Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Kevin Bonavia, moved that

the recommendations be approved and this was seconded by the Chair of the

Public Accounts Select Committee, Councillor Maja Hilton and it was:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the Council Tax Base calculation for 2018/19, as set out in the annual

Council Tax Base government return, be noted;

(2) a Council Tax Base of 86,456.6 Band D equivalent properties for 2018/19

be approved;

(3) a budgeted Council Tax collection rate of 96.0% be approved;

(4) the introduction of a discretionary Council Tax discount of 100% for

care leavers up to the age of 25, be approved;

(5) the existing policy of a 0% discount for second homes for 2017/18 be

continued for 2018/19;

(6) the existing policy of a 0% discount for empty homes Class A (an empty

property undergoing structural alteration or major repair to make it habitable)

be continued, as set out in section six of this report;

(7) the existing policy of a 100% discount awarded for a period of four weeks

and then a 0% discount thereafter, for empty homes – Class C (a substantially

empty and unfurnished property) be continuedt;

(8) the existing policy of an empty homes premium of 50% in respect of long

term empty properties be continued;

(9) consistent with the approach taken in 2017/18, the Council Tax Reduction

Scheme (CTRS) be implemented to reflect reductions in the Council’s

funding, but the process be simplified by replacing the reduction in the

Settlement Funding Assessment with:

 Setting a fixed percentage for the scheme (to avoid large increases and

decreases as have happened to date)

 Agreeing the percentage as part of the budget setting process

 Considering on an annual basis any savings the Council might want to

make to the budget by changing the percentage alongside other savings

being considered.

(10) a 25% liability be passed onto working age CTRS recipients in 2018/19

as detailed;

(11) the proposed 2018/19 National Non Domestic Rate (NNDR) estimated

net yield of £66.3m, based on current information available be noted

(12) the approval of the final 2018/19 NNDR1 form be delegated to the Executive Director for Resources and Regeneration for submission by the deadline of 31st January 2018