A BID to increase council tax to Ryedale households was vetoed after members were told that good financial housekeeping had set the district council on the right road.

Director of strategy Paul Cresswell, who is leaving Ryedale District Council to join North Yorkshire County Council’s finance team, said: “This is the best revenue budget we have had.”

However, he warned that further cuts were likely to be necessary in the future.

The government’s grant to Ryedale had dropped from £4.5m six years ago, to £1.7m this year, said Mr Cresswell.

However prudent budgeting and running of the local authority had seen an extensive review of the whole organisation.

He said: “We have healthy reserves and this is the fifth year the council has not increased its council tax to households.”

Councillor John Clark unsuccessfully moved that the council should increase its tax by 1.99 per cent.

He said: “People are prepared to pay for good services, but they are getting pretty sick of this council.”

The council agreed to freeze its tax for a budget of just under £30m.