Issue - meetings

The report of the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the Council’s guidance, as set out at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report, for determining applications for a reduction in council tax for persons leaving care and living in the Borough be approved an implemented with  effect from 1 April 2018.

b)    authority be delegated to the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services, to determine applications for discretionary reduction in council tax under section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 in relation to persons leaving care and living in the Borough of Rushcliffe in accordance with the guidance as set out at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented the report of the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services which proposed to introduce a discretionary Care Leavers’ Council Tax Reduction Scheme to supplement the Council’s existing Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

It was proposed that the Care Leavers’ Council Tax Reduction Scheme would provide a reduction up to 100% where a care leaver had liability for council tax within the Borough which would remain in place until the care leaver turned 21.

The Portfolio Holder explained that The Children and Social Work Act 2017 confirmed the “corporate parent” statutory role of the Council and therefore believed that the Council had a duty to offer this proposed support to a recognised group of vulnerable people. 

In seconding the recommendations Councillor Upton stated that the introduction of the Care Leavers’ Council Tax Reduction Scheme would help a vulnerable group of people who were currently going through a difficult transition from being financially supported by the County Council to living independently. 

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the Council’s guidance, as set out at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report, for determining applications for a reduction in council tax for persons leaving care and living in the Borough be approved and implemented with  effect from 1 April 2018.

b)    authority be delegated to the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services, to determine applications for discretionary reduction in council tax under section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 in relation to persons leaving care and living in the Borough of Rushcliffe in accordance with the guidance as set out at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report.

Reason for decisions

The Council has a corporate parenting responsibility and it is considered that this reduction in council tax contributes to the fulfilment of this role.