Tory council shuns Javid offer and calls for fairer care funding

North Yorkshire County Council has shunned an offer by Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid to raise council tax bills by an extra three per cent this year.

The Conservative-run county is among a host of authorities to have complained they are struggling to meet the rising cost of elderly care.

Councils were last year given the right to raise bills by two per cent a year to raise money for adult social care - known as the social care precept - in addition to the two per cent increase they can already impose annually to pay for all services.

In response to the clamour for help before Christmas, Mr Javid announced councils could raise the social care precept by three per cent this year and next.

North Yorkshire has rejected that offer and said it would be pushing for a “fairer government funding deal”.

County council leader Carl Les said: “We are aware of the pressure on people’s finances.

“Many families are already struggling to make ends meet and we feel we cannot add significantly to their burden.”

The cost of caring for the elderly will increase by £13m in the coming financial year with care now accounting for more than half of the county council’s budget.

Coun Les added: “Without doubt we face enormous challenges in the delivery of frontline services but we will continue to work closely with partners in the NHS and voluntary sector to deliver high quality, sustainable services and we will continue to innovate and improve to support older and vulnerable people to live well and independently in their communities for as long as possible.

“We will also strive to continue to make savings while addressing the needs of the county by continuing with our programme to transform the way we deliver services.”

Councillors will be asked to approve a four per cent rise in the county’s section of the council tax bill for the coming year, an increase of £45.64 for a Band D property.

The county’s financial plan anticipates annual rises of four per cent until 2020.

North Yorkshire council tax payers will only know their full bill when their district and parish council, as well as fire and police precepts, have been agreed.

Most councils across Yorkshire are expected to use the new flexibility to raise the social care precept by three per cent.

Calderdale, Leeds and Bradford have already indicated they are ready to do so.

But council leaders have complained the new flexibility will benefit authorities in wealthier areas where council tax rises produce much bigger returns.

Some have also argued the move shifts the cost to local taxpayers when the care crisis is a national issue.

Ministers have told councils they should be able to balance their own books by 2020 through business rates and council tax rather than relying on Government funding.

Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe has previously warned that within a few years her authority will be able to do little more than care for the elderly unless the Government changes its position on funding.