Issue - meetings

Report of The Deputy Leader of the Council.

Purpose of the Report

To provide Cabinet with an opportunity to review the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme in advance of the 2022/23 financial year.

Decisions

That Cabinet:

1.    Recommends to Council the Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2022/23 based on the same overarching criteria as the current year scheme as detailed in paragraphs 1.11 and 1.12 of the report.

2.    Approves the continuation of the £20,000 Discretionary Payment Fund for 2022/23 in its budget proposals.

Options considered and rejected

Other options considered and rejected were set out in the body of the report and associated appendices.

Reasons for decision

The options in relation to the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme were considered by the Finance, Economic Development and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 3 December 2021 where it supported the recommendation set out in the report.

Further to public consultation on the proposed scheme, 8,236 surveys were sent out of which 308 were returned which equated to 3.74%. 81,82% of those who had responded supported the current scheme with 87.99% supporting the continuation of the Discretionary Payment Fund.

Consultation with major preceptors had also been undertaken, with the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner and Lincolnshire County Council being supportive of the current scheme remaining in place with the existing criteria for 2022/23.

Councillor Kelham Cooke, Leader of the Council, supported the retention of the existing scheme and felt that it was right to continue this tried and tested entitlement. He added that it was always a challenge to ensure sustainability alongside offering support where it was required, stating that the existing scheme worked well in this regard. He acknowledged that the consultation undertaken demonstrated a consensus to implement the 2022/23 scheme based on the existing criteria, which had also been supported by the Finance, Economic Development and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.