Issue - meetings

To consider a report on a Council Tax Support Scheme.

(Report attached)

A report was received which set out proposals for the Localisation of Council Tax Support and the measures which might form the basis of a consultation exercise during coming months. The Council needed to consider such a course of action as a Council Tax billing authority.

The Committee was informed of the expectation county-wide that only around half of the anticipated shortfall would be collected in Worcestershire, with the most significant impact being to the revenue of the major precepting authority, the County Council. The Borough Council, the West Mercia Police Authority and Hereford and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Authority would also experience cuts to their revenue. Officers explained that the lack of a county-wide consensus on the approach to bridging the shortfall had resulted from Wyre Forest District Council adopting a unilateral approach in response to its particular financial situation.

Members noted that a body of measures had been compiled for the purposes of the consultation which, for Redditch, had the potential to fund the total shortfall should they be implemented in their entirety. Members regretted that they were placed in a position by central Government whereby they needed to impose this additional expense on local residents. It was generally accepted that those who were in a better position to pay should bear the majority of the burden. Officers undertook to provide Councillor Gandy with additional information on second-home ownership in the Borough following the meeting.

RESOLVED that

1)         consultation on a local Council Tax  support scheme and technical reforms to Council Tax commence with key stakeholders for a minimum 8 week period on the basis set out in the report be approved; and

2)         the submission of a further report on Council Tax support and technical reforms to Council Tax for Executive Committee consideration following the consultation be noted and that recommendations on this will be made to full Council.