Issue - meetings

Finance and Resources

To consider the Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme for 2022/23.

Recommended to Council:

1.  That the Council Tax Support scheme for 2022/23, as shown in Annex 1 to the report, be approved.

2.  That the Head of Finance and Revenues, in consultation with the Finance & Resources Portfolio Holder, be authorised to make any necessary changes to the Scheme that are required by the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) Regulations 2022 when they are confirmed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.

3.  In the event that further temporary uplifts to Universal Credit are introduced, the Head of Finance and Revenues, in consultation with the Finance Portfolio Holder, be authorised to disregard the increase in income as part of a national response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Consideration was given to a report of the Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder which presented the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2022/23.

The Council was required to have a Council Tax Support scheme to assist residents with their liability to pay Council Tax. Given the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic and the financial uncertainty this brings to many families, no significant changes were proposed to Test Valley Borough Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme for the forthcoming 2022/23 financial year.

Having considered the options and for the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet agreed the following:

Recommended to Council:

1.  That the Council Tax Support scheme for 2022/23, as shown in Annex 1 to the report, be approved.

2.  That the Head of Finance and Revenues, in consultation with the Finance & Resources Portfolio Holder, be authorised to make any necessary changes to the Scheme that are required by the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) Regulations 2022 when they are confirmed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.

3.  In the event that further temporary uplifts to Universal Credit are introduced, the Head of Finance and Revenues, in consultation with the Finance Portfolio Holder, be authorised to disregard the increase in income as part of a national response to the Covid-19 pandemic.