At its meeting on 7 February 2024, the Executive Committee recommended to Council that:

i.       the definition of a care leaver be amended to a young person between the ages of 18 and 24 years for the purposes of Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992; and,

ii.     the Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be adopted with effect from 1 April 2024.   

95.11        At its meeting on 7 February 2024, the Executive Committee considered the Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers and recommended to Council that the definition of a care leaver be amended to a young person between the ages of 18 and 24 years for the purposes of Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and that the Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be adopted with effect from 1 April 2024.  

95.12        The report which was considered by the Executive Committee had been circulated with the Agenda for the current meeting at Pages No. 55-62.

95.13        As Chair of the Executive Committee, the Leader of the Council proposed the recommendation of the Executive Committee and it was seconded by the Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management.  The Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management advised that the report outlined the positive approach being taken by councils across the county to better support young care leavers.  The report recommendation would result in categorising young care leavers as being between the ages of 18-24, as opposed to ages 18-21, and give them eligibility for the Council Tax discount scheme, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.  It was important for Members to approve this scheme to avoid Tewkesbury Borough Council being an outlier in supporting its young care leavers.

95.14        A Member indicated that he was very supportive of this scheme and did not intend his questions to be critical; however, he was unsure if the records held by the local authority were accurate in terms of people who had left care, particularly the older age range who may need to be identified and he asked what could be done by the Council to find them.  In addition, with regard to Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs), an element of the rent paid by tenants to landlords would cover Council Tax so he was concerned that the discount may not be passed on to the care leaver in those circumstances.  In response, the Director: Corporate Resources advised that the authority was notified of care leavers by the relevant team at Gloucestershire County Council.  There was a proposed action in the new draft Council Plan for a countywide offering for care leavers – at the moment this was siloed to Council Tax and Housing Officers.  In terms of the point about HMOs, he undertook to take this into consideration as part of the corporate offering in the new Council Plan.  The Leader of the Council felt it was vital for the Council to do its utmost to support care leavers.  The Member had made a valid point and, whilst there may not be a way to address that particular situation, he would raise it with partner authorities and provide a response to Members following the meeting.

95.15        Upon being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED          1. That it be AGREED that the definition of a care leaver be amended to a young person between the ages of 18 and 24 years for the purposes of Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

2. That the Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be ADOPTED with effect from 1 April 2024.