COTSWOLD District Council (CDC) is leasing luxury cars worth up to £30,000 for members of staff.

The cars include an Audi A3 2.0 litre sport which can cost up to £400 a month to lease and does 0 -60mph in 8.9 seconds, a BMW 320 2.0 litre touring car worth up to £30,000 and a Nissan Qashqai four-wheel drive, worth up to £28,000.

However, a council spokesman said the cost of leasing the luxury cars was subsidised by the staff who use them.

Information on leased cars was acquired from the council through a Freedom of Information request, which by law must be responded to within 20 working days. CDC apparently took eight months to reply.

Other cars leased include a Seat Alhamra 2.0 litre estate, an Audi A1 with a sportback, two VW Golfs, a Mini Cooper and a Picasso C1 estate.

All of the vehicles were leased after September 14, 2012.

A council spokesman said: "The provision of a leased car has been, and remains, a common recruitment and retention mechanism in the employment field, whether private or public sector where employees are required, as part of their role, to travel around the district or beyond.

"Cotswold District Council took the decision to end its longstanding Leased Car Scheme in July 2004, and replaced it by a flat mileage rate to be paid to officers who are required to use their own private cars on official council business.

"Employees who had cars under the old scheme retain rights under their contracts and the scheme is therefore gradually being phased out as employees leave the council. 

"In practice, this has meant that the number of lease cars has reduced over the years (as relevant officers have left the council) to the current figure of nine; and, in years to come, this will reduce to zero.

"This is covered in the council’s published pay policy statement agreed by full council.

"Under the former scheme, the availability of a lease car was dependent upon the grade of the post and if a car was needed to help deliver the requirements of a post.

"As the car would be used by the officer for other than council business purposes, the officer would be able to choose the car to be leased. 

"However,  if the cost of the car exceeded the benchmark allowance, then the officer was required to pay the difference (by way of a deduction from salary.) 

"All leased cars are taxable benefits for the employees and as such are taxed in line with normal pay."