers, including chief operating officer, operations manager and a senior planning officer, had combined relocation costs of almost £27,000 paid by taxpayers between April 2013 and May 2016.

In its response to The Argus, the council said it would not disclose the breakdown of the figures any further because there were “very low numbers” and could identify the staff involved.

It also paid out more than £30,000 to eight new recruits in social work roles, £1,571.15 for an occupational therapist and £3,000 to a headteacher.

Horsham District Council were the most transparent of all authorities, detailing exactly what the £8,900 relocation costs paid for.

The sum, paid out in May 2014, included £2,150 in stamp duty, £1,620 removal costs, £449.15 in travel expenses, £200 for house hunting visits to Horsham, £668 on white goods and £38 for additional keys.

Eastbourne Borough Council paid the £1,190 removal costs of a new staff member in April 2013.

A spokesman said: “Having completed a rigorous recruitment process and identified the most suitable person for a role, the council will consider, when appropriate, assistance with relocation costs.”

Mid Sussex District Council paid relocation costs of £1,455.16 in June for an estates surveyor team leader and £5,200 to a leisure partnership officer between April 2013 and September 2014.

The council’s HR manager Tim Martland said: “We have provided financial support to help new members of staff relocate to Mid Sussex on two occasions in the last five years. We provide this assistance to ensure we recruit the very best possible candidates to the council.”

Rother District Council paid £7,073.96 in travel, legal and home move costs for a senior environmental health officer in 2015/16.

A spokesman said: “Relocation packages are offered rarely and only for specialist roles where we believe we would be unlikely to recruit without such a package.”