The Committee considered a report by the Head of Customer Focus (circulated previously) regarding the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

The Director of Resources highlighted the following:

·       The previous Council Tax Benefit scheme was abolished and replaced with localised support scheme for Council Tax in 2013/14. The previous scheme awarded 100% benefit to the claimants.

·       The only change to the proposed Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2022/23 was in relation to amendment of the income bands to allow for the uprating of applicable amounts and premiums.

·       The resource implications as detailed in paragraph 5 of the report.

·       The costs of the scheme had increased in 2021/22 due to an increase in the number of claimants during the Covid pandemic and the Government had awarded the Council Tax Reduction Hardship Fund. The increase in the number of claimants had been included within the draft revenue budget.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)  That Council adopts the Council Tax Reduction scheme as detailed in Appendix A of the report for the 2022/23 financial year;

(b)  That Council approve the Exceptional Hardship Policy in relation to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, as set out in Appendix B of the report.