While householders face inflated council tax bills for the new financial year, research by the TaxPayers’ Alliance suggests town halls are still wasting large sums of money. Freedom of Information requests show councils which increased council tax and claimed their budgets had been savaged by cuts have spent more than £185,000 of taxpayers’ cash on celebrity appearances in the last three years. Famous faces include Great British Bake off winner Nadiya Hussain, 1990s British dance outfit N-Trance, Saturday Kitchen’s James Martin and Welsh rugby star Scott Quinnell, as well as Paddington Bear and Peppa Pig pantos.

Taxpayers will feel bitter that bureaucrats have been blowing their money meeting their favourite TV stars

James Roberts

The money was often for Christmas lights switch-ons as well as food and music festivals and business awards dinners.

The Freedom of Information requests on seven Labour-run councils also showed there were 55 senior staff earning more than £100,000 each.

James Roberts, from the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will feel bitter that bureaucrats have been blowing their money meeting their favourite TV stars. These council fat cats are raking in almost as much as the celebs they’ve been paying through the nose for.”

Councils say celebrities help promote areas and boost shopping centres.

FOI results showed Barnsley council spent £40,846.10 on celebrity appearances, including £9,000 for Ms Hussain and £15,000 for Mr Martin.

Eleven staff have £100,000-plus pay packages, despite a 4.49 per cent council tax hike, blamed on government cuts.

Council executive Matthew Gladstone said: “A strong visitor economy is one of Barnsley council’s priorities and an area which we are keen to invest in for the success of our borough.” He said the celebrity payments were part of events and festivals which “bring both direct income and economic impact into the borough”. He added: “For example, the Flavours Food Festival last year attracted 6,000 people with an economic impact of over £150,000.”

Oldham East and Saddleworth Labour MP Debbie Abrahams recently warned her council was on the point of “total collapse” because of government cuts.

But the FOI showed Oldham spent £37,976 on celebrities, including £5,000 for the runner-up of The Voice’s Finnish version, £2,500 on Britain’s Got Talent finalists Boogie Storm, and £1,750 on N-Trance.

Six staff are paid more than £100,000 and council tax rose by 3.99 per cent this year.

A council spokesman said: “Events with celebrity appearances are to promote Oldham to visitors, boosting footfall and the local economy. Our senior pay bill has been significantly cut since 2014, with a reduction of eight to six posts paying £100,000 or more, and a cut in other executive posts.”

Bridgend council in South Wales spent £14,639.80 on rugby’s Mr Quinnell, while warning it may have to shut the area’s bus station and reviewing school crossing patrols. Five staff earn more than £100,000 and council tax has risen by 5.4 per cent. Wolverhampton council cited the “enormous impact” of cuts, yet spent £44,000 on celebrities. Council tax went up by 4.99 per cent this year.

Chesterfield spent £6,550 on stars, £2,610 on a Peppa Pig panto and £2,195 on a Paddington Bear show. Residents must pay 3.13 per cent more council tax this year. Durham county council, facing £16million in cuts and a 4.99 per cent council tax rise, spent 4,507 on celebrities in the last three years.

Chorley, with a 2.99 per cent council tax rise, spent £30,467.

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