UNPAID rent from council house tenants topped £1million last year, as the number of high-earners working for the authority also rose.

New data from the council's audited accounts for the 2007/08 financial year, which were released this week, show arrears from both current and former tenants hit £1,043,000, compared to £932,000 the year before.

They also reveal that 102 council officers were paid more than £50,000 last year, an increase from 97 the year before.

There was also an increase in the number of top-earning teachers.

A total of 171 education staff earned £50,000 or more last year, compared to 141 previously.

And two members of staff - thought to be headteachers - earned between £110,000 and £119,999.