Issue - meetings
Localised Support for Council Tax
Meeting: 25/08/2015 - Cabinet (Item 6)
6 Localised Support for Council Tax 
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Minutes:
Background:
This report provided details of proposals to commence consultation on making changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS). The report noted that on 8 July 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Summer Budget announced a number of welfare reforms and that early indications at a national level suggested these reforms would increase the cost of the CTRS by around £200 to £250 per affected claim. As such, officers’ calculations suggested the increase in cost in Medway would be approximately £350,000 based on 1,752 working age claimants who were in employment and whose income exceeded their applicable amounts.
The report provided details of various options for Members’ consideration together with advice and analysis regarding the method of consultation, the potential impact on collection rates of a reduction in the discount, enhancing extended payments and initial work towards the Diversity Impact Assessment.
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Decision number: |
Decision: |
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113/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed to the commencement of a twelve week consultation in relation to proposals to reduce the maximum CTRS discount from 75% to 65%. |
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114/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed to enhance the extended payments period from four to eight weeks as set out in paragraph 7.3 of the report. |
Reasons:
Changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme are a matter for Full Council, however, Cabinet recommended the amended scheme on 25 August 2015 to allow a full twelve weeks consultation in advance of Council in January 2016.