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Decision Maker: Executive Councillor for Transformation
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: No
To decide upon a Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2015/16.
Matter for Decision: The report provided
details of the review of the Council’s 2014-15 Council Tax Reduction Scheme and
proposals for the continuation of the current scheme rules for the financial
year 2015-16 and details of the Discretionary Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
Decision of the Executive Councillor for
Finance and Resources
The Executive Councillor resolved to:
i.
Agree to continue to administer the Cambridge City
Council - Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2013 (Persons who are not Pensioners).
ii.
Understand the change in the way that Council
Tax Reduction Schemes would be funded by Government from 2015-16 onwards as
detailed in Section 4 of the officer’s report.
iii.
Agree
to invoke the Council’s right under paragraph 42(2) of the Scheme to set the
applicable amounts in Schedule 1 in accordance with the annual uprating of
applicable amounts, which would shortly be laid by Parliament as an amending
statutory instrument to the Regulations.
iv.
Agree
under paragraph 48(10) of the scheme to set the amounts of non-dependent
deductions annually and to increase the amounts set in sub-paragraphs (1) and
(2) by 1.2% in line with the published Consumer Prices Inflation (CPI) for September
2014 or to set them at the rate under the Prescribed Regulations, whichever is
the higher.
v.
Agree
to retain the End of Calculation Deduction as set out in paragraph 49A of the
Scheme at “zero” per cent.
vi.
Agree to continue with the current position regarding
discounts for empty dwellings and second homes.
vii.
Approve
the attached Cambridge City Council Discretionary Council Tax Reduction Scheme,
incorporating powers to grant a reduction or further reduction under section
13A(1)(c) of the Finance Act 1992.
viii.
Delegate authority to the Head of Revenues and
Benefits to determine such applications for Council Tax Discretionary Reduction
where they relate to individual cases of exceptional financial hardship.
Reasons for the
Decision: As set out in the officer’s report
Any alternative
options considered and rejected: As set out in the officer’s report
Scrutiny
Considerations:
The committee received a report from the Head of Revenues
and Benefits.
In response to member’s questions the Head of Revenues and
Benefits said the following:
i.
The number of people receiving a Council Tax
reduction had fallen from 7112 in 2011-12 to 6838 in 2014/15. This was due to
more people being in paid employment and the subsequent reduction in support
needed.
The Scrutiny Committee considered the recommendations and
endorsed them unanimously.
The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.
Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted):
Not applicable.
Publication date: 07/04/2015
Date of decision: 19/01/2015