TAXPAYERS in North Yorkshire can expect a county council rate rise of about 6pc next year, council bosses have announced.

North Yorkshire County Council leader John Weighell made a commitment to the council tax rise figure on Wednesday of last week at a full council meeting.

He warned of difficult funding issues ahead, saying the council was "robustly scrutinising" spending to look for the lowest possible council tax rise.

The county council's share of last year's rise was 11pc. A 6pc rise in council tax for 2004-05 would mean an increase of £49 a year for a Band D property.

Coun Weighell said that seven open meetings will be held about the budget in towns across the county next month. The first meeting in Ryedale will be on Wednesday, January 21, starting at 6pm, at Lady Lumley's School, Pickering

"Our objective is to halve the level of last year's increase. We will be finalising proposals next week, but we are looking at an increase of 5.5-6pc," he said. "We will then want to tell people right across North Yorkshire how we plan to invest in services right to the heart of the community, whether that is through local schools, social services, libraries or roads and public transport."

He added: "The meetings we have planned give local people the opportunity to influence the direction of many vital local services and to have a real say in what type of service they want."

Each meeting will also present members of the public with the opportunity to discuss issues arising from the Boundary Committee's draft recommendations on its local government review, which will have a major impact on local authorities in North Yorkshire.

Updated: 09:22 Monday, December 22, 2003