COUNCIL tax in York is the lowest in North Yorkshire, new figures have revealed.

Residents are paying less than people who live in similar authorities across the country, it is also claimed.

Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions figures show York is the cheapest council area in which to live in the county, and the eighth cheapest of England's 47 unitary council areas.

In North Yorkshire, council tax charges range from £988 in Ryedale to £896 in Hambleton - still substantially more than the £867 highest figure in York.

The typical band D figure for York is also shown to be lower than that in London (£895), shire areas (£984) and metropolitan council areas (£1,017).

The overall national average is £976.

Council leader Coun Rod Hills said: "The council is efficiently run, providing quality services at a lower cost to residents than in most similar areas across the country, and the fact that nobody else in North Yorkshire pays less council tax than people do in York is significant.

"The debate over this year's budget needs to be seen in that context. The fact is that we have managed to find efficiency savings, meet inflationary costs, fund service improvements and maintain key services, while keeping the scale and the rise of council tax in York relatively low.

"While we all recognise that above-inflation rises affect the poorer citizens of York, I would hope they would recognise the successful efforts, in comparison to others, that the council has made to keep increases to the minimum level."

The average council tax rise nationally was 8.5 per cent, and 11.8 per cent in North Yorkshire, compared with just 6.88 per cent in York.

Updated: 15:08 Wednesday, March 27, 2002