Agenda item

That the Council Tax Support scheme be approved, as detailed in appendix A to the report and incorporating the amendments as tabled at the meeting.

The Cabinet considered a report on the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2016-17.  The scheme main items of the scheme, set out fully in Appendix A to the report, were not recommended to change significantly from previous schemes.  A paper was tabled which proposed a number of minor amendments to clarify some of the wording and it was agreed to incorporate these into the scheme.

The scheme had remained unchanged since it was introduced in 2013, other than for annual uprating.  Due to a number of changes to welfare benefits that impact on the scheme, a consultation was carried out in October, November and December 2015.  The scheme for next year needed to be approved by the end of January.  Commissioners noted that the roll out of the Universal Credit would potentially have a major impact on the scheme and this would be considered in the scheme for future years.  The Cabinet approved the scheme for 2016-17 as proposed, including the incorporation of the textual amendments detailed in the tabled paper.

Resolved –  That the Council Tax Support scheme be approved, as detailed in appendix A to the report and incorporating the amendments as tabled at the meeting.