Issue - meetings

To approve the Council Tax Support Fund Policy.

1.      That the Council Tax Support Fund 2023/24 Policy, as attached to the report at Appendix A, be APPROVED.

2.      That authority be delegated to the Revenues and Benefits Manager to make minor and non-consequential adjustments to the Scheme, in consultation with the Head of Corporate Services and the Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management.

3.      That any remaining balance be used in line with the Council Tax Discretionary Hardship Fund in accordance with the guidance that stated Councils could use their remaining allocation as they saw fit to support vulnerable households with their Council Tax bills.

102.1         The report of the Revenues and Benefits Manager, circulated at Pages No. 258-269, attached a Council Tax Support Fund 2023/24 policy which Members were asked to approve. It was also recommended that a delegation be given to the Revenues and Benefits Manager, in consultation with the Head of Corporate Services and Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management, to make minor and non-consequential adjustments to the scheme and to approve that any remaining balance be used in line with the Council Tax Discretionary Hardship Fund.

102.2         The Revenues and Benefits Manager explained that funding had been allocated to each local authority and there was a proposal to award all eligible local Council Tax Support claimants a one-off amount of £25 against their Council Tax liability for 2023/24 to be shown on their annual Council tax bills. The number of households in the Borough in receipt of Council Tax support as at 1 February 2023 was approximately 4,787. 3,500 claimants were in receipt of maximum Council Tax Reduction and would not be eligible for Council Tax support payments – figures showed an approximate spend of £42,000. The government’s guidance stated that a local authority could use the government funding as it saw fit to support vulnerable households with Council Tax bills and it was therefore proposed that the remaining balance of approximately £83,000 be used for Council Tax Hardship during 2023/24.

102.3         Accordingly, it was proposed, seconded and