The Group Finance Director submitted a report to request that Cabinet delegate responsibility for the local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2026/27 to the Section 151 Officer. To note that the current 2025/26 scheme has been through a public consultation and the report sets out the proposed changes with an Equality Impact Assessment. 

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Recommend to Council to agree the change to the existing Council Tax Reduction Scheme to the income bandings in accordance with Option 2 listed at paragraphs 32-37 within the report. 

2.    Recommend to Council to delegate authority to the Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer) to draft the details of the new Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2026/27 

Cabinet resolved to:

1.       Recommend to Council to agree the change to the existing Council Tax Reduction Scheme to the income bandings in accordance with Option 2 listed at paragraphs 32-37 within the report. 

2.       Recommend to Council to delegate authority to the Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer) to draft the details of the new Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2026/27 

The Group Finance Director submitted a report to request that Cabinet delegate responsibility for the local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2026/27 to the Section 151 Officer. To note that the current 2025/26 scheme has been through a public consultation and the report sets out the proposed changes with an Equality Impact Assessment. 

Councillor Turner presented the report. He said that this was a scheme to lower council tax fees for people on lower incomes. He discussed the increasing cost of living and why they were keeping this scheme in place to support lower income residents of the city. He outlined their engagement with advice agencies concerning this scheme and how this influenced their approach to hardship funding.

Councillor Brown said that she was delighted that they were able to maintain this scheme. She thanked the officers for their work on the report.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.       Recommend to Council to agree the change to the existing Council Tax Reduction Scheme to the income bandings in accordance with Option 2 listed at paragraphs 32-37 within the report. 

2.       Recommend to Council to delegate authority to the Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer) to draft the details of the new Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2026/27.