Council tax rise is 9.33% in York

The rise is set to take a band D bill above £1,000 for the first time, to about £1,074.

The council's share of the band D bill is £852 with the total police precept about £171 a year.

North Yorkshire Police chief constable Della Cannings had asked the police authority to approve an 8.8 per cent hike in the precept.

Police authority members voted 14 to 4 in favour of a 9.94 per cent increase.

The Fire Authority has yet to agree its precept but a ten per cent precept rise would lead to a total fire authority bill of £51.

The majority of people in York live in band C homes and face a total bill of about £955 a year.

Opposition leader Dave Merrett said: "The rise is not dissimilar from what we were expecting. A lower rise was certainly possible, clearly they have chosen to increase spending."

Coun Merrett's Labour group fixed this year's rise at 5.9 per cent from April, 2003.

Coun Galloway admitted planning for the budget had been difficult, but the council was on target to complete this year with no overall overspend.

He said: "This is a no-cuts budget. The priority is to maintain good quality public service standards.

"We believe the vast majority of the people of York are prepared to pay a fair price for preserving those services."

The news came as North Yorkshire County Council leaders proposed a 5.75 per cent rise.

The rise, which does not affect City of York residents, will see an average Band D property paying a total of £861.51 to the county council - an increase of £44.42 on last year.

The city council has come under pressure from a strong pensioners' lobby in the last year, calling for the council tax rise to be kept down.

In response, the ruling Liberal Democrat group has agreed a range of discounts and benefits for pensioners.

These include £50 of travel tokens for York residents aged over 60.

Pensioners and disabled people will also be able to use their travel tokens to pay for a residents' parking permit.

The council has sparked fury by pushing ahead with plans to double the cost of a Respark permit, from £42 to £84, and hopes this will soften the blow.

Using the tokens will mean a permit stays at £42, or is free if the holder drives a "short" car, less than 2.7m long.

Pensioners not living in Respark zones will be able to use their tokens in council run car parks.

A major campaign is also being launched to encourage people to claim benefits and council tax rebates they qualify for.

Don Parlabean, who is chairman of York Older Peoples' Forum, welcomed the travel token initiative.

He said it would benefit York's most vulnerable and isolated pensioners.

But he said the council tax increase rising far more steeply than the pension meant the pension value was decreasing.

Mr Parlabean, a former city councillor, said: "If you live long enough you fall into the poverty trap. It comes to the point where everyone will have to ask for pension credits."

The council tax figures are still only proposals, but are expected to be approved. The budget will be debated, and the final council tax level will be set at a City of York Council meeting on February 24.

Updated: 15:15 Monday, February 09, 2004