Crime commissioner Zoë Metcalfe has hinted council taxpayers in North Yorkshire will have to pay more for police and fire services next year.

The commissioner sets the annual police and fire precepts – the amounts dedicated to policing and fire and rescue services in North Yorkshire and York from every household.

Ms Metcalfe has opened a consultation on how much people are willing to spend on this in their council tax bills from April next year. The sum will be added to the amount charged by North Yorkshire Council and local parish councils for residents' final council tax bills from April next year.

Three of the options presented in the consultation are for council tax increases. One suggests a freeze and none suggest a reduction. The freeze option is accompanied by the statement, 'this would be a significant cut to the fire budget due to inflation and current levels of service delivery could not be maintained'.

The suggested increases are for 2.99%, 6.2% and 9.3%, which would be the equivalent of an extra £2.41, £5 and £7.50 a year respectively.

Ms Metcalfe said:

The survey runs until midnight Monday, January 21 and you can participate here.

After the consultation ends, Ms Metcalfe will submit her proposals to the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel in February.

The panel, which is a joint committee of North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, can make recommendations on the proposal but the commissioner will ultimately decide the outcome.

Ms Metcalfe's role will be taken over by whoever is elected mayor of York and North Yorkshire in May next year.

Read more:

• Police commissioner Zoe Metcalfe rejects appointing interim chief constable


• Tim Forber set to be North Yorkshire's new top cop