Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director (BA).

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 22 November 2018 and its comments will be reported.

The Director (BA) presented the report seeking Members’ views on the local Council Tax Support (CTS) scheme for working age residents for 2019/20. The local CTS scheme started in April 2013 and Members were required to agree the scheme rules annually.

Members were advised that precepting authorities were not asked for savings to be made from the scheme costs and the impact of Universal Credit in Exeter from September 2018 were not yet known. Therefore no change to the scheme was proposed this year although this could change in future years once the impact of the roll out Universal Credit could be assessed.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 22 November 2017 and its comments were reported.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the scheme for 2019/20 to continue without substantive changes from the current year scheme.            

To consider the report of the Benefits & Welfare Lead.

The Benefits & Welfare Lead presented the report which sought Member’s views on the local Council Tax Support Scheme (CTS) for working age residents for 2019/20. The scheme, which commenced in April 2013, required Member’s agreement of the rules of the Scheme on an annual basis.

The Benefits & Welfare Lead explained that the rollout of Universal Credit began in September 2018 and the full impact of that on the CTS scheme was not yet known. He advised Members that reductions to the level of support given to households would impact on collection rates, but noted that savings were not being requested from the scheme costs. He further commented that the Council would not need to align the local scheme with national changes, following little change in welfare reform from Central Government in the past 12 months. He confirmed that the adoption of the Council Tax Support Scheme each year, should be no later than 11 March 2019 and not as stated in the report.

A Member referred to the Council Tax Protocol from the Citizens Advice Bureau and enquired what efforts were made by the City Council to support those who found themselves in council tax arrears. The Benefits & Welfare Lead advised that the City Council was aware of the Protocol and made every effort to work with customers within the District Councils’ billing authorities and major preceptors. The Director referred to the different approaches by officers when individuals were not being able to pay rather than choosing not to pay and in the case of the latter, every effort was made to ensure a speedy recovery. However, it was also important to work with the individual and see how they could be supported to reach a manageable and sustainable way to ensure a quality of life and pay their council tax, working towards the ethos of CAB with regular conversations to understand the issues.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee noted the report and requested Executive and Council to support the scheme for 2019/20 to continue without substantive changes from the current year’s scheme.