Decision details

Council Tax Support Scheme 2017/2018 - JAN17/CAB/04

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

Cabinet considered the report and:

 

1.    Considered the consultation on the council tax support scheme;

 

2.    Noted the continuation of the discretionary council tax hardship policy; and

 

3.    Recommended to the meeting of Council on 25 January 2017 a Local Council Tax Support scheme for Peterborough that contains the following local components:

a)    No change to the existing scheme reduction of 30% for all eligible working age claimants

b)    Aligns the Council Tax Support Scheme to Housing Benefit rules making it less complicated for claimants.

 

Reasons for the decision:

The council was statutorily required to approve a council tax support scheme by the 31 January 2017 having had regard for the council’s financial position and feedback from responses to the consultation. As part of this consultation, the council was consulting on a council tax discretionary hardship policy.

Alternative options considered:

The council was statutorily required to approve a local scheme by 31 January. Cabinet had discussed the current 30% council tax support scheme with the cross party Budget Working Group as part of ongoing budget discussions. Options discussed were:

 

·         One option would be to increase the 30% scheme, however this would have a negative impact on low income households with claimants having to pay more council tax.

·         Another option would be to reduce the 30% scheme, however, this would require the council to find savings of up to £2.4m from elsewhere in the budget.

 

Interests and Nature of Interests Declared:

None.

Background Documents:

The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Default Scheme) (England) Regulations 2012

The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2014

The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2015

The Housing Benefit (Abolition of the Family Premium and date of claim amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015 No. 1857)

The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016 No. 1262)

 

Publication date: 16/01/2017

Date of decision: 16/01/2017

Accompanying Documents: