Agenda item

To consider the recommendations from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 7^th January 2026.

Particulate Monitoring

 

The Chairman informed Council that the report in respect of Particulate Monitoring had been deferred and a further report would be presented to Cabinet with costings to be considered as part of the Budget Setting process.

 

Pay Policy Statement 2026/27

 

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Partnerships, Economic Development and Enabling presented the Pay Policy for Members’ consideration.

 

In doing so it was noted that the Localism Act required English and Welsh local authorities to produce a Pay Policy statement. The Act required the statement to be approved by Full Council and adopted by 31^st March each year for the subsequent financial year.  Members were informed that the Pay Policy Statement for the Council was included at Appendix 1 to the report.

 

The purpose of the statement was to provide transparency with regard to the Council’s approach to setting the pay of its employees by identifying the following:

 

a)              the methods by which salaries of all employees were determined

b)    the detail and level of remuneration of its most senior staff i.e. ‘chief officers’, as defined by the relevant legislation

c)    the Committee(s) responsible for ensuring the provisions set out in this statement were applied consistently throughout the Council and for recommending any amendments to the full Council.

 

The Council’s pay and grading structure comprised of grades 1 – 11. These were followed by grades for Managers, Assistant Director 1, Assistant Director 2, Director WRS, Executive Director, Director of Finance S151 and then Chief Executive; all of which arose following the introduction of shared services with Redditch District Council.

 

Within each grade there were a number of salary/pay points. Up to and including grade 11 scale, at spinal column point 43, the Council used the nationally negotiated pay spine. Salary points above this were locally determined.

 

All Council posts were allocated to a grade within this pay structure, based on the application of a Job Evaluation process. Posts at Managers and above were evaluated by an external assessor using the Hay Job Evaluation scheme.

 

In common with the majority of authorities the Council was committed to the Local Government Employers national pay bargaining framework in respect of the national pay spine and annual cost of living increases negotiated with the trade unions. All other pay related allowances are the subject of either nationally or locally negotiated rates.

 

Bromsgrove District Council was managed by a Senior Leadership Team who managed shared services across both Bromsgrove District and Redditch Borough Councils.  All of the posts listed had been job evaluated on this basis, with the salary costs for these posts split between both Councils.

 

The policy also set out the following:

 

·       The recruitment of Chief Officers

·       Additions to the salaries of Chief Officers (there is no Performance related pay)

·       Termination payments

·       Advertisement/publicity of posts

 

The Council’s definition of lowest paid employees was persons employed under a contract of employment with the Council on full time (37 hours) equivalent salaries in accordance with the minimum spinal column point currently in use within the Council’s grading structure.  As at 1^st April 2026 this was £24,413 per annum.

 

Following the presentation of the report, Members queried the level of pay for the lowest grade within the scale as detailed in the report. It was explained that there were no employees within the Council at that grade. However, Members were concerned that this level did not meet the current minimum wage. In order to provide more detailed information in respect of this report, it was deferred to the next meeting of the Council.

 

Business Rates - Discretionary Rates Relief Policy 2026/27

 

The Cabinet Member for Finance presented the Business Rates - Discretionary Rates Relief Policy 2026/27 for Members’ consideration. In doing so it was noted that in terms of recommendation two (contained within the agenda pack) during the consideration of the report at Cabinet it had been noted that the rural settlement of Burcot should not have been allocated to Blackwell and Lickey Parish Council. In addition, Members had raised that Belbroughton was not the Parish Council name (as detailed in Appendix A), it was in fact Belbroughton and Fairfield. Both these had been updated prior to the consideration of the report at the Council meeting.

 

The Cabinet Member for Finance noted that this was an annual report which needed to be approved by full Council. There had been no proposed changes to the current successful policy from the previous year. Thus, providing stability for local organisations during economic uncertainty.

 

The scheme continued to support the Council Priority of supporting local people and local communities.

 

Section 47 of The Local Government Finance Act 1988 provided billing authorities with the power to award discretionary rate relief to ratepayers. The Localism Act 2011 and the Non-Domestic Rating Act 2023 removed some of the restrictions on the award to grant relief where it was reasonable and, in the interest, if taxpayers. The relief was shared fifty per cent with Government, forty per cent with the District Council nine per cent with the Worcestershire County Council and one per cent with the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority.

 

For specific Government schemes, e.g. the 2026 supporting small businesses relief grant costs were fully reimbursed via Section 31 grants which ensured there was no impact on the Council’s budget.

 

The key criteria for the financial years 2026-2027 focussed on supporting entities that delivered clear local community benefits and aligned with the Council’s key policies.

 

Members were informed that charities in receipt of eighty per cent mandatory charitable relief could also receive a further twenty per cent discretionary relief, and not-for-profit organisations could also receive relief of up to one hundred per cent.

 

Support was available to Rural Settlements through this policy along with short term hardship relief in exceptional circumstances. Members were reminded that if they were aware of any businesses that received any relief it would be worth reminding them that they would need to re-apply for the new financial year.

 

Members queried the definition of a Rural Settlement in this context. It was reported that an area designated as rural was made by government and identified as a settlement with a population of less than three thousand people living there. Members were concerned, that there were some areas within their Wards that should potentially be included as rural settlements. However, it was noted that the list of Rural Settlements included within the report was provided by Government. If Members wished to obtain further clarity on these settlements they should contact the Revenue Services Manager directly.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor S. T. Nock and seconded by Councillor K. May.

