Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

                        Councillor Jones introduced the Council Tax Discount Scheme for Foster Carers report which set out the Council’s approach for awarding Discretionary Council Tax Discounts for Local Foster Carers.

The introduction of the scheme formed part of the Council Plan for 2019/2023 and a strategy to enhance fostering service models by improving local placements for children whose families were unable to look after them.

                        One of the key objectives was to ensure there was a sufficient and resilient provision of in-house Foster Carers to provide care for local children and offering a Council Tax Discretionary Discount scheme, from April 2020, would form a key part of a wider package of support for in-house Foster Carers.

The Chief Officer (Social Services) explained that the initial cost of offering 50% discount to Local Authority Foster Carers would equate to £92k per annum, but that could be recouped if only three children were placed with in-house carers for a 12 month period rather than external fostering agencies.

Councillor Bithell, as Chair of the Children’s Services Forum, emphasised the importance of the work undertaken by Foster Carers and he welcomed the initiative.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the introduction of the Council Tax Discretionary Discount scheme for Local Authority Foster Carers, to take effect from April 2020, be approved; and

(b)       That the Policy Framework, as contained in the appendix to the report, which sets out the Council’s approach to the award of discretionary Council Tax discounts for Local Authority Foster Carers, be approved.