Kirklees Council spent more than £70,000 pounds on private drug and alcohol treatments for 12 people last year.

Overall the authority spent £4.1 million on treatment for drug misuse and £1.7 million on treatments for alcohol misuse during the same period.

The council has confirmed it funded the inpatient detoxification and residential rehabilitation in 2017/18 at a cost of £77,733.

The majority –  £71,976 – was for 10 part-funded positions. The remaining £5,757 was spent on fully-funded places for two people.

The figures come from a Freedom of Information request to the council.

Neighbouring Calderdale Council spent £29,870 on private drug and alcohol treatments.

Some £23,800 went on 85 bed nights for inpatient detoxifications, and £6,070 was for a person to stay in residential rehab.

Experts have said addicts should be given the choice of having private or community treatment but that places are reserved for those most in need.

Different areas have different approaches but typically a person, with the support of a drug worker, will apply for a local authority funded place in a residential programmes.

Karen Tyrell, executive director at drug and alcohol charity Addaction, said supported detox usually happens with medical

supervision in the community or in a hospital as an inpatient.

“When it comes to rehab, it’s an important option for some clients.

“Lots of people who are recovering from a drug or alcohol problem will choose an outpatient programme so they can be at home and close to their loved ones.

“Residential rehab is expensive and big commitment for people so usually places are reserved for those most in need and people who will benefit from that sort of setting.”

A spokesman for the council’s Public Health Directorate said inpatient detoxification and residential rehabilitation forms “an important part of Kirklees Public Health’s approach” to dealing with substance misuse issues.

He said the majority of people in receipt of clinical and psychosocial care are supported in the community via the council’s commissioned integrated substance misuse service.

A small number of complex and seriously ill population also require specialist inpatient or residential support.