TAXPAYERS in North Yorkshire can expect a rate rise of about six per cent next year, council bosses have announced.

North Yorkshire County Council leader John Weighell made a commitment to the council tax rise figure for the first time at yesterday's full council meeting.

He warned of difficult funding issues ahead, saying the council was "robustly scrutinising" spending to look for the lowest possible council tax rise.

The county council's share of last year's rise was 11 per cent.

He announced seven open meetings about the budget would be held in towns across the county next month.

Coun Weighell said: "Our objective is to halve the level of last year's increase. We will be finalising proposals next week, but we are looking at an increase of between 5.5 and six per cent.

"We will then want to tell people right across North Yorkshire how we plan to invest in services right to the heart of the community, whether that is through local schools, social services, libraries or roads and public transport."

He added: "The meetings we have planned give local people the opportunity to influence the direction of many vital local services and to have a real say in what type of service they want."

Each meeting will also present members of the public with the opportunity to discuss issues arising from the Boundary Committee's draft recommendations on its local government review.

Updated: 10:57 Thursday, December 18, 2003