Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities) providing the Board with information to recommend a local Council Tax Support Scheme for adoption by Full Council by 31 January 2017. The report sets out scheme options which reflect both the consultation feedback and also budget position facing the Council.

Further to Minute No. 16, 22^nd June 2016, the Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities) submitted a report providing the Board with information to recommend a local Council Tax Support Scheme for adoption by Full Council by 31st January 2017, which looked to reflect both the consultation feedback received together with the budget position facing the Council. In addition, the report also set out a series of scheme options which had been considered as part of the process to develop a recommended scheme.

The Board thanked the Scrutiny Board (Citizens and Communities) for the comprehensive and valued work which it had undertaken as part of the review into the Council Tax Support Scheme.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That in considering the work of the Scrutiny Board (Citizens and Communities):

(i)  the support of the Scrutiny Board (Citizens and Communities) to the proposed new changes to the Council Tax Support scheme, as presented as part of its review, be acknowledged;

(ii)  agreement be given to undertake a further review of the new Council Tax Support Scheme during the summer of 2018, when the number of Universal Credit claimants is expected to be more significant in Leeds and the Council will be in a good position to gauge the extent to which the new scheme is achieving its overall aim;

(iii)  agreement be given to explore other potential scheme saving options when undertaking a wider review of the new Council Tax Support scheme during 2018.

(b)  That in considering recommendation 3 of the Scrutiny Board Inquiry Report (as detailed at Appendix D to the submitted report), and in noting the comments of the Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities) in paragraphs 3.14 to 3.18 of the submitted report, approval be given not to support the removal of protections for all customers on 1 April 2017;

(c)  That in taking into account the consultation process undertaken, including the work of the Scrutiny Board (Citizens and Communities), and in light of the above resolutions, approval be given for the Board to recommend to Full Council the adoption of a new Local Council Tax Support Scheme that:

a)  Replaces the current Council Tax Support scheme with a Council Tax Support that is aligned with Universal credit, as set out in appendix B to the submitted report;

b)  Moves customers onto the new scheme when they are due to transfer to Universal Credit and maintains the current scheme in the meantime;

c)  Replaces the scheme of automatic protections with a discretionary hardship scheme with the exception of customers in receipt of Armed Forces Compensation Payments;

d)  Moves eligible customers off the scheme of automatic protections when they are due to transfer to Universal Credit;

e)  Delegates the design and value of the discretionary hardship scheme to the Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities) with a requirement that the hardship scheme is taken to Scrutiny Board;

f)  Aligns the treatment of changes in Council Tax Support with the treatment of changes in Housing Benefit; and

g)  Delegates the development of an operational policy for the treatment of fluctuating income to the Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities).

(d)  That if Full Council supports the adoption of the proposed scheme, the decision will be implemented by the Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities) and will take effect from 1st April 2017, with implementation commencing as part of the 2017/18 annual billing process in order for the new scheme to be effective from 1st April 2017.