NEWPORT council took more cash than any Welsh authority under the golden goodbye retirement payoffs.

The 13 long-serving Newport councillors who agreed to stand down at the elections last June were paid a total of 293,280. Many of them were paid 20,000 each.

The scheme was offered to those with over 16 years' service and aimed at bringing in fresh blood .

At Newport 12 Labour councillors and one from Plaid got payouts. No Tories were involved.

The Assembly paid out 1,667,112 to 76 councillors at eight councils across Wales. The average payout to councils was 208,389.

Newport Tory leader Councillor Matthew Evans said: "It's scandalous that taxpayers' money has been spent in this way.

"In Newport we are facing a dire financial situation with the budget, and yet money is being squandered paying off old councillors.

"This cash - almost 300,000 - could have gone directly to the frontline services that are being threatened with cuts.

"That Newport took more of this money than any other council in Wales is particularly shameful."

Many of Wales' 22 councils rejected the scheme as a waste of public cash. Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Monmouthshire councils all refused it, but Torfaen backed it. Their six eligible councillors took 131,974 - the second lowest in Wales.

The second-highest share went to Neath Port Talbot, whose 13 retiring councillors took 283,128.

The long service award paid out 1,000 per year of service for those with more than 16 years as a councillor, up to a maximum payout of 20,000. Those who took it in Newport include former leader Sir Harry Jones, former roads boss Graham Dally, schools head John Pembridge, Jim Kirkwood and George Bucklow.

A total of 24 Newport councillors were eligible for the payout, and the 11 who refused it and stood for re-election include many members of the current cabinet.

Newport council justified the awards by saying that in devoting their time to council work, councillors had often sacrificed their careers. Many also said councillors had no pension recognition for their work.

Alan Perry, a former St Julians councillor with 28 years' service, said: "I may have got a 20,000 settlement but I paid 8,000 of that in tax.

"The taxpayer got almost half of it back. This idea was fully debated and it was meant to introduce fresh blood to the council.

"Things could've been done with that money, but it came from the Assembly. It wasn't Newport's money."