Cash-strapped councils needlessly wasted thousands of pounds in taxpayers’ money dialling the Speaking Clock and directory inquiry services last year, the Western Morning News has learned.

Local authorities across Devon and Cornwall also frittered away four-figure sums telephoning premium rate numbers from land lines and council mobiles, despite local government being faced with unprecedented austerity.

Notable spends include Cornwall Council’s £3,724.75 annual bill for telephone calls to directory inquiry servicessuch as BT’s 118 500, while Plymouth City Council paid £444.19 calling the Speaking Clock – the council said it was caused by a fault.

In total, the 11 biggest local authorities in Devon and Cornwall splashed out a combined total of £11,756.38 on the two services – which charge to provide information available elsewhere for free.on the internet, a computer desktop or the telephone directory

Emma Boon, campaign director for the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s disgraceful that these councils are spending thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money on phone calls to these numbers.

“It’s totally unnecessary as mMost of this information is available online and instead of calling the speaking clock they could look at their watch, the clock on their computer or one of the many wall-clocks taxpayers have already paid for at their offices.

“Staff need to think twice before picking up the phone and dialling premium rate numbers, there is rarely a justification for doing it.”

According to the figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, authorities spent £932.53 on the Speaking Clock, and another £10,823.85 on directory inquiries, as well as £9,499.01 on premium rate telephone numbers.

Plymouth City Council’s bill for the Speaking Clock eclipsed every other authority, ahead of Cornwall Council (£220.76) and Torbay Borough Council (£95.54).

A spokesman said: “The Speaking Clock number is blocked in our four main buildings and staff are unable to call it. We found that the vast majority of the calls were being made from a broadband line that is not currently used. A telephone engineer confirmed that a fault on the line was causing it to dial the number automatically and we are in the process of seeking a refund from our supplier.”

Cornwall Council recorded the highest reliance on directory inquiry services – which, according to one popular company, can charge £1.39 per minute plus a 60p connection charge per call. The authority spent £3,724.75.

The council said it had taken “immediate action” in July 2010 after scrutinising its telephone bills.

A spokesman said: “By October 2010 a bar had been put on calls to premium rate and directory inquiries from all council provided mobile phones, and on calls to premium rate, directory inquiries and the Speaking Clock numbers from main office telephones.

“We are continuing to analyse our bills and take immediate action if there are any breaches of this policy. As a result we expect the cost to be dramatically reduced this year.”

Devon County Council recorded the second highest directory inquiries bill at £3,221.07. It also said it spent £714.94 dialling mystery telephone numbers from council mobile phones.

A spokesman said: “We are unable to breakdown the category of ‘other’ any further.(Mobile phone provider) Orange are not contractually obliged to provide us with a breakdown including this detail.”

But not every authority has allowed its employees to access expensive telephone numbers. Exeter City Council recorded the lowest total annual spend on premium rate telephone numbers, directory inquiries and the talking clock combined, at just £39.30.

Of that, all but 25p was spent on directory inquiries.

A council spokesman said: “At Exeter City Council, all premium rate numbers have a bar put on them, which we have the ability to lift in certain cases if the council feels it is necessary.”

East Devon District Council spent £5.16 on BT’s Speaking Clock, which charges businesses 51p per call, while West Devon District Council did not use the service once.