TAXPAYERS in North Yorkshire are facing an inflation-busting 10.25 per cent council tax increase next year.
County council chiefs meet next week to discuss provisional figures which would be equivalent to an extra £1.31 a week on the average band D property.
Council leader John Weighell said the increase was due to allocation of Government money which has forced the council to find cash elsewhere.
He said County Hall's financial problems had been worsened by a year which has seen the foot and mouth crisis and last winter's flooding.
They had used up reserve cash, which needs to be replaced.
Coun Weighell said: "Nobody wants to put up the Council Tax, but we have a duty to deliver good quality services.
"We cannot avoid a significant tax increase this year in order to restore our finances, but we still aim to keep the level of council tax below the average of other English county councils."
The proposal will go before a meeting of the full council on Wednesday, although it will not be finalised until February.
Updated: 10:31 Thursday, December 13, 2001
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