To agree to the 2016/17 Local Council Tax Scheme for onward recommendation to Council.

Councillor J. Kent, Leader of the Council, introduced the report that required Council to publish an annual Pay Policy Statement for chief officers that must be approved by Council by 31 March each year.

Councillor J. Kent provided Members with information required for approval; the estimated balance of the council tax collection fund that would be apportioned between the Council and the major precepting authorities (the Police and Fire Authorities) and the estimated balance of the business rate collection fund that is apportioned between the Council, Central Government and the Fire Authorities.

Councillor Gledhill agreed with the report and stated that it was good to see the increase of properties within the borough and the reduction of numbers on the council tax support scheme.

Upon being put to the vote, Members voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations, whereupon the Mayor declared these to be carried.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the LCTS scheme for Thurrock Council is maintained with the inclusion of a reduction in the period an award can be backdated to four weeks. This reduction is in line with welfare reform legislation changes to housing benefit from 1 April 2016. The 2016/17 Scheme will now contain the following elements:

·         The first £25 per week of earned income will be disregarded when calculating levels of council tax support.

·         The maximum capital limit is to be set at £6,000. This means anyone who has savings over £6,000 may not receive support with their council tax.

·         For working age claimants, the maximum support that will be allowed will be 75% of their full council tax bill.

·         Child benefit and child maintenance received will not be included as income in the calculation of council tax support.

·         The maximum period a claim for LCTS can be backdated when a customer provides good cause for not claiming earlier is four weeks.

·         There is a full disregard of military compensation payments, including War Disablement Pensions, War Widow’s Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments.

2.         To recommend that Council set the Council Tax Base for 2016/17 by approving the following resolutions:

            (a)        That the report of the Head of Corporate Finance for the calculation of the Council's Tax Base for the year 2016/17 be approved; and

(b)       That pursuant to the Head of Corporate Finance report and in accordance with the relevant regulations, the amount calculated by Thurrock Council as its Council Tax Base for the year 2016/17 shall be 48,856.

3.         To recommend that the Council:

(a)        Determines the estimated 31 March 2016 balance of the Council Tax Collection Fund to be a surplus of £1,199,312 (before distribution to major precepting authorities).

(b)       Allocates the surplus to the three main precepting bodies in proportion to their precepts for 2015/16 as follows:

(i)         Thurrock Council £1,007,909;

(ii)        Essex Police Authority £131,877; and

(iii)       Essex Fire Authority £59,526.

4.         To recommend that the Council:

(a)        Determines the estimated 31 March 2016 balance of the Business Rate Collection Fund to be a deficit of £5,761,084 (before distribution to Central Government and Essex Fire Authority).

(b)       Allocates the deficit to the three main precepting bodies in the proportion set out in legislation:

(i)         Thurrock Council £2,822,931;

(ii)        Central Government £2,880,542; and

(iii)       Essex Fire Authority £57,611.