Document Council Tax Support Review

Changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme could only be made following a statutory consultation, during which residents, and key partners such as precept authorities and the voluntary sector, would be consulted.  The financial impact on Runnymede and precept authorities, depending on which option was eventually implemented, could be significant.

The use of resources to undertake the statutory consultation, and whether this would outweigh the advantages of retaining the existing scheme, was suggested as a consideration for the Committee.

The possible advantages and disadvantages of each option, such as the ability to tailor the service to an individual’s needs versus the impact on the staffing resources associated with operating the service, were mentioned as considerations for when this item was brought back to the Committee following the statutory consultation. 

It was confirmed that for a household to qualify for the benefit set out in paragraph 2.17 of the officer’s report, a qualifying individual would need to reside at the home address.

It was resolved that:

1)    A consultation, containing all of the options for changes to Runnymede’s Council Tax Support Scheme, to begin in July 2024, with a view to agreeing a scheme for implementation from 1 April 2025.

2)    Expenditure of £5,000 from existing budgets, to undertake the consultation exercise agreed in 1) above be agreed.

3)    A further report, detailing the results of the consultation and proposals for the Council Tax Support Scheme, be provided to the Corporate Management Committee in November 2024.