Issue - meetings

At its meeting on 3 January 2018 the Executive Committee considered the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the Scheme for 2018/19 be ADOPTED.  

69.1           At its meeting on 3 January 2018, the Executive Committee had considered a report which set out a Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2018/19. The Executive Committee had recommended to Council that the Scheme be adopted.

69.2           The report which was considered by the Executive Committee had been circulated with the Agenda for the current meeting at Pages No. 29-32.

69.3           The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee proposed and seconded the recommendation and it was   

                  RESOLVED          That the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2018/19 be                                     ADOPTED.

To consider the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2018-19 and make a recommendation to Council for adoption.  

That it be RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2018-19 be ADOPTED.  

78.1           The report of the Head of Corporate Services, circulated at Pages No. 211-214, set out the requirement for the Council to have in place a Council Tax Reduction Scheme to support residents who qualified for assistance in paying Council Tax. Members were asked to recommend to Council that the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2018/19 be adopted.   

78.2           The Head of Corporate Services explained that, in 2013, the Council Tax Benefit which residents could apply for to assist with the payment of their Council Tax had been abolished. Local authorities had then been responsible for setting their own Council Tax Reduction Schemes for working age people; the scheme for pensioners was set by government and was not subject to funding cuts. In devising new schemes, most local authorities had adopted something that replicated the old Council Tax Benefit schemes and then applied a minimum payment for working age customers to make up the difference. The legislation expected the Council to review its scheme on an annual basis and this needed to be done by 31 January 2018. The recommendation was that the current scheme would remain in place for 2018/19 but would be reviewed thereafter. The Head of Corporate Services indicated that this was a possible item for a scrutiny review but would be discussed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in due course.

78.3           Accordingly, it was