Issue - meetings

To enable Members to consider proposals to reduce the financial impact to the Borough and other precepting bodies in relation to the Government changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme.

(Report attached)

Officers presented a report which detailed a number of options upon which the Council was intending to consult in respect of the Council Tax Support Scheme in place from April 2014. Members attention was drawn to the table in Appendix 1 and they were advised that the number of working age claimants  affected should read 4,600 and not 3,749 as indicated.

The Committee was informed that the majority of Councils across the County were intending to consult on a range of measures fundamentally the same as those set out in the report. Members were quite clear that the impact on other public authorities of the Council not collecting at least a proportion of the shortfall left by the Council Tax Support Grant could be very significant and so were minded to approve the consultation options. Members were keen that a full range of options be considered and proposed that Officers draw up proposals which included restricting Council Tax support to Band C equivalent amounts and building in exemptions for disabled persons or those with young children. Officers undertook to draw up further options on this basis.

RESOLVED that

the Executive Director of Finance and Resources be authorised to consult on the options to change the Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme with effect from April 2014 as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and as amended in the preamble, above.