Despite the expense of last year’s Olympic Torch Relay many residents have applauded the council’s decision to spend as much as it did.

Fred Tanner, 83, of Ruby Road, Walthamstow, said: “We don’t get many opportunities like the Olympics, it’s once in a lifetime so it’s money well spent.

“Make the most of it – in the future people will remember more the happy memories of the Olympics rather than what the money was spent on.

Mr Tanner added that the memories he and his wife shared of screaming at the TV while watching the Games were very enjoyable.

Ken Rayner, a butcher on Church Lane, Leytonstone, said: “There were a lot of events, not just the one and the Olympics did a lot of good things for London so I can’t say I’m too upset about that much money being spent.”

The relay itself cost £70,465.76, including road closures, signage amendments and information distribution as well as £27,605.75 spent on security and stewarding.

Events in Coronation Gardens, Leyton High Road and Leyton County Ground cost £34,495.50 while ticketing and promotional activity, including advertising and ticketing cost £19,109.63.

The most money was spent on the evening celebration which cost £127,331.54.

Not all agreed with the decision to spend so much, however.

Ryan Adal, 41, of Browns Road, said: “If they’ve spent double what the next council have spent you have to ask where it’s gone.

“I don’t think it’s fair they’ve spent that much. Our road has needed to be fixed for 20 years but it hasn’t.

“The council aren’t spending money where it should be spent.”

The relay cost £297,009.18 which was more than £155,000 higher than the next authority on the list and less than £1,000 behind the highest spending local authority in the country.

Figures show the average spend of councils was just over £40,000, meaning Waltham Forest spent nearly seven times more than average.

Councillor Chris Robbins, Leader of Waltham Forest Council, said: ““The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were a once in a lifetime opportunity, and the Council wanted to ensure that as a host borough we made the most of them for our residents.

“As well as being the first London borough to host an evening celebration we held three additional events to ensure that as many residents as possible could join in the Games-time experience and welcome the Olympic Torch.

All councils had access to a grant from the Greater London Authority of £50,000 which Waltham Forest spent most of.

Waltham Forest spent the second most of any local authority in the UK, just behind Bexley which spent £279,979, while Wandsworth spent just £710.14.