A council's spending of more than �1m on consultants, including more than �250,000 on a storewars planning battle, has been queried by one of its members.

North Norfolk District Council was taken to task by UKIP member Michael Baker who said council tax payers would be 'shocked' at the size of the bill.

But council leader Virginia Gay defended the use, saying a lot of it was covered by grants rather than taxpayers cash, and was needed to provide expertise not found among the council staff.

And failing to defend its position over the Sheringham Tesco saga could have landed it with an even bigger �1m plus bill.

Mr Baker said the Liberal Democrat run council had spent �1,158,984 on consultants, including in excess of �250,000 on the Tesco application.

He said: 'While I appreciate there will be certain expertise which falls outside normal staffing arrangements I am sure council tax payers will be shocked at such prolific use of outside consultants.'

Mr Baker asked if the council felt it reflected badly on the decision making of the council and planning department and what lessons could be learned.

In a firm response which drew applause from members Ms Gay said she had learned that lawyers cost a lot of money.

If the council had not defended its Tesco stance at an earlier appeal it could have been 'guilty of unreasonable behaviour' and faced paying all of Tesco's costs of more than �1m.

Major planning applications were 'rarer here than they are in London but always controversial' requiring a lot of study and insight.

A third of the overall �1.2m spent was covered by grants rather than council tax cash.

Some �40,000 spent on planning advice over four years involved seeking a barrister's opinion on big cases which also included telecommunications mast appeals.

And �140,000 of property advice was because the council did not have architects, quantity surveyors or structural engineers on its staff. If they were it would cost more in wages than was spent on consultancy fees.