THE cost of dealing with catastrophic floods has brought the council tax increase in North Yorkshire to 7.9pc for the coming financial year.

The full council agreed at its budget-fixing meeting on Wednesday to add 0.9pc to the original proposal for a council tax rise of 7pc so that a dedicated £1m fund could be set up for flood relief projects across the county.

This will be in addition to the county council's share of funding for Environment Agency work on flood defences for major rivers.

The council tax charge for an average band D property will be £668, compared with £619 in the current year, still below the average for English shire counties. To this figure must be added charges for district or borough councils, parish or town councils and North Yorkshire police authority.

Coun David Ashton, leader of the council, said: "We are very conscious that in addition to well-documented floods in the Selby and Malton areas, many properties and businesses were affected by local flash floods.

"Although work to prevent these kinds of incidents is not the clear responsibility of any particular organisation, the Conservative group feels the county council should take a lead.

"Adding 0.9pc on to the council tax would create a ring-fenced fund of about £1m which could be used to fund schemes in partnership with other organisations for the benefit of people right across the county, not just in the worst affected areas.

"People in North Yorkshire have been badly let down by the government's refusal to stand by its promise and pay for the flooding. It is time for the county council to take a lead in doing all we can to protect homes and businesses from future floods."

Another element in the council tax rise was the decision by county councillors to restore the financial help given to voluntary organisations following protests about proposed cuts.

The North Yorkshire forum for voluntary organisations said later, however, that it remained concerned that some services would still suffer.

Chief officer Mr Neil Irving said: "There will still be cuts in services, in particular through the withdrawal of cleaning and fire-lighting services to older and disabled people and a 25pc cut in placements in independent sector residential and nursing care homes.

"This will create hardship for very vulnerable people, many of whom will seek help from voluntary organisations, often after having been referred there by the county council's own staff."