PLANS to increase the amount residents pay for policing and fire and rescue services have been approved.

The Police, Fire and Crime Panel has agreed to the North Yorkshire police, fire and crime commissioner’s proposals to raise the policing precept by 3.91 per cent and the fire service precept by 1.99 per cent in the year from April 2020

This will mean an average of an additional 19p per week, or £10 per year, on residents’ council tax (band D) for the financial year 2020/2021 for policing and 3p per week, or £1.42 per year, for the fire service.

In total, a band D household will pay £265.77 for the police element of their council tax, and £72.69 for the fire service element.

Police, fire and crime commissioner Julia Mulligan said: “I am pleased that the precept for the next year has been agreed and we have certainty on the funding available for North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

“Asking hardworking taxpayers to pay more is never easy. It should only happen if it will make people safer and feel safer. I am confident this money will by providing the resources and training needed for our emergency services to be the best they can, and protect us all as much as possible.

“Thank you to the Police, Fire and Crime Panel for understanding the reality we face, scrutinising to ensure there is value for money and agreeing to my plans.

“Thank you to the chief constable, chief fire officer and their outstanding teams who go the extra mile day-in, day-out.

“And, most importantly, thank you to North Yorkshire and York residents for investing in keeping our county the safest place in the country."

She said North Yorkshire, like all rural areas, deserves a better deal from the government.

"At the moment, the money we get from Westminster does not reflect the challenges we face," she added.

"It’s time that changed and time we got a fair deal. We’re doing our bit here, it’s time for ministers in London to do theirs.”

Mrs Mulligan's proposals to increase the precepts followed her recent survey of more than 2,000 residents.

Regarding the policing precept, 69 per cent supported an increase in the precept of at least 2.5 per cent, but only 34 per cent backed a rise of 3.91 per cent.

For the fire service precept, 58 per cent of residents said they would support an increase of higher than the 1.99 per cent being proposed. However, the government have decided that this is the highest rise allowed without a costly referendum.