Issue - meetings

To consider and decide on the recommendations as set out in the associated report. 

RESOLVED – That the Tunbridge Wells Tax Base for 2022/23, as set out at in Appendix B to the report be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:  To comply with the provisions of Statutory Instruments 2012 No 2914 – The Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations. 

Jane Fineman, Head of Finance, Procurement and Parking introduced the report set out in the agenda.

Discussion and questions from Members included the following:

-       Council Tax charging commenced at the point a new property was ready for occupation. 

RESOLVED – That the Tunbridge Wells Tax Base for 2022/23, as set out at in Appendix B to the report be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:  To comply with the provisions of Statutory Instruments 2012 No 2914 – The Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations. 

To consider and provide a recommendation to Cabinet on the proposals set out in the attached report.

Jane Fineman, Head of Finance, Procurement and Parking provided a verbal update which included the following:

-       Statute dictated that the calculation of the Council Tax Base must be calculated between the 1 December and 31 January.  A report would come forward in time for the December Cabinet.

-       However, preliminary numbers had shown that the Council would achieve its forecast for new properties.  The forecast was for 647 new properties, to date there were 604 properties with a number of months still to go to the end of the financial year.

-       There had been concern that that the number of people taking up the Council Tax Reduction Scheme would increase dramatically due to the pandemic.  The situation had deteriorated over the Covid period, but had now recovered to pre-pandemic levels.  This was good news and in terms of the forecast it meant that the Council had been able to take the reduction in the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for claimants back out of the tax base.

-       The number of people claiming Single Persons Discount had gone up significantly over the last two years.  The team were now working with Revenues and Benefits to try and establish exactly what the right numbers were.   

-       At the moment the Council was forecasting an increase in the Tax Base of 2.44%.

RESOLVED – That the update be noted.