Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director Finance (Section 151 Officer)

Purpose of report

To enable members to consider the proposed banded scheme for Council Tax Reduction (CTR) for 2025/26.

Recommendations

Council resolves:

1.1         To note the contents of this report and the financial implications for the council.

1.2         To approve:

·         The option of no change to the Council Tax Reduction Income Banded Scheme for Working Age Applicants for 2025/26.

·         To amend Working Age Regulations in line with annual uprating and to amend the Council Tax Regulations for pensioners in line with uprating announced by Department for Levelling Up  Housing and Communities.

Resolved

(1)            That the report and the financial implications for the council be noted.

(2)            That the option of no change to the Council Tax Reduction Income Banded Scheme for Working Age Applicants for 2025/26 be approved and it be approved to amend Working Age Regulations in line with annual uprating and to amend the Council Tax Regulations for pensioners in line with uprating announced by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The Assistant Director Finance (Section 151 Officer) submitted a report to enable Members to consider the proposed banded scheme for Council Tax Reduction (CTR) for 2025/26.

Resolved

(1)          That the report and the financial implications for the council be noted.

(2)          That the option of no change to the Council Tax Reduction Income Banded Scheme for Working Age Applicants for 2025/26 be approved and it be approved to amend Working Age Regulations in line with annual uprating and to amend the Council Tax Regulations for pensioners in line with uprating announced by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Report of Assistant Director Finance (Section 151 Officer)

Purpose of report

To enable members to consider the proposed banded scheme for Council Tax Reduction (CTR) for 2025/26.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves:

1.1           To note the contents of the report, and any financial implications for the Council.

1.2           To note the comments of Budget Planning Committee at Section 6.

1.3           To recommend to Council that the current scheme is retained for 2025/26.

Resolved

(1)            That the report, and financial implications for the Council be noted.

(2)            That the comments of Budget Planning Committee, which endorsed and recommended and unchanged Scheme, be noted.

(3)            That Full Council be recommended to agree to retain the current scheme for 2025/2026.

The Assistant Director Finance (Section 151 Officer) submitted a report to enable members to consider the proposed banded scheme for Council Tax Reduction (CTR) for 2025/26.

Resolved

(1)          That the report, and financial implications for the Council be noted.

(2)          That the comments of Budget Planning Committee, which endorsed and recommended and unchanged Scheme, be noted.

(3)          That Full Council be recommended to agree to retain the current scheme for 2025/2026.

Reasons

The current scheme is understood by customers and has enabled them to budget for their council tax payments. One of the main advantages of the banded scheme is that it reduces the number of changes that the customer will experience enabling more effective personal budgeting.

Budget Planning Committee considered the proposed CTRS scheme for 2025/26 at its meeting 16 July 2024 it resolved that the Executive be recommended to agree that the current scheme (adjusted for inflationary purposes ) be retained for 2025/26.

Alternative options

Option 1: The alternative option is to undertake a review of the current CTRS scheme but the rational for not taking this course of action is that the current scheme is understood by customers and has enabled them to budget for their council tax payments. The current scheme has also been recommended by the Budget Planning Committee.