Test Valley Borough Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting

Apologies were received from Councillors K Brooks, Hasselmann and Leech.

There was no public participation.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no urgent items.

Councillor Daas proposed and Councillor Macdonald seconded that the minutes of the meeting held on 5 June 2024 were a correct record.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 June 2024 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

There were no call in items.

There were no urgent decisions.

The Head of Finance and Resources explained that the Budget Panel was an import part of the Council’s budget setting process and typically meets three times a year.  The Panel reviews the previous financial year performance and to scrutinise the forecast growth including fees and charges.

Councillors Borg Neal, Gregori, Hasselmann, MacDonald and Parker indicated that they would be happy to sit on the Panel.

The Chairman informed the Committee that he had received two expressions of interest to become Lead Member for the panel.  The Chairman invited Councillor Parker and Councillor MacDonald to make a short statement.

Upon being put to the vote Councillor MacDonald was appointed Lead Member and Councillor Parker Deputy Lead Member of the Budget Panel.

Resolved:

1.  That Councillors Borg Neal, Gregori, Hasselmann, MacDonald and Parker be appointed to sit on the Budget Panel.

2.  That Councillor MacDonald be appointed as Lead Member and Councillor Parker be appointed as Deputy Lead Member of the Budget Panel.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Finance and Revenues which set out the Overview and Scrutiny Member Panel’s feedback and their recommended principles for a proposed Council Tax Support scheme for adoption in 2025/26.

The Council is required to have a Council Tax Support (CTS) scheme to assist residents with their liability to pay Council Tax. The scheme must meet the prescribed requirements published by central government for pension-age residents. Since 2013, the Council has had significant control over the design of what is now a local scheme in respect of working-age residents.

At the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting in February 2024, it was agreed that a Member Panel would be set up to review options for a CTS scheme from 2025/26.

A Panel was formed, comprising Cllrs Burnage, Cattell, Dunleavey and Matthews, led by Cllr MacDonald. Between March and June, the Panel reviewed the current CTS scheme, considered drivers for change, and agreed some recommended principles which fed into the design of three CTS models.

Following a recommendation from the Panel an additional income band has been included at the higher level but with a lower rate of support which will include more households not currently entitled to support based on their income.  The Panel also explored why those households were not benefitting in the proposed scheme.  In the majority of cases, these are households with capital exceeding £6,000.

Members considered whether £6,000 was an appropriate capital limit to be used in the proposed scheme. Universal Credit’s capital limit has a lower limit of £6,000 and an upper limit of £16,000.  The current CTS scheme has a hard limit of £6,000.  Members were keen to ensure that a new CTS scheme is aligned with the Universal Credit limits. 

Once approved by Cabinet any further changes will need to go out to public consultation and through the democratic process.

The report offered 3 Models which members reviewed and considered the impact on households, both where the level of support would increase and decrease in comparison to the current scheme. 

Resolved:

That feedback from the Member Panel relating to a review of potential options to amend the Council Tax Support scheme for 2025/26, including consideration of a suitable capital limit for the new scheme be agreed and recommended to Cabinet.

Recommended to Cabinet:

1.  Recommendations of the Panel; that a draft Council Tax Support scheme for 2025/26, based on Model 3 (para 3.10) and the principles set out in section 4 of the report be put to public consultation.

Councillor Daas proposed and Councillor MacDonald seconded the motion.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

2.  That the Council Tax Support scheme aligns with Universal Credit’s capital of £6,000 lower limit and £16,000 upper limit.

Councillor Daas proposed and Councillor Gidley seconded the motion.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

The Chairman explained that there was a new way of reporting panels which will become more detailed after discussions as the Away Day.

All existing panels will be reviewed at the Away Day.

Part of the Away Day would be to discuss Portfolio Holder reviews and how to approach these.

If there are any specific questions for the Strategic Regeneration and Partnerships (South) Portfolio Holder, who will report on the progress and plans for the Romsey Regeneration, please inform the Chairman.  Members were concerned that there is a lot going on with the strategic regeneration in the south including Citizen’s Assemblies, tenders, timelines and the Masterplan.  Members wondered if there would be adequate information available to ask questions on.  The Head of Strategy and Innovation advised that this could be discussed at the Away Day.

There are three briefing notes scheduled in the work programme and the Head of Strategy and Innovation reported that he would look at these and put dates against these.

The Head of Strategy and Innovation reported that there will be a report to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in August/October on the Council’s strategic approach to Urban Meadows.  This will be discussed at the Away Day.

Councillor Daas proposed and Councillor Gillies seconded the motion.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

Resolved:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme – July 2024, as shown in Annex 2 to the report, be approved.