Many of us claim back expenses occurred during our working days. That tenner spent on a taxi to a meeting, the coffee with a potential new client or train travel to an industry conference. All very legitimate.

At the other end of the scale, figures released under Freedom of Information rules suggest that executives at cash-strapped local authority have been claiming back for more than just the odd cup of tea. Nearly £680,000 was spent on Bristol City Council payment cards last year.

The Deputy Mayor of Bristol’s assertion that “spending needs to be looked at in the context of the services the council provides whilst running a billion- pound business,” won’t have washed with many taxpayers, especially when they found out some money has been spent of designer clothes and expensive restaurants.

Local rag, the Bristol Post pointed out that transactions included £170 spent on designer UGG boots, £100 at a Ralph Lauren store and even £44 at a tattoo parlour. Someone also claimed for getting their hair done at Innovation Unisex Hair. And more than £4,200 went on eating out – ranging from top venues Bordeaux Quay and Goldbrick House to fast-food joins like McDonalds and KFC.

Before continuing, it is worth pointing out that there are perfectly legitimate reasons for using a card. The council said, for example, that the £32,400 spent on Asda groceries helped people in respite care.

But in the absence of precise details on the purchases, the more mischievous of us can only speculate what Bristol City Council executives picked up in their shopping baskets last year. The £37,800 spent on Amazon could, for example, have bought more than 2,220 copies of Local Council Finance by Chris Richards (priced £17). If executives read this (and other similar books) would it help them run a more efficient local authority?

And what did staff download as a result of spending £686 at iTunes? What did they see at the cinema?

Thankfully though, it doesn’t seem like taxpayers have been shelling out for any pairs of the distinctive red trousers that George Ferguson likes to buy. Just think how many of those you could buy for £680,000!