To approve the 2021/22 local council tax reduction scheme

Council considered a report by the Leader to agree the council tax reduction scheme for 2021/22.

The Cabinet Member Finance and Corporate Services proposed the council tax reduction scheme for 2021/22, with increased discounts compared to the existing scheme, for approval. In introducing the report it was explained that changes to the scheme responded to current economic pressures and provided broader support to people who were out of work. The changes to the scheme had been supported during the consultation exercise.

The Leader seconded the council tax reduction scheme for 2021/22 for approval and explained that there was a need for the changes proposed in the scheme for 2021/22 to respond to difficult times.

The principal points below were raised during the debate:

·         The scheme would offer direct support to people who needed it most.

·         There was concern for those local residents who were just above the eligibility criteria.

A named vote was held to agree the council tax reduction scheme set out in the report. The scheme was approved unanimously.

FOR (52): Councillors Graham Andrews, Paul Andrews, Polly Andrews, Bartlett, Bartrum, Bolderson, Boulter, Bowen, Bowes, Chowns, Crockett, Davies, Durkin, Fagan, Foxton, Gandy, Guthrie, Hardwick, Harrington, Harvey, Hewitt, Hey, Hitchiner, Howells, I’Anson, James, Jinman, Johnson, Graham Jones, Mike Jones, Kenyon, Lester, Marsh, Matthews, Millmore, Milln, Norman, Phillips, Price, Rone, Seldon, Shaw, Stark, Stone, Summers, Swinglehurst, Symonds, Tillett, Toynbee, Tyler, Watson and Wilding.

Against (0)

Abstentions (0)

RESOLVED: That

(a)  The council tax reduction scheme for 2021/22, with increased discounts compared to the existing scheme, is approved.

To recommend to Council the 2021/22 local council tax reduction scheme (CTR).

The cabinet member finance and corporate services introduced the report. She highlighted that the existing policy had been first approved in 2015 and approved each year since as part of setting the budget. Arrangements for pensioners were set nationally while reductions for working age claimants were set by the council. The cabinet member summarised proposed changes to the discounts for working age claimants in light of the pressure on households from the coronavirus pandemic and additional funding from central government. The council proposed to add further one off monies from the new homes bonus.

In discussion of the report cabinet members noted that:

·        Claimants would also be signposted to other forms of support under the principle of ‘no wrong door’;

·        Support was focussed on those affected the most;

·        The council had also agreed a council tax discount for council foster carers;

·        It would be important to advertise the support available to residents and make this as easy to understand as possible;

·        Final checks would need to be made on the document to address typographical errors.

Group leaders welcomed the proposals. In response to a query raised it was noted that a local assistance fund was also in place and could provide support for households who were just outside the criteria for the council tax reduction scheme.

The chairman of the general scrutiny committee highlighted that the committee had queried if the funds allocated would be sufficient to meet demand on the scheme. The cabinet member finance and corporate services responded that the additional £800k allocated from the new homes bonus was intended as a precaution. In the event that even this additional funding was inadequate then it was likely all councils would be in the same situation and a case would need to be made to central government for additional support. The Section 151 officer confirmed that information was regularly fed back to central government on the council’s financial position and cabinet would receive regular updates.

It was resolved that:

The council tax reduction scheme for 2021/22, with increased discounts compared to the existing scheme, be recommended to Council for approval.