ENDING bed blocking in hospitals is one of the objectives stated in a three-year plan of improvements drawn up by North Yorkshire County Council.

Councillors want to see a reduction in beds blocked from 54 last year to zero by next year, under plans to work with health agencies and provide a seamless health service.

The target forms part of The Council Plan, a collection of aims and objectives, currently in draft form, which the council hopes to have achieved by 2006.

Other aims include improving the county's education service, the transport system, employment opportunities and health and social care, and strengthening North Yorkshire's economy by supporting business, improving people's skills and creating greater tourism opportunities.

With a population of 570,000 across more than 3,000sq miles, the plan recognises that the county is sparsely populated and that more needs to be done to improve communications and access to public services and information.

More than £4m will be invested in library facilities, with the council keen to develop ten libraries into modern community resource centres providing access to information technology and other services.

The report also notes that, despite comparatively low crime figures, fear of crime remains a key concern.

"We have an important part to play in crime prevention and crime reduction measures," said the report, compiled by council leader John Weighell and chief executive officer Jeremy Walker.

Within the principal targets, the council aims to almost halve the offending rates among children in care and reduce the proportion of young offenders who subsequently re-offend from 37 percent to 27 per cent.

To do this, the report states: "Partnership with other agencies is crucial - particularly the police, district councils, the fire and rescue service and the health and probation services."

Following a lengthy consultation period, the draft plan is being presented to a meeting of the executive on Tuesday.

Councillors will decide what changes should be made to the plan before it is presented to the full council on October 22.