Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Children & Family Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/207

Contact: Diane Cameron, Policy & Performance Officer Tel: 07795 301254

Report by Deputy Director – Children’s Social Care (CA8).

This report is a draft proposed policy on establishing a joint Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers across Oxfordshire. The scheme is proposed to establish care leavers as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The Local Government Finance Act 1992 and reduce their liability for council tax payments to nil between the ages of 18-21. Further arrangements on a case-by-case basis up to the age of 25 are proposed within the draft policy. A joint Memorandum of Understanding is also proposed and a draft is attached at Annex 1.

Cabinet is asked to note the contents of a draft joint policy proposing to establish a joint Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers, and to request appropriate officers respond to it ahead of a final policy being taken to all Oxfordshire authorities’ Executives for approval ahead of implementation on 1 April 2020;

Cabinet is Recommended to approve that:

(a)       care Leavers are determined as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The Local Government Finance Act 1992;

(b)       all Oxfordshire Authorities and Thames Valley Police implement the Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers from 1 April 2020;

(c)       all Oxfordshire Authorities and Thames Valley Police are signatories to a joint Memorandum of Understanding stating the joint commitment to the proposed scheme.

Recommendations Agreed.

Cabinet had before it a draft proposed policy on establishing a joint Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers across Oxfordshire. The scheme was proposed to establish care leavers as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The Local Government Finance Act 1992 and reduce their liability for council tax payments to nil between the ages of 18-21. Further arrangements on a case-by-case basis up to the age of 25 are proposed within the draft policy. A joint Memorandum of Understanding was also proposed, and a draft is attached at Annex 1.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of the Council in moving the recommendations welcomed the proposal, particularly for those that needed as much help as possible.  He welcomed the partnership working with other councils and the police.

Councillor Stratford, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health welcomed the proposal, particularly for those young people who may not have had a good start to life. It demonstrated excellent working in partnership with the districts.

Councillor Corkin, Cabinet Member for Cherwell Partnership welcomed the innovative piece of work and the interface the scheme provided between adolescence and adult life and worked towards the preventative nature of focusing resources so that young people had good lifestyles.  He believed there was a lot more work that could be done on this area to drive prevention forward.

RESOLVED:

to note the contents of a draft joint policy proposing to establish a joint Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers, and to request appropriate officers respond to it ahead of a final policy being taken to all Oxfordshire authorities’ Executives for approval ahead of implementation on 1 April 2020;

to approve that:

(a)       care Leavers are determined as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The Local Government Finance Act 1992;

(b)       all Oxfordshire Authorities and Thames Valley Police implement the Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers from 1 April 2020;

(c)        all Oxfordshire Authorities and Thames Valley Police are signatories to a joint Memorandum of Understanding stating the joint commitment to the proposed scheme.