Issue - meetings

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Finance)

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Finance to provide an update on the proposed changes to the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2024/25 and to request permission to undertake a consultation with the public and our Preceptors.

(The report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations and Finance)

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Operations & Finance to provide an update on the proposed changes to the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme and to request permission to undertake a consultation with the public and our Preceptors.

The Head of Benefits & Revenues Michael Buckland updated the committee on the work undertaken so far and would like to request permission from Cabinet to undertake a consultation with both the public and the Major Precepting Authorities in respect of proposed changes to the Council’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme with effect from 1^st April 2024.

Each year the Council is required to review its Council Tax Reduction Scheme in accordance with the requirements of the schedule 1A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and to either maintain the scheme or replace it.

Council Tax Reduction (CTR) was introduced from 1 April 2013 when it replaced the Central Government funded Council Tax Benefit regime. From its inception, the funding available to the Council from government has reduced year on year.

As with the majority of authorities within England, the Borough Council need to make changes to the CTR scheme for working age applicants (the scheme for pension age applicants is prescribed by Central Government) in order to reduce the significant administrative burden placed on the Council by the introduction of Universal Credit.

This report requests permission to consult on changes required to the scheme and makes recommendation for the 2024/25 scheme.

The Committee sought clarifications in the following areas:

·         Clarification on rationale to reducing the capitol to £6,000.00 –to make it a limit of £16,000 would make the scheme much more expensive.

·         Peoples’ expenditure rises very quickly what is being done in terms of money advice or green energy support  - There are lots of things we have set up with the CAB, TAC we will always speak to people even at recovery stage, moving forward we will work together with housing and looked at vulnerable debtors this is part of a strategy in trying to lift vulnerable people out of poverty to help as many people as we can.    

·         The scheme at present it does say support people under the armed forces compensation scheme the scheme coming only quotes those that are on the war pension not armed forces compensation – we will look into that in terms of whether we continue to do so.