Council bosses spent £19,500 on a theatre scheme for teenagers in a bid to stop them turning to crime.

The six-week course, designed to distract youths from anti-social behaviour, provided confidence-building activities for 25 young people last summer.

The council said the ‘massively successful’ scheme had been paid for with a government grant. Some of the youngsters had already been convicted of crimes while the rest were considered at risk of offending.

The youth theatre course was arranged by local company Odd Theatre last August and the cost is revealed in six months of spending records.

A council spokesman said: "The aim was to divert young people away from anti- social behaviour during the holidays.

"The programme encouraged changes in the young people’s thinking and behaviour by building their self-esteem, confidence and presentation skills, challenging their involvement in offending and offering practical support around applying for jobs and college courses.

"It was provided to a group at risk of offending behaviour and a group subject to court supervisory orders. The groups took part in a theatre presentation at the end of the programme."

Revealed: How Greater Manchester's town halls spent £1.5 BILLION of your money

The town hall spent £167m from April to September 2011, including nearly £100,000 on vehicle leasing.

Other spending included £878 on music licenses to allow ‘incidental music and community performances’ in the borough’s museums, market hall and other public buildings. The town hall also spent £670 on flowers for the annual council meeting and mayor making, but a spokesman said the floral display was much smaller than in 2010.

It paid £1,155 to Forensics Ltd – a consultancy that provides pathology advice to the south Manchester coroner – and spent £15,400 on new fire doors for council tower blocks to make sure they met regulations.

Another £1,500 was spent on trampolining for children as part of the government’s Aim Higher careers scheme.

Tweet