County's council tax increase is lowest amount since the 1990s

The council has drawn up a budget blueprint for the next financial year which is aimed at easing the strain on bank balances for householders throughout the county.

North Yorkshire County Council's leader John Weighell confirmed that the proposed 2.94 per cent increase on the annual council tax bill was aimed at providing further financial help to more than 258,000 households.

However, the 2010/11 increase would have been even lower had it not been for the extensive damage caused to the county's thousands of miles of highways in the coldest winter which has hit the nation since 1981.

Proposals had initially been drawn up for a 2.5 per cent increase, although this has had to be increased by nearly half a per cent.

Coun Weighell said: "It has been our priority throughout the budget consultation process to balance the increasing demands being made for our services with the need to keep the council tax as low as possible.

"As more and more people find themselves victims of the economic downturn, they turn to the county council for help and support.