Issue - meetings

To consider the Local Council Tax Support Scheme proposals for 2023-24.

RESOLVED to approve that the Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2023/24 is consulted on the same basis as 2022/23:

I.              The contribution rate is frozen for the ninth consecutive year at 12.5%.

II.                 The Council continues to protect Vulnerable and Disabled Residents and Carer’s on a low income.

Councillor Hargreaves presented the report on the Local Council Tax Support Proposal Scheme 2023-24.

Councillor Gregory commended the administration for providing the most generous tax support scheme in Essex and one of the most generous in the country. He asked whether Councillor Khan`s amendment to the scheme for 2022-23 could be extended for 2023-24 in response to the cost of living crisis.

He acknowledged that the overall financial situation must be considered but noted that the amendment was welcomed by the administration and had met with universal assent from Members.

Councillor Hargreaves said that this could be considered, but noted that additional proposals relating to one aspect of this support scheme would come forward to the July Full Council meeting.

Councillor Caton asked whether the Chancellor had provided additional funds for residents in greatest need.

The Assistant Director of Resources confirmed that the Chancellor had recently given additional funding to County Councils which was being cascaded down.

She confirmed that £325,304 was received from the government to provide additional emergency support during the pandemic for claimants of the Local Council Tax Support (LCTS). Of that £19,870 remained and was eligible to be carried forward into the Funding for Exceptional Hardship Scheme with a budget of £17,000. She noted that the scheme was heavily promoted in 2021 but there had not been as much claim on the fund as was anticipated. She said that this small fund did not have the capability to provide much support to the 1800 LCTS claimants alongside any other resident that found themselves in exceptional hardship.

Councillor Coote said that he didn`t disagree with Councillor Gregory, but noted that as a small Council with relatively few funds he believed that political parties should be pushed to help residents with these particular issues. He said that the party in power have the ability to really help and that the proposed tax support scheme was the best that could be achieved by this Council.

Councillor Evans asked whether the statistics were sufficiently detailed to enable Officers to compare the percentage of claimants in Saffron Walden with more rural claimants to identify where additional support would be best targeted.

The Assistant Director of Resources confirmed that the data could be supplied broken down by town and parish.

Councillor Hargreaves proposed approval of the scheme. This was seconded by Councillor Coote.

RESOLVED: To approve that the Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2023/24 is consulted on the same basis as 2022/23:

I.     The contribution rate is frozen for the nineth consecutive year at 12.5%.

II.    The Council continues to protect vulnerable and disabled residents and carers on a low income.