Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hollingworth and Webb.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Cabinet considered a report from the Head of Customer Access and Financial Support, which set out proposals to reduce the financial impact to the District and other precepting bodies in relation to Government changes to the Council tax support scheme.  Cabinet had been asked by Council to reconsider the Council Tax Support Scheme consultation (minute 22/14, 16^th July 2014).

The Overview and Scrutiny Board had considered the proposals in depth at a special meeting on 18^th August and the comments of the Board were circulated to the Cabinet.  Councillor Mallett, Chairman of the Board, was invited to speak to the minutes but did not have any items he wished to add.

The S151 Officer and Head of Customer Access and Financial Support summarised the main points in the report around the timeline, costs including the costs of consultation, the impact of the Council tax support scheme and actions that could be taken to mitigate this for vulnerable people.

In response to questions, the officers reported that a hardship scheme would aim to provide transitional support.  Officers would continue to support those affected towards becoming more financially independent.  Due to the Council decision to ask Cabinet to reconsider the matter, the period for consultation had reduced to approx. 6 weeks, but officers had prepared for this so that it could be started immediately if the Council decided to consult.

RECOMMENDED:

a.    That the options set out at Appendix 1 to the report be put to public consultation in order to inform potential changes to the Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme for 2015/16 and/or later years;

b.    That the Head of Customer Access and Financial Support be authorised to consult on the options, set out in Appendix 1 to these minutes;

c.    That the Head of Customer Access and Financial Support report back to Cabinet on the outcome of that consultation and any proposals for changes to the scheme, for further consideration and resolution by Cabinet, to consult on a draft scheme;

d.    That further to the outcome of Cabinet’s decision on the draft regulations, the Head of Customer Access and Financial Support be authorised to carry out the statutory consultation required on the draft scheme;

e.    That the final Scheme be presented to Cabinet to make recommendations to Council in January 2015, to allow for the necessary regulations to be published by 31^st January 2015.