THE leader of North Yorkshire County Council is going on the road to consult people about his pledge to keep any proposed council tax rise to half that of last year.

Councillor John Weighell will be holding open meetings with communities during January as part of consultations on a proposed council tax rise of between 5.5 to six per cent for the next financial year.

A six per cent rise in council tax for 2004/05 would mean an increase of £49 a year for a Band D property, pushing the council tax up from £817 to £866 a year.

Meetings will be held in Northallerton, Catterick, Ripon, Whitby and Pickering and will also give members of the public an opportunity to discuss issues arising from the Boundary Committee's draft recommendations on its local government review in North Yorkshire.

Councillor Weighell said: "The Government's budget announcement meant there was a shortfall in what they expected us to spend on council services and what they were giving us to spend.

"Even so I said we would not be considering a council tax rise anywhere near last year's figure of 11.5 per cent.

"Given the current financial pressures facing the county council, I think that a council tax rise of 94p a week is reasonable in the circumstances.

"The meetings we have planned give local people the opportunity to influence the direction of many vital local services and to have a real say in what type of service they want."

Councillors will set the final budget in February. More information about the meetings is available on the county council's website at www.northyorks.gov.uk