Issue - meetings

Report FSD201068

The report advised the Executive of the result of the public consultation exercise on the proposed Council Tax Support/Reduction Scheme for 2022/23 and sought approval for the Scheme to be forwarded to full Council. A Member was disappointed that the response to the consultation was not higher, but officers would consider this and attempt to generate a better response next year.

Officers would provide Cllr William Huntington-Thresher with further details on the breakdown of current claimants (Table 2 in the report.)

The report had been scrutinised by the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee on 18 November 2021 and the Committee supported the recommendations. The Chairman of the PDS Committee, Cllr Christopher Marlow, pointed out to the Executive that Bromley’s scheme was already more generous than some in London, and in the consultation responses there was not a clear majority in favour of making it more generous.

RESOLVED that

(1) The updated Impact Assessment at Appendix 1 to the report be noted.

(2) The responses to the public consultation exercise at Appendices 2 & 3 to the report be noted.

(3) It is noted that the Council Tax Support/Reduction scheme for 2022/23 retains the calculation of entitlement for 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.

(4) Council be recommended  to approve the Council Tax Support/Reduction scheme for 2022/23 including maintaining the Discretionary Hardship Fund at £200k.