Issue - meetings

Report FSD17091

The Executive considered the outcome of the public consultation on the Council Tax Support/Reduction Scheme for 2018/19. 68% of respondents had confirmed their support for keeping the minimum contribution at 25%, and it was proposed that Council be recommended to approve the 2018/19 scheme at that level. It was also proposed that the scheme would be varied to take account of changes to Housing Benefit regulations. One part of the Regulations was subject to a legal challenge, so it was proposed that Council be recommended to authorise the Director of Finance to vary the scheme if necessary, subject to a report back to Council.

Councillor Angela Wilkins raised concerns about the impact of the introduction of Universal Credit, the unquantified cost of family breakdown and the potential impact on women in particular. Executive Members supported the principle that everyone should contribute to Council Tax, but concluded that it was important to maintain the Hardship Fund and to monitor the possible future impact of Universal Credit carefully. 

The report had been scrutinised by Executive and Resources PDS Committee at its meeting on 29^th November 2017, and the Committee had supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to

(1) Note the responses to the public consultation exercise.

(2) Note the updated Impact assessment at Appendix 1 to the report.

(3) Adopt the proposed Council Tax Support/Reduction Scheme for 2018/19 retaining the calculation of entitlement of working age claimants on 75% of the household’s Council Tax liability (thereby the maximum assistance provided to a claimant of working age is 75% of his/her Council Tax liability) and maintaining the hardship fund budget at £100k.

(4) Agree to allow the Director of Finance  to vary the scheme to incorporate any  changes that have been made to the Housing Benefit Regulations (per section 3.2.2 of report to Executive) and any subsequent revisions to these specific Regulations, subject to a report being brought back to Council advising of any changes made.