DECISION

1.    To note the report as agreed by Overview and Scrutiny Committee in October 2018 (Appendix one to the report).

2.    To note officers’ response to Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s findings together with the proposed action plan for implementation (Appendix two and appendix three to the report).

3.    To note the recommendations arising from the LCTRS scrutiny challenge session and agree recommendations 1,2,3,4,5 and 7.

4.    To not agree recommendation 6 arising from the LCTRS challenge session.

Action by:

ACTING CORPORATE DIRECTOR, RESOURCES (N. MURTON)

(Head of Benefit Services (S. Hill)

(Benefits and Policy Procedures Manager (L. Fearon)

This Agenda Item was taken together with Agenda Item 6.5 (Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2019-20) and the combined minute is presented here. The resolution for Item 6.5 is set out under that item in the minutes.

Councillor Candida Ronald, Cabinet Member for Resources and the Voluntary Sector, introduced the reports. She thanked Councillor Marc Francis and the Overview and Scrutiny Members for their work on this topic, helping to build understanding on the challenges that were faced. In particular she highlighted the impact of the introduction of Universal Credit and the need to communicate with residents to prepare them for the change.

Turning to the recommendations coming out of the Scrutiny session, she welcomed them with the exception of Recommendation 6 which, as set out in the cover report, she proposed should not be taken forward.

In terms of the report on the proposed changes to the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme set out at Item 6.5, she welcomed the report but proposed a change suggesting that Recommendation 5 on the two-child limit be not taken forward.

Members then discussed both reports with support given to the proposed amendment to the recommendations of Item 6.5.

The Mayor thanked everyone for their contributions, and officers for their work. He highlighted that the Council had one of the most generous discount schemes available. He noted the discussion around the recommendations of both reports. He confirmed agreement with the proposals on the cover report of Agenda Item 6.4 to not accept Recommendation 6 from the Scrutiny Review. On Agenda Item 6.5 he agreed with the proposed change to recommendations to not take Recommendation 5 forward due to the uncertainty at a national level in respect of the two-child limit rules.

He agreed both sets of recommendations allowing for those comments.

RESOVLED

1.    To note the report as agreed by Overview and Scrutiny Committee in October 2018 (Appendix one to the report).

2.    To note officers’ response to Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s findings together with the proposed action plan for implementation (Appendix two and appendix three to the report).

3.    To note the recommendations arising from the LCTRS scrutiny challenge session and agree recommendations 1,2,3,4,5 and 7.

4.    To not agree recommendation 6 arising from the LCTRS challenge session.