Issue - meetings

To consider the attached joint report of the Director of Finance, Housing and Community and the Director of East Kent Services.

The Director of Finance, Housing and Community presented the report on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2017/18.

It was moved by Councillor M D Conolly, duly seconded and

RESOLVED: That the following revisions to the current Council Tax Reduction Scheme (in respect of working age Council Tax payers) for the financial year 2017/18 be approved:

(a)    That the current minimum contribution towards their Council Tax made by recipients of Council Tax Support be increased from 6.0% to 10.0%.

(b)    That the maximum savings that a council tax payer liable to pay council tax can have and still claim Council Tax Support be reduced from £16,000 to £6,000.

(c)    That a minimum income be used within the calculation for Self-Employed Council Tax payers after 12 months of self-employment.

(d)    That the maximum level of Council Tax support is restricted to the equivalent of a Band D property charge.

(e)    That only the first two children in a family will be included in the calculation for children born after April 2017. (Some exceptions will apply).

(f)     That the Family Premium is not included in the calculation of Council Tax Support for all new working age Council Tax payers.

(g)    That the period for which a late claim can be backdated is reduced to one month.

(h)    That the period for which a Council Tax payer can be absent from Great Britain and still claim Council tax Support be reduced to 4 weeks (with some exclusions for certain occupations).

(i)     That the element of the work related component of Employment and Support Allowance not be included in the Council Tax Support Calculation.

(j)     That DDC works towards making determinations pursuant to section 17A(7) Local Government Finance Act 1992 of classes of cases in which the amount of council tax which a person is liable to pay will be reduced in accordance with section 13 A(1)(c) Local Government Finance Act 1992 from April 2017, in order to provide a safety net for council tax payers experiencing extreme difficulty paying their Council Tax.

(k)    That Members note the Equalities Impact Assessment as detailed in Annex 4.

To consider the attached report of the Director of Finance, Housing and Community and the Director of EKS.

To assist members the order of the annexes has been changed so as to present annexes 4 – 7 of the report first.

The Director of Finance, Housing and Community presented the report on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) 2017/18.

Members were advised that the existing scheme, which had been in place since 1 April 2013, had a funding shortfall due to reductions in the Revenue Support Grant and a new more affordable scheme had needed to be developed. As the scheme was funded through the Revenue Support Grant once that was removed the scheme would eventually become unfunded.

The main changes in the scheme were:

·         Increase the minimum contribution to 10% and limit savings to £6,000 (saving the scheme £259,000);

·         Assuming that the self-employed had a minimum income equivalent to the National Living Wage after 12 months (saving the scheme £230,000); and

·         Restricting the scheme to the equivalent of a Band D property (saving the scheme £35,000).

Additional changes were made to ensure the scheme was consistent with Housing Benefit rules while maintaining the original schemes principles of protecting the most vulnerable wherever possible.

It was acknowledged that the scheme was dependent on the level of unemployment and predictions were made on the basis of no significant change to the current level.

All working age CTRS claimants and 5% of households not claiming CTRS were consulted on the options for the scheme. A total of 634 responses (7.8%) were received to the consultation undertaken with existing recipients of the CTRS accounting for 86% of the responses.

The proposed scheme (10%) was the joint lowest in Kent with many other authorities proposing schemes set at 20%. The Council was also working to develop a hardship scheme and trying to minimise the impact of the changes.

RESOLVED: (a)   That it be recommend to the Cabinet that decision CAB84 be reaffirmed as follows:

                        (b)   That it be recommended to the Council:

(i)         That the current minimum contribution towards their Council Tax made by recipients of Council Tax Support is increased from 6.0% to 10.0%.

(ii)        That the maximum savings that a Council Tax payer liable to pay Council Tax can have and still claim Council Tax Support is reduced from £16,000 to £6,000.

(iii)       That a minimum income is used within the calculation for self-employed Council Tax payers after twelve months of self-employment.

(iv)      That the maximum level of Council Tax support is restricted to the equivalent of a Band D property charge.

(v)       That only the first two children in a family will be included in the calculation for children born after April 2017. (Some exceptions will apply).

(vi)      That the Family Premium is not included in the calculation of Council Tax Support for all new working-age Council Tax payers.

(vii)     That the period for which a late claim can be backdated be reduced to one month.

(viii)    That the period for which a Council Tax payer can be absent from Great Britain and still claim Council Tax Support is reduced to 4 weeks (with some exclusions for certain occupations).

(ix)      That the element of the work-related component of Employment and Support Allowance  ...  view the full minutes text for item 98

To consider the attached report (and Annexes 4-7) of the Directors of Finance, Housing and Community and EKS.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources and Performance

It was agreed to recommend to Council:

(a)  That the current minimum contribution towards their Council Tax made by recipients of Council Tax Support is increased from 6.0% to 10.0%.

(b)  That the maximum savings that a Council Tax payer liable to pay Council Tax can have and still claim Council Tax Support is reduced from £16,000 to £6,000.

(c)  That a minimum income is used within the calculation for self-employed Council Tax payers after twelve months of self-employment.

(d)  That the maximum level of Council Tax support is restricted to the equivalent of a Band D property charge.

(e)  That only the first two children in a family will be included in the calculation for children born after April 2017. (Some exceptions will apply).

(f)   That the Family Premium is not included in the calculation of Council Tax Support for all new working-age Council Tax payers.

(g)  That the period for which a late claim can be backdated is reduced to one month.

(h)  That the period for which a Council Tax payer can be absent from Great Britain and still claim Council Tax Support is reduced to 4 weeks (with some exclusions for certain occupations).

(i)    That the element of the work-related component of Employment and Support Allowance is not included in the Council Tax Support Calculation.

(j)    That Dover District Council works towards making determinations pursuant to Section 17A (7) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 of classes of cases in which the amount of Council Tax which a person is liable to pay will be reduced in accordance with Section 13A (1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 from April 2017, in order to provide a safety net for Council Tax  payers experiencing extreme difficulty paying their Council Tax.

(k)  That Members note the Equalities Impact Assessment as detailed at Annex 4 of the report.

(l)    That the Director of Finance, Housing and Community be authorised to approve the final details of the scheme for recommending to Council.