ALMOST £863,000 was paid out in compensation by Cheshire West and Chester Council to claimants in 2013/14 and 2014/15.

The figure represents 254 claims which resulted in compensation being paid by the authority over the two years.

The payouts feature in a report by the TaxPayers’ Alliance focusing on compensation claims made against local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales for 2013 and 2014, acquired via Freedom of Information requests.

The alliance said more than £104 million was paid out in compensation over the two years, representing more than 40,000 claims.

By region the most paid out was the north west with £21.9 million. The most paid out by category was £18 million for trips, followed by £14.5 million for injury, £11.5 million for falls and £7.8 million for pothole-related claims.

The compensation paid out by Cheshire West in 2013/14 was £358,966, and £504,018 in 2014/15.

The payouts in 2014/15 ranged from £85,600 for tripping over a metal stump sticking out of a pavement to £50 for a claimant’s jacket being torn on a fire door.

The payouts included £30,964 after a person fell into an uncovered manhole, £21,136 to a claimant who was thrown off their bicycle when it hit a pothole, £20,100 to someone who tripped over a defect in a car park and £17,877 to a claimant who injured their face and head after tripping over a raised paving slab.

More than £9,500 was paid out after a Cheshire West employee stole jewellery belonging to the claimant while providing care services.

More than £3,000 was paid out after rope or string hanging from a market stall caught around the claimant’s neck, causing them to trip, and more than £12,000 was paid to a person who slipped on ice and cracked their teeth on school steps.

Claims paid by other authorities included £65 for ‘mis-placed reading glasses’, £2,360 to someone who walked into an open window, £275 to a claimant who slipped due to sand on artificial turf and £375 to a person whose face ‘came into contact with stingy nettles’ when riding their bike on a path.

Mark Wynn, director of finance for Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “Cheshire West and Chester Council do not want to see people injured or suffer property damage as a result of its activities.

“However, where an incident results in a claim, each claim will be thoroughly reviewed and where appropriate, procedures reviewed to prevent similar incidents reoccurring.

“The council’s policy is to rigorously defend claims where legal advice recommends this.

“We undertake regular insurance benchmarking exercises to ensure that our risk reduction strategies and insurance arrangements reflect successful practice nationally, and identify areas that can be improved.

“This exercise reveals that the amounts paid out by Cheshire West and Chester Council are broadly comparable with those of other local authorities.”