A PUBLIC consultation is set to be held on Scarborough Council’s budget for the coming year as the authority looks to make more than £3 million in savings.

As part of its draft revenue budget for 2020/21 the borough authority, which makes up about 13 per cent of a resident’s council tax bill, is proposing to increase its share of the precept by £5 a year for a Band D property, a rise of about 2.1 per cent. It would bring the total paid to Scarborough Council by borough residents in a Band D property to £239.75.

Once the contributions to North Yorkshire County Council, which makes up 70 per cent of a council tax bill, North Yorkshire Police and Fire Service and the social care precept have been set a total bill for a Band D property will come to more than £1,900 for the year.

At a meeting of the authority’s cabinet, Scarborough Council leader Cllr Steve Siddons said: “The public have a view about what is important to them and we want to recognise that through our consultation.”

The budget will need to be approved by the full council later this year following the consultation.

Other proposed changes include the council tax premium on properties that have been empty and unfurnished for more than five years will increase from 100 per cent to 200 per cent for the 2020/21 year onwards and the premium on properties that have been empty and unfurnished for more than 10 years will increase from 100 per cent to 300 per cent from April 1, 2021.