RESIDENTS whose incomes have been poleaxed by the pandemic will face an extra council tax burden because of the Government’s repeated failure to introduce reforms of social care, a meeting has heard. Councillors from across North Yorkshire’s political spectrum expressed frustration over the continuing reliance on local authorities to fund care homes as an overwhelming majority of county council members agreed to raise council tax by 3.49 per cent for the coming year. As a result of the vote at a full meeting of the council an average Band D council tax will rise to £1,411.05 for 2021/22, an increase of around £47, which some councillors said would represent a hammer blow to residents that had been left in dire financial straits.