Issue - meetings
Council tax reduction scheme grant to towns and parishes
Meeting: 11/12/2014 - Council (Item 37)
37 Council tax reduction scheme grant to towns and parishes 
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(Cabinet member responsible: Mr W Hall)
Cabinet, at its meeting on 4 December 2014, will consider a report on the amount of council tax reduction scheme grant that will be passed down to town and parish councils for 2015/16.
The report of the Head of Finance, which Cabinet will consider on 4 December is attached.
The recommendations of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 5 December.
Minutes:
Council considered Cabinet’s recommendations, made at its meeting on 4 December 2014, on the council tax reduction scheme grant to towns and parishes for 2015/16.
Whilst councillors supported the proposal to pass the whole grant on to town and parish councils a number did not support the proposed review of the methodology to assess the impact of the council tax reduction scheme on parish precepts. The view was expressed that the district council should not interfere in the level of precept set by parish councils.
RESOLVED:
(a) that the total council tax reduction scheme grant to be passed down to town and parish councils for 2015/16 be £179,352;
(b) that a review of the methodology for determining the total amount of grant for town and parish councils be undertaken during 2015/16 to assess the impact of the council tax reduction scheme on parish precepts; and
(c) that the individual grant amounts for towns and parishes be as set out in appendix 1 to the report of the head of finance to Cabinet on 4 December 2014.
Meeting: 04/12/2014 - Cabinet (Item 19)
19 Council tax reduction scheme grant to towns and parishes PDF 100 KB
To consider the head of finance’s report.
Minutes:
Cabinet considered the head of finance’s report on the amount of council tax reduction scheme grant to be passed on to town and parish councils. Cabinet was asked to make a recommendation to Council.
The council received an annual grant from the government which could be passed on to town and parish councils to mitigate the impact of the council tax reduction scheme on their tax bases. Passing on the grant could help keep down the town and parish element of council tax bills.
David Turner, the chairman of the Scrutiny Committee, supported the proposal to pass the whole grant on to town and parish councils but asked Cabinet to advise towns and parishes that this grant might reduce in future years and should not be relied on year on year.
Cabinet noted that in December 2013, the government had announced an indicative amount that could be passed on to town and parish councils. Using the methodology adopted for 2014/15, officers estimated that the figure for 2015/16 would be £179,352.
Cabinet considered that the whole grant should be passed on to town and parish councils. This would mitigate the impact on parish precepts. At the same time, Cabinet considered that towns and parishes should be advised that this level of grant was likely to reduce and should not be relied on to keep parish precepts low in future years. In the new financial year, Cabinet would review the methodology to allocate the grant from 2016 onwards.
RESOLVED: to recommend Council
(a) that the total council tax reduction scheme grant to be passed down to town and parish councils for 2015/16 be £179,352;
(b) that a review of the methodology for determining the total amount of grant for town and parish councils be undertaken during 2015/16 to assess the impact of the council tax reduction scheme on parish precepts; and
(c) that the individual grant amounts for towns and parishes are as set out in appendix 1 to the report of the head of finance to Cabinet on 4 December 2014.