Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance

RESOLVED THAT

1.    Care Leavers be determined as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The local Government Finance Act 1992

2.    The Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care leavers in appendix 2 be approved, to be effective from 1st April 2019

3.    Decisions relating to the application of these reliefs be delegated to the Head of Revenues and Benefits and officers in the council tax team. In the case of a dispute an internal reconsideration is to be made by the Executive Director Finance and Assets.

The Cabinet Member Finance introduced the report and explained that care leavers were considered to be a particularly vulnerable group for council tax debt. Care leavers were faced with a new set of potentially overwhelming responsibilities without family support and the wider support network that most other young people could rely on. She reported that all 6 district councils together with the County Council were working to provide a common council tax discount scheme. The latest information from the County Council suggested there were 14 Care Leavers living independently in the Cheltenham area who may be eligible for a discount. It was proposed that a 100 % discount would apply to 18-21 year olds living independently and 50% where they were living with others. The full eligibility criteria arrangements for administering the scheme were detailed in appendix 2.

Members supported the proposals. It was important that those young people believed that they were valued and recognised and the discount would provide some relief from the financial pressures they faced. Members welcomed the fact that there was unanimity of thinking across the county, initiated by CBC and this work could spread to other elements of children’s services in the future.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    Care Leavers be determined as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The local Government Finance Act 1992

2.    The Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care leavers in appendix 2 be approved, to be effective from 1st April 2019

3.    Decisions relating to the application of these reliefs be delegated to the Head of Revenues and Benefits and officers in the council tax team. In the case of a dispute an internal reconsideration is to be made by the Executive Director Finance and Assets.