Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Communities attached.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Communities attached.

Councillor Thorpe, Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation presented the Council Tax Support Scheme that set out the Council Tax Support Scheme to be considered by Full Council and considered as part of the budget setting process. As part of the process, local authorities are required to consider whether to revise their existing scheme or replace it with a new one. The report outlined the background, current scheme, context of overall Welfare Reform and recommendations for delivering a local scheme of Council Tax Support with effect from April 2025.

Decision:

Cabinet endorsed to Council:

·         Approve that the scheme continues in its current form for the year 2025/26

·         Note the current disregard of all War Widow’s/Widower’s Pension or War Disablement Pension is continued

·         Note the performance of the scheme continues to be closely monitored and will be reviewed and amended as appropriate on an annual basis.

Reasons for recommendations:

·         The Council is required to set a local scheme for Council Tax Reductions, these recommendations are the same as in previous years based on an affordable model to support low-income households in Bury

Alternative options considered:

·         The scheme for pensioners is determined by statute and the council has discretion regarding the award of council tax reductions for working age residents, the details of the scheme were last reviewed and consulted upon in 2017. A detailed review of new options for the scheme will take place in 2025/26 with a view to simplifying the scheme and proposals put before Cabinet.