CUTS to children's and young people's services are to be eased in the next year thanks to extra funding given to York by the Government.

The city council's ruling Executive has revealed how it plans to spend the additional £781,000 in transitional grants announced by central government.

Extra money will be given to sustainable transport projects, "Pride in York" work on things like grounds maintenance and neighbourhood projects, and for bus subsidies.

Some £125,000 is to go into contingency funds to plan for flood and drainage costs.

Council leaders Chris Steward and Keith Aspden both said the extra cash was welcome, but stressed that the authority still faced overall budget cuts and "tough choices".

The biggest beneficiary will be the prevention services for children and young people, which will see £300,000 of the proposed cuts reversed.

The details of the plans will be debated at a city council budget meeting on Thursday evening, when opposition councillors are expected to argue for higher council tax increases to protect public services.

The Labour group's want an increase of 3.99 per cent to council tax - the same as that being pursued in many other authorities and the highest possible without a local referendum.

The extra income - over and above the current proposed three per cent increase - would bring in £720,000 to be spent on things including public health campaigns, and on blocking an increase to care home fees.

Labour leader Cllr Janet Looker said: “I’m pleased with the budget we have produced, which reflects residents’ priorities and is realistic about the financial challenges the council faces in the coming years. When you are losing millions of pounds, you cannot just pull the rug away in some service areas, you have to transition carefully so as not to impact residents too much."

The Green party has come up with its own budget plan, arguing for a six percent increase in council tax - double that planned by the Liberal Democrat and Conservative administration. The group's leader Cllr Andy D'Agorne said they wanted to give local people an option to pay extra in order to protect services for children and older people, and support things like the York Financial Assistance Scheme, the Castlegate youth advice centre, and care for older people.

Cllr D'Agorne said: "In York we have a history of standing up together and showing solidarity in the face of adversity, as we have seen during the recent floods. The current budget proposals make it clear that the cuts we agree now will set the direction for the next four years. Now is the time to engage with residents as to how we fund decent services in our very special city in future."