SCOTTISH Borders Council spent more than £1.2m in 2016 compensating staff who took early retirement.

In addition, the local authority paid £110,609 to compensate directly the owners of land and property affected by the £31m Selkirk Flood Protection Scheme which was officially opened in February.

A further £5,000 was paid to owners affected by flood protection works in Jedburgh.

The figures are revealed in a Freedom of Information response which declines to give further details “to protect the identity of recipients”.