NORTH Yorkshire councillors have approved a 4.9pc rise in their share of council tax bills this year.

The increase, just under the 5pc level at which the authority was warned that it might have been ''capped'' by the Government.

The rise, approved by the full council on Wednesday, equates to another 77p a week for the average Band D household, which will pay an extra £40 for county council services in the coming financial year, rising from £817 to £857.

When council tax bills are sent out in the spring they will also include the precepts of district councils, the police, the fire and rescue service and town and parish councils.

County council leader John Weighell said the budget would involve an extra £15m for education, almost £8m for social care, £3m for environmental services and £0.75m for libraries and business services.

He added: "The Government's annual grant settlement has been difficult, involving a clawback of more than £1m of grant paid to us last year.

"In addition, Government figures assumed that shire counties in England would need to increase council tax by slightly more than 5pc to meet Government spending plans.

"This involves a significant extra burden on the council tax payer, so we have worked hard to achieve a lower figure while not compromising the quality of services."

l The fire and rescue authority on Monday approved a rise of 4pc in its share of council tax bills.

At the same meeting, authority members insisted on deferring controversial plans for operational changes to the service following claims that lives could be put at risk.

Chief fire officer Eric Clark had proposed the changes as part of a modernisation programme required by the Government following a national deal with the Fire Brigades' Union.