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Figures relaesed by Westminster City Council under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that 12% of every residents council tax bill went towards paying staff bonuses.

A total of £5,783,975.50 was paid out in the 2008/09 financial year that ended last month, up 16 per cent from £4,992,285.41 in the previous financial year. 

Last year, Westminster had to raise £48.3m through local Council Tax bills. With bonuses for staff making up £5.8m, that means 12 per cent of every resident's Council Tax bill was used to pay staff bonuses. Put it another way, these staff bonuses put £45 on the average band 'D' tax bill.

The total paid out in bonuses to council staff over the three financial years since the Conservatives were re-elected to run the council was over £15 million.

Commenting, LibDem parliamentary candidate for Westminster North Mark Blackburn said, "Many council staff do a great job and genuine public service deserves to be rewarded.

"Paying millions and millions in bonuses is not however the way to go about this. We've seen the damage that the bonus culture has done in the City, and we shouldn't be importing that into local councils."