ANGRY councillors in York and North Yorkshire are demanding action over proposals to drastically increase the police precept - a move described by one councillor as "absolutely outrageous."

Ryedale councillors are to seek a face-to-face meeting with North Yorkshire's Chief Constable, Della Canning, and North Yorkshire Police Authority Chairman, Jane Kenyon, over the proposed hike, which comes on top of a 41 per cent rise last year.

Liberal Democrats will be raising their concerns with a motion to the next full meeting of City of York Council.

North Yorkshire Police chiefs are asking for an increase in the precept - the police element of the council tax bill - of between 34 and 74 per cent, which could see residents of a Band D house paying between £119.20 and £154 on top of their council tax. The proposals, which are blamed on historic underfunding and rising police pension costs, are currently undergoing public consultation with a series of roadshows.

Ryedale District councillor Pamela Anderson told members that local people were complaining that the service they were receiving was poor.

She said some of her ward members had funded Neighbourhood Watch notices after an 89-year-old woman in Swinton was burgled twice within a few days.

She said that her family went to the woman's aid and made a 999 call.

"But they were told off and were told to ring Malton police". An hour and a half later, said Coun Anderson, police arrived - all the way from Northallerton.

Coun Gary Hobbs described the police authority's projected increase as "absolutely outrageous". Leader of the council, Coun Alan Farnaby said Mrs Canning was due to speak at the Ryedale community and police group meeting at Sheriff Hutton village hall on Thursday, January 23, at 7.30pm, and he urged the public to attend.

Meanwhile, City of York councillor Irene Waudby, shadow executive member for Community, Economic Development and Commercial Services, will put forward a motion to her local authority's full meeting tomorrow night, asking the council's chief executive to write to the police authority to express concerns over the rises in the precept. Coun Waudby said: "Government grants for police authorities have been consistently inadequate over the years with increases in costs not matched by increases in central government funding."

Updated: 12:20 Monday, January 13, 2003