Agenda item

RESOLVED:  That having noted the outcome of the public consultation and considered the potential impact of the proposed changes on working age claimants with the protected characteristics of disability, age and sex, under the Equalities Act (2010), the Council be recommended to approve the council tax reduction scheme as amended by the Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting on 23 November 2016 as detailed below:-

Option 1 – Reducing the maximum level of support for working age applicants from 87% to 80% - Recommendation to Implement

Option 2 – Removing the Family Premium for all new working age applicants – Recommendation to Implement

Option 3 – Reducing backdating to one month – Recommendation to Reject

Option 4 – Using a minimum income (notional income) for self-employed earners after one year’s self-employment – Recommendation to Reject

Option 5 – Reducing the period for which a person can be absent from Great Britain and still receive Council Tax Reduction to four weeks – Recommendation to Implement

Option 6 – Reducing the capital limit from the existing £16,000 to £6,000 – Recommendation to Reject

Option 7 – Introducing a standard level of non-dependant deduction of £10 for all claimants who have non-dependants resident with them – Recommendation to Reject

Option 8 – Taking any Child Maintenance paid to a claimant or partner into account in full in the calculation of Council Tax Reduction – Recommendation to Reject

Option 9 – Restricting the maximum level of Council Tax Reduction payable to the equivalent of a Band D charge – Recommendation to Reject

Option 10 – Removing Second Adult Reduction from the Scheme – Recommendation to Reject

Option 11 – Removing the work related activity component in the calculation of Council Tax Reduction – Recommendation to Implement

Option 12 – Limiting the number of dependent children within the calculation for Council Tax Reduction to a maximum of two – Recommendation to Implement

Option 13 – Introducing a scheme, in addition to Council Tax Reduction, to help applicants suffering exceptional hardship – Recommendation to Implement

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Mid Kent Services on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2017/18.

Members were reminded that the decision on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme had been deferred from the meeting held in October to enable more detailed information to be provided in order that Members could consider the financial impact of the different options, the cumulative impact of changes, possible changes to the recommendations following further analysis of the impact and any unintended impact in relation to homelessness.  Finally the report provided a comparison with other boroughs in Kent.

Councillor McLoughlin proposed and Councillor Harvey seconded that Option 12 – Limiting the number of dependent children within the calculation for Council Tax Reduction to a maximum of two be deferred for ten months.  This would allow time for parents to be made aware of this change as it could have a significant impact if it was brought in with effect from 1^st April 2017.

Voting:  For:  6  Against:  7  Abstentions:  1

Motion Lost. 

RESOLVED:  That having noted the outcome of the public consultation and considered the potential impact of the proposed changes on working age claimants with the protected characteristics of disability, age and sex, under the Equalities Act (2010), the Council be recommended to approve the council tax reduction scheme as amended by the Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting on 23 November 2016 as detailed below:-

Option 1 – Reducing the maximum level of support for working age applicants from 87% to 80% - Recommendation to Implement

Option 2 – Removing the Family Premium for all new working age applicants – Recommendation to Implement

Option 3 – Reducing backdating to one month – Recommendation to Reject

Option 4 – Using a minimum income (notional income) for self-employed earners after one year’s self-employment – Recommendation to Reject

Option 5 – Reducing the period for which a person can be absent from Great Britain and still receive Council Tax Reduction to four weeks – Recommendation to Implement

Option 6 – Reducing the capital limit from the existing £16,000 to £6,000 – Recommendation to Reject

Option 7 – Introducing a standard level of non-dependant deduction of £10 for all claimants who have non-dependants resident with them – Recommendation to Reject

Option 8 – Taking any Child Maintenance paid to a claimant or partner into account in full in the calculation of Council Tax Reduction – Recommendation to Reject

Option 9 – Restricting the maximum level of Council Tax Reduction payable to the equivalent of a Band D charge – Recommendation to Reject

Option 10 – Removing Second Adult Reduction from the Scheme – Recommendation to Reject

Option 11 – Removing the work related activity component in the calculation of Council Tax Reduction – Recommendation to Implement

Option 12 – Limiting the number of dependent children within the calculation for Council Tax Reduction to a maximum of two – Recommendation to Implement

Option 13 – Introducing a scheme, in addition to Council Tax Reduction, to help applicants suffering exceptional hardship – Recommendation to Implement

Voting:  For:  13  Against:  0  Abstentions: 1