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Councillor Liz Leyshon proposed the
recommendations, which were seconded by Councillor Bill Revans.
 
Having been duly proposed and seconded, the
Council Resolved to:-

1)   
Agree and approve the increase to income band thresholds by the
September 2024 CPI rate of 1.7% in line with the percentage
increase to state benefits as implemented by the Department for
Work and Pensions (DWP).

2)   
Agree for the Leader to write to the Minister for Local Government
to explore the case for Somerset Council’s Council Tax to be
raised by more than the referendum limit, due to Exceptional
Financial Support, low Council Tax base and rate, increasing
demand, and taking into account Government’s requirement that
plans be in place to protect vulnerable people.

3)   
Agree and approve the CTR and associated EH scheme for 2025/26 as
set out in this paper.

4)   
Conditional upon the Local Government Financial Settlement, and
associated Household Support Fund announcement, this Council commit
itself to:
1.   
Further increased support to the Exceptional Hardship fund to
target help at those impacted by those changes - with particular
attention given to households identified as disproportionately
affected.
2.   
Include details regarding information and signposting to additional
support through both council tax billing documents and through
making additional contact with every impacted household.
The Council further agree that,
should additional funding capacity become available and the budget
balanced in a sustainable way, the impact of those changes would be
addressed to minimise or if possible remove them through the
provision of a one-off grant or similar.