CONCERNED councillors have called a meeting with police chiefs about the force's 76 per cent increase in council tax precept.

Scarborough Borough councillors will meet the chairman of North Yorkshire Police Authority Jane Kenyon and Chief Constable Della Cannings next month.

The council's resources overview and scrutiny committee is alarmed by the increase in the authority's bill.

Committee chairman Councillor Peter Popple said: "We are hearing a lot of concern from many residents who will have difficulty finding the money to meet their council tax in the coming year.

"Many of these people are on fixed incomes and cannot afford the sort of increases that are being asked for.

"Scarborough Borough Council has done all it can to find savings and keep what increase we decide down to a minimum. All this good work is being undone by such a large increase from the police authority."

The scrutiny committee will be asking the force to explain the increase.

"The police authority was given a 40 per cent increase last year and now they have followed that up with 76 per cent this year. I think we need to ask them why," said Coun Popple.