A council has banned staff from excess travel in a bid to protect budgets.
Middlesbrough Council told staff to curb expenses after 46% of the travel budget was used up in the first four months of the financial year.
A centralised booking system is now in place to limit car, train and air travel. Spending on stationery has also been suspended.
Chris Hobson, executive member for finance and governance, said staff needed to be more vigilant.
