Issue - meetings

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder RECOMMENDED to Council that it reaffirms the current Localised Council Tax Support Scheme for the Civic Year 2017-18.

The Council Tax Reduction Scheme (Prescribed Requirements) (England)

(Amendment) Regulations 2016 were laid before Parliament on 22 December 2016 and came into force on 15 January 2017.

These Regulations allow for annual uprating of calculation components for pensioner Council Tax support including uprated figures for non-dependant deductions. There has been some minor amendments to the regulation which enable the Council tax Support legislation to mirror Housing Benefit legislation which has amended rules with regard to temporary absence for those of pension age.

A full version of the revised Localised Council Tax Support Scheme document and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme) have been published separately and can be viewed via the following link:

http://scambs.moderngov.co.uk/ecSDDisplay.aspx?NAME=SD2258&ID=2258&RPID=1002871666&sch=doc&cat=13747&path=13747

Council

AGREED        to reaffirm the current Localised Council Tax Support Scheme for the Civic Year 2017-18.

Councillor Simon Edwards proposed this recommendation, as Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder. He explained that the proposed scheme was affordable and he urged Members to support it. Councillor Peter Topping seconded the recommendation and Councillor Bridget Smith stated that the Liberal Democrat group supported it.

Council unanimously

AGREED        to reaffirm the current Localised Council Tax Support Scheme for the Civic Year 2017-18.

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder

1.     Noted the report and

2.     Recommended that Council (at its meeting in January 2017) reaffirms the current Localised Council Tax Support Scheme for the Civic Year 2017-18.

The Leader considered a report reviewing operation of the 2015-16 and 2016-17 Localised Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTS)

At a briefing in July 2016, those Members present agreed to endorse, for 2017-18, the approach outlined in the report from the Executive Director (Corporate Services).

 The Benefits Manager gave an approximate break-down of the scheme in terms of those residents currently covered by it. During the course of further discussion, the Benefits Manager referred briefly to the introduction of Universal Credit, and said that the biggest impact for South Cambridgeshire District Council was likely to be the loss of grant from the Department for Work and Pensions. She indicated that, among local authorities in Cambridgeshire, South Cambridgeshire District Council had one of the most comprehensive LCTS schemes.

Councillor Lynda Harford asked about methods and frequency of the payment of Council Tax. The Executive Director (Corporate Services) replied that only about 1,500 people paid by credit card – the Council encouraged the use of Direct Debit. Councillor Harford was reassured by this – her concern had been the potential costs of shifting financial liability from one organisation (the Council) to another, such as a credit card company.  The Executive Director (Corporate Services) summarised in general terms the implications for the Council of credit card charges.

The Leader

1.     Noted the report and

2.     Recommended that Council (at its meeting in January 2017) reaffirms the current Localised Council Tax Support Scheme for the Civic Year 2017-18.