Agenda item

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Corporate Resources).

In accordance with Procedure Rule 18.6 (voting on budget decisions) a recorded vote will be held in respect of this item.

The Strategic Director (Corporate Resources) presented the report on the Council Tax Base.

It was moved by Councillor C A Vinson, duly seconded by Councillor D Hannent, and

RESOLVED:  (a)   That for the financial year 2021/22, the empty homes discount for properties unoccupied and unfurnished remain at 0%, so that Council Tax will be payable in full on these properties.

                        (b)   That the District's Council Tax Base for 2021/22 be approved as 38,993.94 and the tax base for the towns and parishes in the Council’s administrative area, as set out in the table at Appendix 2 as follows:

                        (c)   That the “Long Term Empty Premium” for properties that have been left empty and substantially unfurnished be determined as follows:

(a)       for periods of 2 years but less than 5 years, a Long-Term Empty Premium to be charged at 100%; and

(b)       for periods of 5 years but less than 10 years, a Long-Term Empty Premium to be charged at 200%; and

(c)     for periods of 10 years or more a Long-Term Empty Premium to be charged at 300%.

(d)     That approval be given to consult on a revision to the current Council Tax Reductions Scheme (CTRS) for the financial year 2021/2022 to embody within the scheme the principal that the income bands within the income grid used in the Scheme are automatically adjusted upwards or downwards from time to time to reflect:

(a)  Adjustments of the National Living Wage

(b) Adjustments in Working Tax Credit and Universal Credit received by claimants from the government as a COVID support measure.

          So that the percentage discount receivable by claimants was not negatively affected by these adjustments to the National Living Wage and adjustments in Working Tax Credit and Universal Credit awarded to claimants by the government as a COVID support measure.

          And that accordingly the grid shown at Appendix 4 be substituted for the grid currently in the scheme, with the figures shown to be uplifted by £20 (or any other amount) for any period of 2021/22 to reflect the Government’s adjustments in Working Tax Credit and Universal Credit.

In accordance with the requirements of Council Procedure Rule 18.6 (voting on budget decisions) a recorded vote was held in respect of this item of business. The manner of the voting was as followed: