HOUSEHOLDS in North Yorkshire are to see their council tax go up, under plans agreed by the county council yesterday.

North Yorkshire County Council approved its budget at a full meeting on Wednesday, including a 1.99 per cent increase in council tax – equivalent to about 40p a week on a Band D home.

The increase will bring in about £4.8 million in extra cash, but the council still needs to save about £22 million in the next financial year, on top of £91 million in cuts already made since 2011.

A council spokesman said the savings represent a reduction in the council’s spending power of approximately 34 per cent, at a time when the demand for the services it provides is continually rising, particularly in adult social care, which is under pressure from an ageing population.

Yesterday, councillors approved the Revenue Budget, the Medium Term Financial Strategy, and the 2020 North Yorkshire programme – which has been set up to make the authority smaller and focus it more on supporting local communities to deliver the services for themselves.

As well as approving the budget, councillors voted for changes to their allowances which will save some £2,300 every year.