Agenda item

To approve the Revenues and Benefits policy framework for 2023-24.

Agreed:-

1.1    That approval is given to the Revenues and Benefits policy framework for 2023-24 as follows:

Appendix 1 - Corporate Debt Recovery Policy

Appendix 2 - Council Tax Award of Discount Policy

Appendix 3 - Council Tax Discretionary Reduction Policy

Appendix 4 - Flood Relief Policy

Appendix 5 - Discretionary Housing Payments Policy

Appendix 6 - Local Welfare Provision Policy

Appendix 7 - Non-Domestic Rate Hardship Relief Policy

Appendix 8 - Non-Domestic Rates Discretionary Rate Relief Policy

1.2    That the Director of Finance - Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources be authorised to make necessary changes to the policies during 2023-24 due to the Cost of Living crisis.

1.3    That Cabinet Recommend Council approve the Council Tax Award of Discount Policy as set out in appendix 2.

Approval was sought to the Revenues and Benefits policy framework for 2023/24.

The Chair of the Budget and Corporate Scrutiny Management Board requested a target date for when the Council was expected to have implemented a single view of a person or household’s debt.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources confirmed that officers were gathering information from services outside of Revenues and Benefits that collected debts on behalf of the council. This had given officers information on the top debtors across Council Tax, NNDR and Housing Benefit overpayments and the Council would be trialling a different approach to dealing with those who have multiple debts with the Council. However, debtor’s information was held on multiple systems which made this work very time consuming; work was underway on bringing together all of the debt information into one single view. Oracle Fusion may have provided a solution to hold debtor’s information in one place. Although it was difficult to provide an exact time frame, the work was expected to be completed within 12 months.

Reasons for recommendations

To make recommendations for the Revenues and Benefits policy framework for 2023-24.

Alternative options considered

The council was required to set out its application of areas of thelegislation which allow local application of rules. The policy framework achieved this.

Agreed:-

(1)     that approval be given to the Revenues and Benefits policy framework for 2023-24 as follows:

Corporate Debt Recovery Policy

Council Tax Award of Discount Policy

Council Tax Discretionary Reduction Policy

Flood Relief Policy

Discretionary Housing Payments Policy

Local Welfare Provision Policy

Non-Domestic Rate Hardship Relief Policy

Non-Domestic Rates Discretionary Rate Relief Policy

(2)     that the Director of Finance - Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, be authorised to make necessary changes to the policies during 2023-24 due to the Cost of Living crisis;