POLICE chiefs in North Yorkshire are seeking a below- inflation rise in their element of the council tax this year.

Three years ago, the force hit the headlines when it won an increase of 76 per cent, which was followed the next year by a rise of almost ten per cent.

Those rises were said to have put the force on a stable financial footing and last year the rise was 2.62 per cent.

And now the police authority is seeking the public views on its plans for this year's increase.

It is looking for about two per cent - equal to £4 per year for a Band D taxpayer.

The figure has been arrived at following the announcement that the Government grant to the authority has been increased by 3.2 per cent.

This follows changes to the police pension funding arrangements that would leave the authority worse off by £1.4m.

And a rise in the council tax precept of 2.27 per cent would allow that to be met, as well as cope with the future plans of the force - which include providing an additional 60 community support officers.

Visit the website at www.nypa.org.uk for more details.