Issue - meetings

To give views on the Local Council Tax Support Scheme as part of the open consultation process.

The Chief Officer: Housing gave a presentation on the requirement to replace the national Council Tax Benefit Scheme with a local Council Tax Support Scheme by 31January 2013.

He reported that the Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Housing had agreed a number of proposals for consultation so as to inform the construction of the Council’s new scheme, for approval by full Council. This consultation had begun on 30 July and would continue until 26 October.

Members discussed the consultation material and were provided with clarification on a number of matters. Arising from Members’ questions and comments, the following points were noted:

• The new scheme would impact on precepting authorities.
• The Borough Treasurer had taken the potential funding shortfall of a local scheme into account in his budget calculations.
• There was no indication that pensioners would be adversely affected by a local scheme.
• With the exception of the option of including income that was currently disregarded in the calculations, officers had all the information to implement a local scheme without the need for additional means testing.
• The service was being redesigned to ensure that people would be aware of their entitlements under the local scheme.
• The software was able to deal with individuals who became pensioners during the year.
• If the Council did not implement a local scheme then the Government’s default scheme would come into effect, generating further financial pressure on the Council.
• To date 340 responses to the consultation had been received.

The Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Housing thanked the Members of the Adult Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Panel for their recommendations and stated that all responses would be considered. He reported that the new scheme would be fair and would be communicated widely.

Among views expressed by Members were that the backdating of claims should continue and that the capital limit of £6,000 should be reduced.

The Commission thanked the Chief Officer: Housing for his presentation.