Issue - meetings

(a)       That the making of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations (“the Prescribed Requirements Regulations”) by Wales Government on 26^th November 2013, as amended by the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 be noted; and      

(b)       That the Council Tax Reduction Scheme discretionary elements as outlined in Appendix 1 be adopted.   

The Head of Finance introduced a report to explain the requirement for the Council to adopt the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2014/15 by 31 January 2014. 

The report had been considered at Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet where the proposals as set out in the report were supported.  The scheme was no different to the scheme in place for 2013/14 which also included the discretionary elements as reported in appendix 1.  The Head of Finance detailed the estimated additional cost of the scheme for the Council of £0.633m which had been built into the budget proposals for 2014/15. 

Councillor Richard Jones asked if the proposals could be agreed in principle subject to the approval of the 2014/15 budget.  The Chief Executive explained that the Council had a legal requirement to adopt the scheme by 31 January 2014 and that this decision was not reversible and therefore this part of the budget would be committed at this meeting if Members agreed to adopt the scheme.  The Head of Finance explained that if the scheme was adopted then it would revert to the ‘fall back’ scheme which did not include any discretionary elements. 

In response to a query from Councillor Clive Carver about the consultees detailed in the report, the Head of Finance said that the consultation process allowed Councils to decide who it consulted and those listed, which included strategic partners, had been asked for their comments. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the making of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations (“the Prescribed Requirements Regulations”) by Wales Government on 26^th November 2013, as amended by the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 be noted; and      

(b)       That the Council Tax Reduction Scheme discretionary elements as outlined in Appendix 1 be adopted.