Issue - meetings

To receive and consider reports, minutes and recommendations of the meetings held as follows:

(1)  Cabinet

-       16 January 2020

-       13  February 2020

The Leader presented the report of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 16 January 2020

1.    Tax Base Calculation (Minute 120)

The Leader MOVED seconded by Councillor A White:

THAT the recommendations of the Cabinet as set out in Minute 120 be ADOPTED.

Upon a vote being taking, the MOTION was declared to have been CARRIED.

2.    Corporate Plan  (Minute 122)

The Leader MOVED seconded by Councillor Mrs N Woollatt:

THAT the recommendations of the Cabinet as set out in Minute 122 be ADOPTED.

Councillor R L Stanley MOVED AN AMENDMENT seconded by Councillor R J Chesterton:

Page 69 bullet point 4 within the Homes section to remove the wording “Lobby to see the abolition of the Right to Buy or…..” and replace with the following:  “Lobby for the devolvement of discounting powers to individual local housing authorities”.

Following discussion and upon a vote being taken, the AMENDMENT was declared to have FAILED.

Upon a vote being taking, the original MOTION was declared to have been CARRIED.

Arising from a report of the Group Manager for Revenues and Benefits, the Community Policy Development Group had recommended that:

a)    The Council Tax Reduction (banded) scheme be adopted; and

b)    The updated Exceptional Hardship Policy (revised) be adopted.

Arising from a report of the Group Manager for Revenues and Benefits, the Community Policy Development Group had recommended that:

a)    The Council Tax Reduction (banded) scheme be adopted; and

b)    The updated Exceptional Hardship Policy (revised) be adopted.

The Cabinet Member for Finance outlined the contents of the report stating that the Council Tax Reduction Scheme also known as Council Tax Support was introduced in April 2013 and had replaced the national Council Tax Benefit Scheme, with a 10% funding reduction he highlighted the different schemes for working age customers and those that received a pension.   He made reference to funding streams, the roll out of universal credit and the hardship scheme available.

Consideration was given to:

·         The Hardship Policy and how it was made available

·         Enforcement responsibilities

RESOLVED that the recommendation from the Policy Development Group be approved.

(Proposed by Cllr A White and seconded by Cllr L D Taylor)

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.

To receive the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and the updated Exceptional Hardship Policy.

The Group had before it the *Council Tax Reduction Scheme and the revised *Exceptional Hardship Policy.

The Group Manager for Revenues and Benefits explained that this was a new way of assessing the council tax reduction and was more aligned to council tax instead of benefits. The reduction had always been calculated in line with the benefits that claimants received but was now calculated on household income. He further explained that the changes would see some households lose their council tax reduction but that they could apply for hardship relief.

In response to questions he explained that the hardship policy was an interim measure to transition people onto the new council tax levels and that net income was calculated for the whole household. The policy will be used to help customers bridge the loss of reduction in year one of the new scheme, applications will be required. It should be noted that the policy will be available in subsequent years, however the level of reduction my not be as generous when compared to year one.

He further explained that many of the neighbouring authorities had adopted the same approach and that claimants could now go on line to see if they were eligible.

Members requested details of the other criteria, apart from income, where people could get a reduction.

The Group therefore:

RECOMMENDED to the Cabinet that:

1.    The Council Tax Reduction (banded) scheme be adopted; and

2.    The updated Exceptional Hardship Policy (revised) be adopted.

(Proposed by Cllr R Evans and seconded by Cllr Mrs C P Daw)

Note: *Council Tax Reduction Scheme and the revised *Exceptional Hardship Policy previously circulated and attached to the minutes.