THE ongoing suspension of three senior officers at Caerphilly council has cost the authority more than £2.6 million so far, according to new figures.

A Freedom of Information request by Plaid Cymru to the authority found payments to suspended officials, acting chief executives and other legal fees came to £1,626,909.

In addition, the authority said £983,373 had been paid to officers who have "acted up" following the suspension of top officers with this money coming from existing budgets.

Chief executive Michael Anthony O'Sullivan, deputy chief executive Nigel Barnett, along with head of legal services Daniel Perkins, are each on bail charged with misconduct in public office between June 1, 2012 and October, 10, 2012.

The three, who are now expected to face trial at Bristol Crown Court in November, are charged with preventing proper scrutiny of the senior officer pay award.

The case is likely to last up to eight weeks when it eventually gets underway. But Caerphilly council has warned further delay in the proceedings is possible.

Last month, the contract of the council’s interim chief executive Chris Burns was extended by another year until August 2016.

Councillor Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on the council, said: "It is important that the issue of the suspended officers is brought to a conclusion as soon as possible because the bill to council tax-payers continues to rise day by day, week by week and month by month.

"The three suspended top officers will have received £1.1m in pay by the time the matter comes to court in November with very significant costs in appointing two acting chief executives and fees for legal and audit costs.

"When finances are tight and councillors are being asked to make very unpalatable decisions concerning frontline services, people in Caerphilly county borough are naturally angry about the costs of this whole debacle.

"Officers who have acted up had received almost £1m by last April and that will rise much higher.”

In June, a Labour group spokesman said they were concerned about the delay in the legal process and the consequent financial implications, but said the authority had a contractual obligation to continue to pay the suspended officers.