DODGY kerbstones, domestic water leaks - the council's compensation bill stretched into many thousands over the past two years, the Evening Press can reveal.

We asked City of York Council to release its compensation claims figures under the Freedom of Information Act.

They show that the authority paid out more than £65,000 in both financial years 2003/4 and 2004/5.

From March 2003 to 2004, £64,666 was paid out, with £66,505 handed out the following year - slightly more than the £63,000 council chiefs spent on paper.

But although thousands were spent on claims, the vast majority were thrown out by insurance chiefs.

In 2003/4, 85 per cent of claims were turned down, a figure that dropped to 79 per cent the following year.

David Walker, risk and insurance manager for the council, stressed the figures could still change because both policy years were still open to new claims.

The national average "repudiation rate" for claims was 65 per cent, he added.

The compensation bill shows:

Most claims are made to the council's highways, housing and commercial services departments

In 2003/4, two people wrote to York Council saying it had failed to educate them properly. No cash was paid out and the claims have now been closed

A total of 45 people complained about defective flagstones in the last financial year, incurring potential costs of nearly £53,000. These costs will only be paid if the council accepts it is liable

Dodgy trees also accounted for nearly £25,000 over the past year

There were 353 claims made for 2003/4, a figure which dropped to 322 the following year. But the average cost of claims rose from £986 to £1,098.

Mr Walker said a council survey of claimants showed more than 80 per cent of its customers were satisfied with the way their claim had been handled, whether it had been turned down or not.

"The authority does exceptionally well," he said. "We've got quite robust systems to make sure we can defend claims when they arrive.

"We do live in a society where people do want somebody to blame, but we always give a good reason why claims are turned down.

"We've been to court several times this year, and we've been successful in nearly every claim."

Updated: 09:38 Wednesday, November 30, 2005