A CONTROVERSIAL tax increase to pay for repairs to roads affected by the big freeze in parts of the region is not a “snow levy”, council bosses have insisted.

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive yesterday heard that the prolonged bad weather caused more than £15m of damage to the county’s roads.

The Conservative-led committee agreed to support the proposed 2.94 per cent increase in council tax for this year, bringing the annual bill for an average band D property to £1,057.48. This amounts to a yearly rise of £30.18 – or 58p per week.

North Yorkshire is understood to be the region’s only local authority planning to fund unforeseen road repairs in this way. Opposing politicians on the county council have criticised the plans, as has pressure group the Tax- Payers’ Alliance.

The council had held consultations on a planned 2.5 per cent rise, with a further 0.44 per cent included later, to fund the repairs – enough to generate £1m for pothole repairs.

Critics have branded the planned increase a snow levy on the county’s taxpayers.

Councillor Bill Hoult, leader of the opposing Liberal Democrat group, said: “This is a snow tax. We all know the bad weather caused problems, but the extra costs could be met from the millions the council has stashed away in reserves.

“Ordinary taxpayers are struggling with their finances and are right to ask why the council wants even more of their hard-earned cash.”

Councillor Carl Les, a member of the executive, denied that the increase amounted to a snow levy.

He said: “It is important to stress that this is not a snow tax. It is about making emergency repairs to roads, following the worst weather we have seen for many years.”

If approved, the rise would be the county council’s lowest tax increase for 16 years.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Everyone knows that the weather has caused costly damage, but it is time councils took their share of the pain.

“Authorities seem to forget sometimes that they could reduce spending instead of just hiking up taxes.”

The proposals will be debated by the full county council on February 17.