 

RESOLVED that

 

1)    A non-domestic rates discretionary relief policy be approved and adopted from 1st April 2026; and

 

2)    Subject to the removal of Burcot as a settlement from the Lickey and Blackwell Parish, the rural settlement list included in the policy be approved and adopted for use from 1st April 2026.

 

Council Tax - Empty Homes Discounts and Premiums 2026/27

 

The Cabinet Member for Finance presented the Council Tax - Empty Homes Discounts and Premiums 2026/27 for the consideration of Members.

 

In doing so it was reported that Council tax discounts and premiums for empty properties would be applied from the 1st of April 2026. With the primary goal for these discounts and premiums to incentivise homeowners to bring long-term empty homes back into use to support local housing supply.

 

Determinations were made under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. This Act permitted Councils to apply one hundred per cent premium after a property had been empty for more for one year. The Council first introduced this 12-month threshold in April 2024.

 

The Policy stated that properties that were vacant and unfurnished for thirty days would be 100 per cent discounted. From day 31 onwards, there would be zero per cent discount with full council tax payable.

 

When major repair structural alterations were carried out there would be 100 per cent discount for a maximum of twelve months or six months post completion, whichever was sooner.

 

From 1st April 2026 for all dwellings except those excepted from premium by the Prescribed Classes of Dwellings regulations, the discount under section 11(2)(a) would not apply and the following premiums will be charged:

 

Period Unoccupied and Unfurnished	Premium Applied
Less than 5 years	100% premium (total charge 200%)
5 years or more, but less than 10 years	200% premium (total charge 300%)
10 years or more	300% premium (total charge 400%)

 

The Government had introduced mandatory exception classes to specific residents which were detailed as follows:

 

Class	Description	Exception
E	Dwelling which is or would be someone’s sole or main residence if they were not residing in job-related armed forces accommodation.	Long-term empty and second home premiums.
F	Annexes forming part of or being treated as part of the main dwelling.	Long-term empty and second home premiums.
G	Dwelling which are being actively marked for sale – time limited to 12 months.	Long-term empty and second home premiums.
H	Dwellings which are being actively marketed for let – time limited to 12 months.	Long-term empty and second home premiums.
I	Unoccupied dwellings which fell within the exempt class F (left empty by a deceased person) and where probate has been granted. Time limited to 12 months from probate.	Long-term empty and second home premiums.
J	Dwellings where the liable person is resident in a job-related dwelling provided by their employer, or for the liable person is a job-related dwelling.	Second home premiums and adjustment to discount for unoccupied furnished homes
K	Caravan pitches occupied by a caravan, or boat moorings occupied by a boat.	Second home premiums and adjustment to discount for unoccupied furnished homes
L	Seasonal homes where year-round occupation is prohibited.	Second home premiums.
M	Vacant homes which require or are undergoing major repair works to render them habitable, or vacant homes undergoing a structural alteration.	Long-term empty homes premium.

 

Members welcomed the changes in terms premiums and discounts and queried whether these would be backdated. It was reported that this was a technical question and would be provided following the meeting.

 

It was questioned how the Council would know whether there was an empty home. It was reported that this was up to the taxpayer to report or that the Council would carry out a visit to the property to check the status in terms of whether it was occupied or empty.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor S. T. Nock and seconded by Councillor K. May.

 

RESOLVED that

 

1)    the determinations as set out in Appendix A be adopted with effect from 1st April 2026.

2)    the Assistant Director of Finance and Customer Services be authorised to consider, on a case-by-case basis, a reduction to the long-term empty premium under Section 13A(1)(C) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

3)    the Council retained the existing discounts for unoccupied and furnished homes, as set out in Appendix A and did not implement additional council tax premiums for unoccupied and substantially furnished homes.

 

Council Tax Support Scheme 2026/27

 

The Cabinet Member for Finance presented the Council Tax Support Scheme 2026/27 which sought to formally adopt the Council Tax Support Scheme 2026-2027.

 

It was reported that the Council was required to review and approve its local Council Tax reduction scheme annually by 11th of March each year.

 

Members were informed that the recommendation from Cabinet was to retain the successful income banded scheme introduced in 2021 with one specific update to protect residents.

 

Maximum support was one hundred per cent for eligible working age residents. It was proposed that the bands be uprated by 3.8 per cent to align with national benefit increases.

 

The income banded model reduced administration burdens and aligned closely with the Universal Credit scheme. It was reported that the major precepting authorities had been consulted and were in agreement with this approach.

 

The Scheme had a total cost of just under £5 million shared between

the District, which was thirteen per cent, Worcestershire County Council at seventy per cent, Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia at twelve per cent and Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority at five per cent.

 

Operating these bands was a balanced measure to maintain the real-time value of support for our most vulnerable residents without creating unsustainable pressures on the collection fund.

 

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor S. T. Nock and seconded by Councillor K. May.

 

RESOLVED that the Council Tax Reduction Scheme be retained for 2026-27 tax year, subject to uprating of income bands by 3.8% in-line with increases to national benefits.