Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer

Purpose of report

To consider and approve the Council Tax Support fund payments policy attached at Appendix 1. The policy covers the mandatory payments made to Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) customers of £25.00 or less and the additional discretionary amount of £25.00 also paid to LCTS customers with the eligibility criteria mirroring the Governments scheme.

A one off discretionary payment  of £85.00 will also be made to those customers in receipt of LCTS on 16 November 2023 this will be credited to the customers  2023 -24 council tax account.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1         Agree the proposed policy (Appendix 1) for distributing the Council Tax Support fund received from Department for Levelling Up and the additional funds to be paid from Oxfordshire County Council.

1.2         Note a one off discretionary payment  of £85.00 will also be made to those customers in receipt of LCTS on 16 November 2023.

Resolved

(1)           That the Council Tax Support Fund Payment Policy 2023/2024 for distributing the Council Tax Support fund received from Department for Levelling Up and the additional funds to be paid from Oxfordshire County Council be approved.

(2)           That it be noted that a one off discretionary payment  of £85.00 will also be made to those customers in receipt of Local Council Tax Support on 16 November 2023.

The Assistant Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer submitted a report to consider and approve the Council Tax Support fund payments policy. The policy covered the mandatory payments made to Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) customers of £25.00 or less and the additional discretionary amount of £25.00 also paid to LCTS customers with the eligibility criteria mirroring the Governments scheme.

A one off discretionary payment  of £85.00 would also be made to those customers in receipt of LCTS on 16 November 2023 this would be credited to the customers  2023 -24 council tax account.

Resolved

(1)          That the Council Tax Support Fund Payment Policy 2023/2024 for distributing the Council Tax Support fund received from Department for Levelling Up and the additional funds to be paid from Oxfordshire County Council be approved.

(2)          That it be noted that a one off discretionary payment  of £85.00 will also be made to those customers in receipt of Local Council Tax Support on 16 November 2023.

Reasons

This scheme is recommended as it will ensure the majority of the funds are dispersed quickly to the council tax accounts of those households that are vulnerable whilst also maximising the allocations therefore reducing any unspent funding.

Alternative options

Option 1: Invite applications for the funds based a means tested application regarding income and expenditure. This option has discounted due to the additional work this would add and also delay in dispersing the funds.