Decision details

To provide an update on the options for spending the discretionary fund allocations for Council Tax Energy payment and recommend to the attached proposed policy.

Resolved

(1)          That the Council Tax Discretionary Energy Fund Policy (annex to the decision notice) be approved.

This scheme is recommended as it will ensure the majority of the funds are dispersed quickly to those households that are vulnerable whilst also maximising the allocations.

Providing the funds in this form will help reduce the impact of the cost of price rises on health and support the better housing better service initiative, an Oxfordshire wide project.

Option 1

Pay all customers that are in receipt of Council Tax Reduction and are liable for council tax in a property that attracts a Council Tax band E to H a one off payment of £175.00  there is currently 209 cases spending £31,350

Customers in receipt of Council Tax Reduction and in occupation of a property that falls into Council Tax band A to D will receive a top up payment of additional £25.00 there is 6046 cases spending £151,150

Invite applications for the remaining funds based a means tested application regarding income and expenditure.

This option has been discounted as we would need to delay allocating resources until we had received and assessed all applications in order to determine how much funding could be allocated. This would also delay providing funds to those most in need.

None