Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Cabinet today, Monday 7 October has approved a new Council Tax Reduction Scheme for next year.
The new scheme replicates the existing Council Tax Reduction Scheme, previously known as the Council Tax Support Scheme and as such will continue to protect households on the lowest incomes.
Cllr Maurice Howse, Enterprise, Housing and Revenues Portfolio says: “The District Council has spent a great deal of time exploring various options, developing a Council Tax Reduction Scheme and considering who should get help and how much help they should receive under the new scheme.
“Despite a reduction in our funding we have tried to mitigate any losses experienced by the District Council with changes introduced to discounts and exemptions for second homes and long term empty properties combined with 'natural' growth in the taxbase, the actual loss in total income for the District Council compared to the previous National Council Tax Benefit Scheme is in the region of £8,000,
“In addition to retaining all of the existing protections, we have included additional support for war pensioners. We would also look to set up a hardship fund to support in exceptional circumstances the most vulnerable cases.
“The Cabinet in approving the unchanged Council Tax Reduction Scheme for next year also provides a longer lead in time to look at the wider impact of welfare reforms and enable residents' views to be taken into account and gives a longer lead in time to consult on nay proposed changes through a much more measured approach."
The scheme that has been adopted has only been approved for 2014/15 and will be reviewed for the following year.
- From 1 April 2013 the government abolished the national council tax benefit scheme and asked all councils to develop and approve their own local Council Tax Reduction scheme.
- Councils received a grant from the government to fund the new schemes. The grant from the government was 10% less than the funding received for the previous Council Tax Benefit scheme.
- In November 2012 The Cabinet approved a Council Tax Support Scheme for 2013/14, which was similar to the previous National Council Tax Benefit Scheme.
