More than £2.5 million of Angus taxpayers’ cash was spent inside six months without consulting elected councillors.
Under delegated powers Angus Council officials shelled out six-figure sums on projects with no input from local members.
Some of the larger amounts included £173,693 for carriageway and footway works in Montrose, £184,416 for a slipway at Arbroath Harbour and £77,758 for stance realignment at Arbroath Bus Station.
Junction repairs, including permanent patching at various locations carried out by Renovo Contracts Limited, accounted for a £269,946 share.
Officers also approved a £3,860 spend on a whisky tasting event for international golfers, as well as £1,400 for a newsreader to present a glitzy awards bash and £3,000 to transport and set up seven Christmas trees.
North East MSP Alex Johnstone said: “These figures are outrageous and demonstrate a need for this kind of spending to be approved by elected membersbefore the sums are paid out.
“With budgets as tight as they are, lavishing money in this way will be galling for those who depend on services that are facing cutbacks.”
Figures to be considered by the council’s infrastructure services committee next week show details of the spend from October to the end of March.
Some of the outlays have attracted criticism, including heavy spending on the Tartan Day Scotland International Golf Challenge.
The council has defended the policy, saying the money was more than recouped through tourism and leisure income.
A spokeswoman said: “The items in question relate to the Carnoustie Country golf marketinginitiative to develop golf tourism across the area and the expenditure iscovered by income, and in fact makes a small profit.
“This is a high-profile regional and national event and therefore includes a number of activities which strengthen our reputation as a top golfing destination, boosting the economy and promoting Angus across the globe.”
Infrastructure services convener Mairi Evans said delegated spending avoids “unnecessary bureaucracy” allowing work to be undertaken as and when it needs done.
She added: “That is also why we have these reports listing delegated spend coming back to committee, so that members have the chance to scrutinise them.”
In addition to the whisky tasting session for international golfers, £5,000 went on a consultancy fee to support a dinner associated with the Tartan Day event.
Glamis Castle was hired for a drinks reception for the players at £9,000 and £1,500 went on eventmanagement. Tee times for competitors at Carnoustie Links cost £8,532 while the same service with a lunch cost £10,512 at Gleneagles.
The St Andrews Links Trust was paid more than £15,000 for caddies and tee times and translators for the competition cost nearly £4,000.
Newsreader Andrea Brymer pocketed a £1,400 hosting fee from the event.
Eleanor McGrath of TaxpayerScotland said: “Residents want to know their cash is being spent on front-line and essential services, not on whisking people away on golf trips.”