Council tax payers in Norton will be paying more next year after the town council agreed to ask for an extra 10pc on the town's portion of the tax - but much of the money will be used to attract new investment into the town.

Town councillors this week agreed to precept for £71,800 to run the authority for the next financial year - equivalent to £13.18 for each elector.

But the deputy mayor, Coun David Lloyd-Williams said that £7,500 would be used for the Market Town Partnership under which Norton stands to benefit considerably through the Countryside Agency scheme.

In addition, £2,500 is being earmarked for the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations in the town, with a further £1,500 going towards the planned skate park.

Coun Lloyd-Williams said the tax amounted to 26p per elector a week, which he believed was good value for money because the council had a wide range of responsibilities including buildings, cemetery, playing fields and open spaces, allotments, bus shelters and environmental work.

Coun Allin Jenkins said the additional money raised by the tax would enable Norton to "get a fair slice of the cake" under the Single Regeneration Budget through match-funding.

"If we haven't got the money, there is no way we can match outside funding and Norton will not benefit as a result."

However, councillors did not back a suggestion by Coun Lloyd-Williams that the budget for grants to outside organisations should be raised from £700 to enable them to win more cash from other agencies.

Bus shelters in the town are in line for re-painting at a cost of £500 and the gates at the entrance to the King George V playing field are likely to be replaced. Coun Lloyd-Williams said it would be appropriate for new gates to be provided in the year when the King's grand-daughter was celebrating her golden jubilee.

- Coun James Kench urged action to restore the riverside footpath where, he said, there were some 40 unstable paving slabs which had become dangerous to walkers. He was told that the Environment Agency has offered to make good any damage to the path.

- Coun Lloyd-Williams said part of his allocation of money for projects in his role as a county councillor could be used to provide seating in some of the bus shelters in Norton.

- The town clerk, Roger King, is to investigate the possibility of advertising being used to help fund bus shelters, following a suggestion by Coun Kench.

- Vandalism is costing the council £1,000 a year, councillors were told. One of the latest incidents has been the deliberate destruction of seats on swings. One of their main concerns was the continual disappearance of lifebelts on the banks of the River Derwent. Coun Lloyd-Williams said a more vandal-proof type of belt should be investigated by Ryedale District Council.

- Some £500 has been allocated in the new budget for renewing paths in the cemetery, with a further £300 for maintenance and surgery to the trees.

Updated: 10:08 Thursday, December 13, 2001