Issue - meetings

Council Tax Reduction Scheme

Meeting: 12/12/2018 - Council (Item 94)

94 Report of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 19 September 2018 - Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2019-2020 pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Cox, seconded by Councillor Perry, that the recommendation of the Policy and Resources Committee relating to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2019-2020 be approved.

 

RESOLVED:  That the 2019-2020 Council Tax Reduction Scheme, attached as Appendix 1 to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be approved.

 

Note:  Councillor English left the meeting during consideration of this item, but returned during consideration of the report of the Policy and Resources Committee relating to the new Strategic Plan Vision, Priorities and Outcomes 2019-2045.

 


Meeting: 19/09/2018 - Policy and Resources Committee (Item 53)

53 Council Tax Reduction Scheme pdf icon PDF 73 KB

Minutes:

Mrs Sheila Coburn, Head of Revenues and Benefits Partnership, gave a presentation to the Committee outlining the recommended approach to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2019/20. Mrs Coburn outlined that:

 

·  Six changes had been made to the scheme in 2017/18, which was a sizeable change to how the scheme had previously operated.

·  Due to the scale of changes made in 2017/18, it was not recommended to make any further changes in 2018/19 or 2019/20.

·  The amount paid out in benefit had reduced each year since 2016/17, and was projected to carry on reducing until 2019/20 if the scheme was agreed with no changes.

·  Universal Credit was due to be introduced in November 2018, which would be a major change to the overall welfare system.

·  Changes were required in the Council Tax Reduction scheme in 2020/21 as grant funding from Central Government for the scheme was scheduled to be reduced significantly.

 

In response to a question from a member of the Committee, Mr Stephen McGinnes, Director of Mid Kent Services, explained that the reason for the small reduction in cost of the scheme between 2016/17 and 2017/18 was that changes made were only applicable to new claimants, with the scheme for new claimants being less generous than that for existing claimants. As the balance of new and existing claimants of Council Tax Support had changed and the proportion of new claimants had increased, the cost of the scheme had decreased.

 

RESOLVED: That Council is recommended to carry forward the 2018-19 Council Tax Reduction Scheme to 2019-20 with no changes to the scheme.

 

Voting:  For - 12  Against - 0  Abstentions - 2

 

Note: Councillor Springett arrived during consideration of this item at 6.42 pm.