North Yorkshire council tax frozen for second year running

Council tax in North Yorkshire will be frozen for the second year running after councillors voted to accept a one-off £6m government grant.

North Yorkshire County Council said it would accept the council tax grant as it was "anxious to minimise the financial burden" on local residents.

Conservative council leader John Weighell said the freeze would be worth about £26 to the average household.

North Yorkshire County Council faces making £69m of savings over four years.

Mr Weighell said the consequences of the council accepting the government's tax grant would "undoubtedly be enormously challenging" but that those challenges would have to be met.

"We are ahead with our savings targets and will have to continue to look hard at further savings and efficiencies in the future," he said.

North Yorkshire County Council made £36m of savings in 2011-12 and faced making a further £15m in savings in 2012-13, Mr Weighell added.