Issue - meetings

            That the report be approved and endorsed by the committee

The Interim Manager Revenues & Benefits circulated an updated version of the report which contained Appendices 3 and 4.  She apologised for the unavoidable late submission of the papers and then presented the report which explained the change from Council Tax Benefit to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, the implications and the requirement to adopt the scheme by 31 January 2013.  The key elements of the report were as follows:

• The scheme would come into operation on 1 April 2013.

• The Welsh Government took the decision to establish a national framework for the provision of Council Tax Support in Wales in order to avoid any regional differences in eligibility.

• Although a national scheme had been approved, there was limited discretion given to the Council to apply discretionary elements that were more generous than the national scheme.

• Discretionary elements included extension to the standard period of 4 weeks during which the council tax reduction would continue after a claimant started work.

• An increase in the amount of War Disablement Pensions and War Widows Pensions which was to be disregarded when calculating the income of the claimant.

• The ability to permit claims for council tax reduction at offices other than County Hall/County Council buildings.

• The backdating of the award of council tax reduction for longer than the new standard of 3 months where a claim had been submitted late.

• Flintshire County Council was obliged to carry out consultation on the adoption of the scheme even though the provisions were set out by the Welsh Government. 

• The Consultation exercise was carried out between 17 December 2012 and 14 January 2013 and all 13,000 customers currently in receipt of council tax benefit received a consultation letter and response form.  18 forms were returned, 16 of which were on line and one organisation responded.  Approximately 300 customers contacted the Council by telephone as a result of the letter to discuss their personal circumstances.

• An Equality Impact Assessment had been carried out, the results of which could be found on Appendix 4 to the report. It gave a profile of the clients in receipt of council tax benefit and how the council could support them.

• A report would be submitted to Cabinet on 22 January and full council on 29 January.

            The Interim Manager Revenues & Benefits explained that from 1 April 2013 the Council through devolved powers to Wales Government  would take over responsibility from Department for Work and Pensions for administering the new scheme.  The amount of funding available for the scheme would be fixed at £8.7 million, which represented 90% of the costs of the present scheme.  From 1 April 2013, claimants would receive a maximum 90% rebate of their council tax liability and would be expected to contribute at least  10% of the cost themselves.

                        The Chief Executive said that it should be recognised how quickly this new legislation was presented to the Council and the short time scale for implementation.  He reminded the committee that consultation had been on the discretionary elements.

                        The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57