The Cabinet made appointments to several of its outside bodies following the recent change of leadership and agreed to retain its existing Localised Council Tax Support scheme. Members also received updates on the council's financial performance and strategic risks.

Appointments to Outside Bodies

The Cabinet considered a report on proposed appointments to its outside bodies and partnerships following the resignation of Councillor Philip Black as Leader and the changes to its political makeup. Councillors were reminded that those nominated were representing the views of the Cabinet and that appointments should be aligned to individual Cabinet Members’ portfolios. The Cabinet unanimously resolved to agree the appointments as set out in appendix 1 to the report.

Localised Council Tax Support

The Cabinet considered a report on the existing Localised Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme. The report, from the council's Assistant Director (Head of Revenues and Benefits), set out two options: retaining the existing scheme or amending it to reduce entitlement.

Lancaster's LCTS scheme was first introduced in 2013, following the abolition of the national Council Tax Benefit system. It provides support for residents on low incomes to help them pay their Council Tax. Pensioners are fully protected from any changes, as are vulnerable groups. The report stated that under the existing scheme,

if entitled, a claimant would receive 100% support to cover their council tax bill. Of the 333 schemes in operation nationally, currently the Council is one of a few Councils that still provides full levels of Council Tax Support for working age claimants, depending on their circumstances.

The officer preferred option was to retain the existing scheme, given that

it is considered soundly structured and works well, and offers maximum support for low-income families, who may otherwise find themselves in mounting debt.

The alternative option of reducing entitlement for working age claimants was not recommended, as it

will have greater adverse financial impact on working age households but would help protect other Council services by requiring less savings to be made by them.

The report acknowledged that although retaining the existing scheme would help those on low incomes,

the Government does not fully fund the cost of a 100% LCTS scheme. The additional cost falls on Lancaster City Council and the other precepting authorities.

After consideration, the Cabinet unanimously agreed to retain the existing LCTS scheme for 2025/26. The decision will now be referred to the full council for formal approval.

Delivering Our Priorities - Quarter 2 2024/25

The Cabinet considered a report from the Chief Executive and s151 Officer¹ on the council's financial performance during the first two quarters of 2024/25. The report highlighted that an underspend of £0.444M was projected against the Council’s original approved net revenue budget of £25.008M and that

[t]he latest position suggests that the projected net amount contributed to reserves in respect of general fund activities will be £0.694M.

The Cabinet noted the report.

Projects and Performance

The Cabinet received an update from the Chief Executive on performance and projects for the quarter. The report highlighted a reduction in the number of people deemed statutorily homeless, and also a reduction in staff sickness absence.

The report also summarised progress on the council's strategic projects, showing that most projects are progressing as planned, and that the Mellishaw Park project had been completed.

The Cabinet noted the report.

Strategic Risk Register

The Cabinet received an update on the council’s Strategic Risk Register, which is a list of the most significant risks facing the council.

A summary of the main changes to the register since the previous quarter were presented, including:

• The closure of risk SR25 (LCC Property Portfolio (non housing) does not meet health and safety compliance obligations), as compliance has now improved, with regular monitoring taking place and requirements being factored into the budget-setting process.
• The reclassification of risk SR06, relating to the Council's climate change commitments. The risk had been reclassified from being categorised as 'People' and 'Financial' to 'Strategy' and 'Project / Programme'.

The Cabinet noted the report.