EYEBROWS have been raised at some of the unusual items bought by ­council staff on their local authority credit cards.

Weedkiller, cement and purchases via Amazon and iTunes were billed to Scottish Borders Council.

Other buys on the "plastic" included a man's and woman's fleece as staff racked up bills of £60,000 over 18 months.

The department of chief executive Tracey Logan's showed up weedkiller and cement purchases, but there were also charges for flights and accommodation for official trips.

Hundreds of pounds was spent on her card for 21 items on Amazon in two months last year along with six iTunes purchases. Between April 2012 and November last year, Ms Logan's department spent £28,398.

But staff at Environment and ­Infrastructure spent £29,730 between April 2012 and October last year, a figure that included the fleeces. Local Conservative MSP John Lamont said: "Surely this money could have been spent better elsewhere."

A council spokesman said staff closely followed guidelines on card use.