THE Government has pledged to give another £12m to a local authority in return for a promise to deliver further improvements in services.

North Yorkshire County Council has signed a Local Public Service Agreement with Westminster, in which the council will be set performance targets.

The deal will mean less red tape, and financial incentives to help the authority deliver improvements over three years.

The agreement was signed by Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford, county council leader John Weighell, and the authority's chief executive, Jeremy Walker.

Targets include improving services for elderly people, better education, an increase in recycled waste, a drop in road accidents, and better libraries and rights of way.

The extra money will be handed over as the authority hits targets, although it will receive £1.3m immediately.

Coun Weighell said: "The county council is committed to achieving the highest quality services, and the agreement gives us fresh incentives to deliver improvements across the range of what we do.

"Success will mean securing more resources in future years to invest in yet-higher standards and better facilities for people throughout North Yorkshire."