Setting the budget for 2012/13, members of NYPA voted accept the one-off government grant worth £1.8 million requiring cuts to their annual policing budget to the tune of £2 million.

North Yorkshire County Council is also accepting a government hand-out in the order of £6 million to keep precepts frozen for the second consecutive year.

The County Council, whose precept makes up the lion's share of council tax bills for Selby residents, is required to make £36m of savings in the current year and a further £15 million next year in order to balance it's budget.

Members maintain however, that they are doing everything possible to continue to protect 'frontline services' and North Yorkshire's 'most vulnerable' residents.

NYCC Leader, Cllr John Weighell said, "A freeze on council tax next year would be worth about £26 for the average band D household and, in such difficult times, the county council is anxious to minimise the financial burden for residents as much as possible.

There is a vast number of people in this county - such as elderly people on fixed incomes, people in business and retail and those struggling to fill up their cars with petrol and pay gas and electricity bills - for whom £26 is a significant sum."

North Yorkshire Police Authority, despite it's required cuts, maintained that it's focus would remain keeping North Yorkshire safe.

Chairman of the North Yorkshire Police Authority Jane Kenyon said, "[The] decision means that we are not placing any additional burden on our communities to continue providing the best possible policing service that we can but, it could mean a small shortfall in the baseline budget in a couple of years.

"However, we are confident that the incoming Police and Crime Commissioner will be able to manage that shortfall, should it occur.

"With North Yorkshire currently the safest place in England to live, we think we are getting the balance right and we will strive to continue to do so."

Opponents however, argue that accepting government grants to prevent council tax hikes artificially swells authorities incomes, potentially leading to swingeing cuts to services or larger tax hikes in future years. 

As grants are being offered to councils and other local services for 2012/13 only, plugging funding gaps will become increasingly difficult, with authorities needing to find enough savings to cover both the loss in grant funding on top of increased running costs.

NYCC's Cllr Weighell said, "The consequences of accepting the Government's tax grant will undoubtedly be enormously challenging, but these challenges will have to be met. We are ahead with our savings targets and will have to continue to look hard at further savings and efficiencies in the future."