COUNCIL tax payers in York and North Yorkshire will learn next week if the part of their bills which funds policing is set to rise.

Members of North Yorkshire Police Authority will set the budget for policing in 2002/2003 at a meeting in York on Monday.

It was feared that the number of police officers in York and North Yorkshire might have to be cut unless more money could be found to bridge the gap in police finances.

The other main option is to increase the police precept, which currently stands at £62.59 for the average household - well below the national average.

A series of public meetings have been held across the county to gauge people's views on how best to meet the shortfall and to discuss the key question of whether to cut the number of officers or up the police precept.

Councillor Jane Kenyon, the authority's chairman, said: "The authority is very grateful to all those people who have contributed to our consultation exercise about next year's budget. We will take those views on board when setting the council tax level.

"We have been particularly warmed by the support people have given to both the chief constable and the authority for our efforts to enhance the policing service in this area. People clearly value the work of the police."

The rising cost of pensions for retired officers and the cost of policing major incidents such as the Selby rail crash - for which the North Yorkshire force is still owed £900,000 by the Government - have put a massive strain on funds.

Police authority member John Duggan, a North Yorkshire county councillor and Selby district councillor, previously told the Evening Press that any increase in the precept was likely to be the equivalent of half a pint of beer a week - which could equate to an increase of between £30 and £40 on the annual levy.

The number of police officers in North Yorkshire is set to rise to a record 1,420 by the end of March.

Monday's meeting starts at 10.30am at the Merchant Taylors Hall, in Aldwark. Members of the public can ask the authority about policing in their areas during a public question time, which starts at 11.30am.

Updated: 08:47 Thursday, January 31, 2002