YORK council leaders are to review budget cuts at a respite centre for disabled children in the city.

The move follows a stormy debate in which the city's council tax rise was agreed at just less than five per cent.

City council leader Steve Galloway pledged to look again at the cash package for the Glen Respite Care Centre in Tang Hall, after two motions at last night's full council calling for the £19,000 cut to be shelved were defeated.

Labour branded the decision "shameful", and said the move, part of £300,000 in savings from the social services budget, would hit some of the city's most vulnerable residents.

But the ruling Liberal Democrats said a non-residential care alternative was expected to cover the gap for respite users at the Glen affected by a drop in short-stay availability.

They stressed the Glen - currently open 365 days a year - would only be closed six weekends a year.

There would now be full consultation with parents of disabled children who use it to get a break from caring. Coun Galloway said: "If the alternative is not as good we will look at the decision again."

Coun Sue Galloway, the executive member for social services, rejected as "preposterous" Labour claims the £300,000 cut meant 16 fewer home helps for the elderly. She stressed York continued to offer a better service for vulnerable residents than neighbouring authorities, despite eligibility criteria being tightened.

The row came as the Lib Dem budget, raising the council tax by 4.96 per cent, was passed.

Coun Galloway said the budget was "probably the most demanding financial target" the council had ever faced.

Savings of more than £6 million were found without "draconian" cuts, the meeting heard - and York was "cleaner, greener and safer" since the Lib Dems took power.

Coun Galloway expressed disappointment that extra cash to help York Museums Trust regenerate the Castle Museum could not be found, but he revealed a PFI scheme could "transform" the city's cash-strapped libraries.

But Labour opposition group leader Dave Merrett branded the Lib Dem budget "damaging" for York.

The ruling group was now paying the price for "foolhardy" decisions taken last year on parking charges, new management posts and discretionary spending, he added.

Attacking social service cuts, he said: "They have got to take responsibility for their budget. But instead they have been seeking to blame everyone else, while pushing cuts on to the most vulnerable groups in York."

The tax rise is expected to take a Band D bill, including police and fire authority precepts, but not those from parish councils, to £1,119.40.

:: CHARGES at York's short-stay car parks are to rise to £2 an hour to help meet the council's funding gap.

The increase affects the Castle, Bootham Row and Piccadilly car parks, but fees have been frozen at all the authority's other car parks - as have charges for evening parking.

The short-stay fees hike has been condemned as "stupid" by Labour leader Coun Dave Merrett.

He said the move would hit the city centre economy and that the ruling Liberal Democrat group had not learned from last year's furore over the introduction of high evening charges.

But Coun Ann Reid, executive member for transport, said motorists still had plenty of choice, with many of the standard car parks - such as Esplanade, St George's Field and Peel Street - only slightly further away from the centre than short-stay parks. She said people could also use Park & Ride or regular buses, or pay more if they wanted to park close to the centre.

Updated: 09:51 Wednesday, February 23, 2005