HOMEOWNERS in North Yorkshire look increasingly likely to face a council tax hike of more than 10pc next year.

Members of North Yorkshire County Council's executive are recommending an above-inflation council tax increase of 10.25pc, equivalent to £1.31 a week on an average Band D property.

The proposal will be put to the full council next week when it considers the county's draft budget.

Coun John Weighell, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said: "Nobody wants to put up the council tax but we have a duty to deliver good quality services.

"North Yorkshire has a low council tax compared with most counties, because we manage ourselves efficiently. We cannot avoid a significant tax increase this year in order to restore our finances, but we still aim to keep the level of council tax below the average of other English county councils."

Coun Weighell said the council was considering the rise in the light of central government funding allocations for the authority next year.

He said: "In common with councils throughout England, we face the prospect of having to raise more resources locally. There are many uncertainties in the government's provisional settlement, so clearly our projections are provisional too, but they form a basis for consultation.

"The depletion of reserves by events over the last two years and the national trend of pressure on budgets for a variety of services mean that the county council has no resources to fall back on if further emergencies occur. It is very important that we make some provision to restore reserves."

The draft budget goes out to public consultation in the new year.