A 67 per cent increase in Skipton Town Council's budget is justifiable claim councillors who have allocated £50,000 for recreation grounds, and awarded a single donation of £20,000 to develop tourism.

The precept for 2000 to 2001 has risen to £167,490 and will be paid for through council tax amounting to £34.18 for band D households. When the budget was announced members agreed the huge increase in spending on ten Skipton recreation grounds because of issues of safety.

Councillor John Binns said: "Members should be aware of the problems we have been having over the past year or two. The state of the equipment is sailing very close to the wind in terms of safety."

The £50,000 will have to be split between all ten playgrounds and £10,000 will be allocated for maintenance.

Concerns were expressed that the playground committees which had already began raising money to improve their own grounds, like the Regent Playground Challenge, would miss out on the money and those who had done nothing would get facilities provided.

Coun Binns said: "My intention is that people who have done all the valuable work would not be penalised but get extras for the ground."

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