A COUNCIL tax freeze was Selby District Council’s gift to its residents as councillors set their final budget as a local authority.

Planned cuts have also been delayed until 2024/25, by which time the district will be absorbed into the new North Yorkshire Council.

Council tax for the average band D property remains at £183.22 per year.

But other North Yorkshire organisations that are funded through council tax – including the county council, police and fire service – have all increased their rates.

Cliff Lunn, executive member for finance and resources, said the budget was under pressure due to the Covid recovery, rising inflation and the cost of local government reorganisation.

He said: “We have unprecedented risk and continuing uncertainty. 

“Given ongoing Covid impacts and local government reorganisation, the budget includes substantial contingencies.

“It allocates resources and reserves to support financial resilience and manage risk as we transition to the new council.”

He added: “The savings that we were anticipating have been delayed to 2024/25 – some might say we’re passing the buck”.

Council forecasts show that savings of between £2.8 – £4.4 million will need to be made by the new council by 2025.

The shortfall in the council’s budget of £2.8 million for the coming year will be covered by reserves.

“This is our final budget to see us through difficult times as we prepare for the new unitary council,” Cllr Lunn added. “It enables vital public services to continue and support us to deliver on our priorities.”

A rent increase for council homes of 4.1 per cent was approved by the council’s executive in January 2022.

Earlier in the meeting, Labour group leader Cllr Bob Packham raised concerns about resources being diverted away from Selby due to staff being tasked with setting up North Yorkshire Council. 

Council leader Mark Crane said: “You will increasingly find that some of our officers are needed to make the new organisation work and to set it up.

“There will be gaps in our services. At the moment we are lucky in that we are seeing less of that than some of our fellow districts.”

Elections for the North Yorkshire Council will take place in May, with the new authority set to take over the running of the entire county in April 2023.

It will replace the current county council and the seven district and borough councils.