The Head of Financial Services has submitted a reportto seek approval for proposals for consultation on changes to the Council’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2022/23.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Agree that the proposals for the 2022/23 Council Tax Reduction Scheme outlined in the report be subject to consultation for an 8 week period from 20th September 2021; and

2.    Note the intention of the Head of Financial Services to bring a further report to Cabinet in January 2022 to outline the outcome of the consultation process and make proposals for the 2022/23 Council Tax Reduction Scheme

The Head of Financial Services had submitted a report to seek approval for proposals for consultation on changes to the Council’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2022/23.

Cllr Aziz, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities, was pleased to introduce the report which provided important protection to some vulnerable members of the community while, at the same time, seeking to respond to the Council’s budget pressures. Scrutiny Committee, while not making any formal recommendations, had made some helpful suggestions about the consultation which were being taken on board.

It was noted that the working age caseload might well be affected as furlough arrangements come to an end. The importance of ensuring high levels of engagement with the consultation was recognised, particularly for  those who may struggle to do so digitally.  The use of posters in doctors’ surgeries and libraries, for example, would simply capitalise on the presence of people at those locations for other reasons and not, of itself, contribute to unnecessary gathering of people from a Covid point of view. The use of the term “White British” in the consultation document sat uncomfortably alongside other descriptors where “British” might also be appropriate but was absent. The current wording was based on that used in the Census but officers agreed to see how it might be improved.

The Chair thanked the officers and their colleagues for their work in this important area.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Agree that the proposals for the 2022/23 Council Tax Reduction Scheme outlined in the report be subject to consultation for an 8 week period from 20th September 2021; and

2.    Note the intention of the Head of Financial Services to bring a further report to Cabinet in January 2022 to outline the outcome of the consultation process and make proposals for the 2022/23 Council Tax Reduction Scheme

Cabinet, at its meeting on 15 September, will consider a report on the Council Tax Reduction Strategy for 2022/23. The Committee is asked to consider the report and agree any recommendations thereon.

Councillor Shaista Aziz, Cabinet Member  Inclusive Communities;  Tanya Bandekar, Service Manager, Revenues, Benefits and Income; and Laura Bessel, Benefit Manager, have been invited to attend for this item. 

NB: This item was considered in the 2020/21 civic year but no recommendations were made in relation to it.

Councillor Shaista Aziz, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities introduced the report. The Council was proud to have provided a Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme offering the potential for up to 100% reduction of Council Tax since 2013. A banded scheme for all working age claimants was introduced from April 2021. There was a legal requirement to consult on the CTR scheme annually if the Scheme is to change and the report before the Committee set out what changes might, depending on the outcome of the consultation, be made for 2022/23. Covid-19 had impacted heavily on the more vulnerable members of the community and the need to support them generally and the need for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme in particular was greater than ever. She paid tribute to the great contribution made by officers who continued to work tirelessly on this important strand of Council activity.

Tanya Bandekar, Service Manager, Revenues, Benefits and Income, said that since Covid-19, applications and demand for CTR had increased significantly. At the same time the Council was  having to address significant financial challenges more broadly and the proposed consultation explored ways in which the scheme might contribute to the forthcoming budget setting process. The proposed changes were relatively minor and took account, among other things, of practice elsewhere. The consultation was being conducted via a variety of mostly digital mechanisms, including social media, but paper copies were available on request.

Officers responded to a number of detailed questions about interpretation of the scheme and questionnaire.

It was agreed to clarify the meaning and consequences of question 7 (amending banding structure to take account of the size of the household) and question 9 (potential reduction of maximum amount of CTR for non-passported claimants to a maximum percentage). It was also agreed that the available responses to question 21 (What is your gender?) should be expanded to be more inclusive.

The Committee echoed Cllr Aziz’s praise for the team which was consistently held in high regard for its work by Members and the Council’s auditors alike.

In conclusion it was agreed that members of the Committee with further, specific, suggestions, should e-mail  the Service Manager, Revenues, Benefits and Income directly.