Glusburn and Cross Hills parish council is looking to raise an extra £9,000 from villagers through next year's council tax.

The increase, just under 20 per cent, brings the amount of precept proposed to £54,700.

The amount was criticised by Coun Peter Seward at a recent parish council meeting. He said it was unfair to raise the amount by so much, and not invite comments from the public.

Last year, Glusburn had the sixth highest precept in Craven.

The £54,700 to be raised this year means residents could pay on average an extra £6.45 council tax per year - and that does not include any increases levied by North Yorkshire and Craven District Councils.

The parish council originally proposed a figure of £10,000 but agreed to knock it down by £1,000.

Chairman Gill Birks added: "Last time we had an increase nobody came to object."

But Coun Seward retorted: "Nobody comes here anyway. There won't be any objections because it will be a fait accompli before they even see it."

Among Coun Seward's objections was £500 earmarked towards the South Craven Community Action's Out of School Club. He felt the club could survive without a parish council contribution.

Members voted to omit the amount from the precept.

Other forecasted spending included £1,500 towards new play equipment for Glusburn park.

Earlier this year members pledged to pay £30,000 towards Glusburn Institute Management Committee's purchase of the village Baptist church to turn it into a drama centre.

After Coun Seward's comments, the parish council agreed to display the proposed budget.

The breakdown of this sum will be displayed on noticeboards outside Glusburn Post Office, Cross Hills Library and Cross Hills Post Office.

Anyone wishing to comment on the amount, which will be finalised in January, should contact the parish council clerk, Judith Naylor on 01535 653923.

Coun Birks said after the meeting: "If we want to get quality services and high standards we have to pay the money into them."

The figures will be discussed at a council meeting on Wednesday January 30.