Issue - meetings

(a)       That the Committee noted the recommendations to Cabinet and Council;

(b)       That the making of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations (‘the Prescribed Requirements Regulations’) by Wales Government on 26 November 2013 be noted, as amended by the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014; and

(c)        To recommend to Council to adopt the Council Tax Reduction Scheme discretionary elements as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report, subject to any input from Cabinet.

The Revenues & Benefits Manager introduced the report to seek views on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2014/15 and explained the requirement for the report to be approved by Cabinet prior to endorsement to adopt the Scheme at County Council before the end of the month.  Failure to do so would result in application of a default Scheme.

Following Welsh Government (WG) approval of the regulations, there was a need for the Council to re-adopt the Scheme for 2014/15 with consideration to three additional discretionary elements.  The Revenues & Benefits Manager provided explanation on these areas for discretion, as outlined in the report, and advised that the outcome of consultation indicated that the majority of responses were in agreement with the recommendations of the report.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee noted the recommendations to Cabinet and Council;

(b)       That the making of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations (‘the Prescribed Requirements Regulations’) by Wales Government on 26 November 2013 be noted, as amended by the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014; and

(c)        To recommend to Council to adopt the Council Tax Reduction Scheme discretionary elements as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report, subject to any input from Cabinet.