Agenda item

To consider the Scheme for 2017/18

The Committee received a report which set out a broad range of options for consultation in order to inform the development of the Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme (CTSS) 2017/18. 

In April 2013 council tax benefit had been replaced by a new local council tax support scheme.  Local councils were required to design their own CTSS and to carry out consultation on the options being considered for inclusion in the Scheme.  From April 2014 changes were made to the Council’s CTSS which resulted in support being capped at 80% of Council Tax liability for all working age claimants.  The Council had implemented a Hardship Fund to support the most vulnerable, with £13,066 of the fund having been awarded for 2015/16 as at 31st January 2016.  Changes to the Scheme in April 2014 had offset an estimated funding gap for 2014/15 of £91k for the Council. 

It was no longer possible to know how much funding was received towards the Scheme via the Government’s Revenue Support Grant and by 2019/20 there would be no government funding for the Scheme.  The total cost of the Scheme in Redditch was in the region of £6.5m.  The proposals being considered for consultation were not intended to reduce the overall cost of support provided to residents, but to reduce the administrative burden to the Council where possible and to bring the Scheme in line with national changes to welfare support.  

Officers explained both the process and different consultation phases involved, which would culminate in adoption of the final Scheme by 31st January 2017 at the latest.  All possible options which might ultimately be included in the Scheme had to be consulted on as no changes which had not previously been consulted on could be included at a later stage.  All options were purely options for consideration, with no decisions needing to be made as to what might be included in the draft Scheme at this stage.  A range of consultation documentation had been prepared and all relevant frontline staff would be briefed on the position so that they were able to assist residents with any enquiries.  All current claimants would also be written to by the Council and directed to the website and Officers for information and assistance. 

RESOLVED that

1)          the options as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be put to public consultation in order to inform potential changes to the Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme for 2017/18 and/or later years;

2)          the Head of Customer Access and Financial Support be authorised to consult on the options set out in Appendix 1;

3)          the Head of Customer Access and Financial Support report back to the Executive on the outcome of that consultation and any proposals for changes to the Scheme, for further consideration and resolution by the Executive, to consult on a draft Scheme;

4)          further to the outcome of the Executive’s decision on the draft regulations, the Head of Customer Access and Financial Support be authorised to carry out the statutory consultation required on the draft Scheme; and

5)          the final Scheme be presented to the Executive to make recommendations to Council to allow for the necessary regulations to be published by 31st January 2017.