Policing bills are set to soar in England's biggest county following a disappointing cash settlement from the Government.

For the second year in a row council tax payers in North Yorkshire face a big increase in their police precept just to maintain the same level of service.

And at the same time the county's police authority will have to introduce new initiatives, required by the Government, which are expected to cost some £5m.

The authority, which this year has a budget of £96.6m, is to get a three per cent _ or £2.6m _ increase from the Government even though its costs have risen at a higher rate than inflation. Chairman Jane Kenyon described the settlement as "very bad news".

She said: "We estimate that with inflation and other unavoidable cost pressures like the increase in National Insurance contributions, spending on policing in North Yorkshire and York will have to rise next year just to continue providing the same service.

"As little new money is to be made available by the Government, almost all the cost will need to be raised from the council tax."

She said the authority actually supported the Government's police and criminal justice system reform initiatives _ but had hoped for help in meeting their £5m cost.

She added: "Just like last year, when we reluctantly increased the precept by 50p a week, we have some very difficult decisions to make."

New Chief Constable, Della Cannings said: "This force has traditionally been, and continues to be, lowly funded with only a marginal acceptance from Government that policing one of England's most sparsely populated areas costs money.

"It is very disappointing that the Government hasn't even provided us with the money to keep pace with inflation, let alone the resources necessary to implement all the reforms it has brought in over the last year."

Government funding for policing nationally is set to rise by 6.2 per cent but much of the extra money will be 'top sliced' to enable the Government to operate nationally-funded schemes.

Additionally, a recent review of the way in which police authority funding is calculated by the Government has resulted in rural authorities, and North Yorkshire in particular, being downgraded.