MALTON Town Council is to increase its bill to householders next year by just 2.3 per cent.

Moves to maintain its levy on the council tax at current levels failed and the authority will now be asking for £70,385 for the coming financial year.

Coun Chris Harding said it was good that the town council should be able to keep its increase so low.

He said: "I hope Ryedale and North Yorkshire councils will do the same."

Town clerk Mike Skehan said while there was a prediction of £19,000 underspending on this year's budget, the council faced significant expenditure in the next few months, including £4,000 for restoration and re-wiring of the town clock on the steeple of St Leonard's Catholic Church, and refurbishment of play areas.

In addition, there was a need to appoint a permanent assistant to the cemetery attendant.

He said the council had £53,000 in reserves.

Mayor Ann Hopkinson said: "I would prefer not to have seen any precept rise this year."

Representatives of the five towns in Ryedale - Malton, Norton, Kirkbymoorside, Pickering and Helmsley, - are inviting Thornton-le-Dale Parish Council to join the group because of its size and the fact that the popular tourist village experiences similar problems with car parking, vandalism and grass cutting.

The group will also discuss the issue of Ryedale District Council's reported £8m reserves and whether some of the money should be spent on providing amenities in the district.