Purpose

To consider and recommend to Full Council the
council tax support scheme for 2026

Content

The purpose of the report was
to ask Cabinet to consider and recommend to Full Council the
revised Council Tax Support Scheme for the financial year
2026/2027.
 
Councillor Patrick Coleman,
Cabinet Member for Finance, introduced the report.
Councillor Coleman suggested
that the recommendation for delegation be a separate point, the
original two recommendations were split into three, no further
amendments made.
The resulting three
recommendations were proposed by Councillor Patrick Coleman and
seconded by Councillor Mike Evemy. 
 
RESOLVED that Cabinet recommend
to Council to
 

1.   
Agree the increase to income bands as detailed within paragraphs
3.2, 3.3 and Annex A of this report from 1 April 2026.

2.   
Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151
Officer, in Consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, to
amend the income bands by the September 2025 CPI rate due to be
published on 22 October 2025, should this be different to the
assumed increase set out in the report and annex A.

3.   
Agree that any balance remaining in the earmarked reserve
‘Hardship Fund’ be made available in 2026/27 financial
year for reasons detailed in paragraphs 3.6 and 3.7 of the
report.
 
Voting Record:
7 For, 0 Against, 0
Abstentions