Issue - meetings

(Customer Services Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report.

Mover: Councillor H Kane, Customer Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor H Kane submitted a report regarding the Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2019/20, which remained unchanged from the previous year.

Report as first moved ADOPTED

            RESOLVED:

            That the revised Local Council Tax Support Scheme 2019/20 be approved.

To consider the attached report (C-030-2018/19).

The Portfolio Holder for Customer Services introduced the report on the Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2019/20. Each local authority must review its scheme annually. The Government brought in regulations to ensure that pensioners continue to receive the same level of assistance as they would have done if the Council Tax Benefit scheme was still in place. The Council could therefore only make amendments to the scheme for people of working age. The Council has approved the general principle that the Local Council Tax Support scheme should be cost neutral. In legislative terms the scheme needs to be approved by 11th March each year so for 2019/20 approval needs to be made at Full Council on 21st February 2019.

A consultation exercise was undertaken between 30th October 2018 and 21st December 2018 based on there being no changes to the 2018/19 scheme for 2019/20. Whilst there was no legal duty to consult, as no changes were proposed, Members decided in its Cabinet meeting to undertake a shortened and focused consultation exercise; that exercise has now finished.

Although the response to the consultation was disappointing it was argued that it showed no great desire for the scheme to be changed for 2019/20.  The results of the consultation showed that 211 people viewed it but that only 26 went on to attempt it.  Further, only 6 people expressed an opinion that the scheme should be changed.  The conclusion was that the proposal to keep the scheme unchanged for 2019/20 is sound and should be recommended to Council for approval.

Councillor Mohindra said that there was some discussion on if this should have gone out to consultation and that he believed that we should have an annual consultation on this scheme. Councillor Stavrou commented that it was a disappointing response, but in its way it was a good result as it indicated that we did not have any unsatisfied customers. She was glad to note that the Council had an exceptional hardship fund to assist households experiencing exceptional hardship.

Councillor S Kane asked if we did enough to promote the consultation. The Service Director for Customer Services replied that this was valid point and that he was looking to carry out a wide-ranging review of the scheme next year.

Decision:

That the Cabinet noted the responses to the consultation on the scheme for 2019/20 and recommend to Council that the scheme for 2018/19 continues unchanged for 2019/20.

Reasons for Proposed Decision:

Full Council needs to approve the 2019/20 Local Council Support Scheme on 21st February 2019

Other Options for Action:

To make amendments to the Local Council Tax Support scheme for 2019/20