PUBLIC consultation into the proposed City of York Council budget has already had an impact after a positive response from the council's Talk About panel.

Members of the council executive met last night to discuss the proposed £35 million budget before it is debated by full council at the Guildhall, York, on January 30.

The executive heard that the fire authority levy had increased from an estimated £530,000 to £591,000 - £61,000 more than expected.

It also discussed rate relief grants for sports clubs in the city and agreed that £20,000 extra was needed to ensure that small clubs did not go out of business.

Councillor Alan Jones said: "We don't know the final figure yet, but unless we have that money it could put some sports organisations at risk."

Members heard that some initial results from the Talk About panel - a cross section of residents who are questioned regularly on council decisions - showed that there was strong opposition to proposed increase crematorium charges.

Members have now dropped the proposed increase from £30, which would have taken the charge to £425, to £20. Any final decision will be made by full council.

Councillor Ruth Potter said: "It does come through very strongly here, we can see the strength of people's feelings about the charges." Members also heard that residents were split over whether they wanted a council tax increase, but residents were strongly in favour of improved services.

Council press officer Helen Edwards, who presented the initial results, said: "We had strong support in terms of areas of investment such as recycling and improving elderly care. Charging for car parking had strong support and strong opposition.

"The council tax question was whether residents wanted the six per cent increase, 42 per cent did want it, 40 didn't and 18 were somewhere in the middle.

"When we are asking these questions we are not asking them to balance a budget."

Ms Edwards said there had been some complaints about the wording of the survey, which forced them to answer yes or no to more involved questions.

Coun Dave Merrett, leader of the council, said after the meeting: "We have tried to carefully balance demands from extra services, the wish to keep council tax at no more than six per cent and finding as much savings as we can without affecting services, which residents regard as important. The reality is there are a lot of improvements in services going on, extra money is going into social services to improve care for the elderly, and there are more elderly to care for and that costs extra money."

Updated: 16:19 Tuesday, January 21, 2003