Agenda and minutes

To receive any declaration of interest from any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

None to declare.

The Chair on behalf of Members and Officers extended his wishes to Councillors R Meirion Jones and Dafydd Rhys Thomas for a full recovery following ill health.

(a) To report that the Executive upon consideration of the above at its meeting on 13th January, 2014, had resolved to recommend to the County Council as follows:-

·        “To note the making of the County Council Reduction Scheme and prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations (“the Prescribed Requirements Regulations”) by the Welsh Assembly on 26th November, 2013 and the proposed making of the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Schemes)(Wales)(Amendment) Regulations by the Welsh Assembly on 14th January, 2014.

·        To note the outcome of the consultation exercise undertaken by the Council on the renewal of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2014-15.

·        To adopt the Scheme as set out in Appendix B of the report.”

(b) To submit the report of the Head of Function (Resources).

Reported by the Head of Function (Resources) - That on 27^th November, 2013, the Welsh Assembly approved two new sets of regulations: The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Default Schemes) (Wales) Regulations 2013 and the Council Tax Reduction Schemes and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2013.  These 2013 Regulations prescribe the main features of the Scheme to be adopted by all Councils in Wales for 2014-2015 onwards.

The Council for 2014/2015 was obliged to make a scheme under the requirements of the Regulations notwithstanding the fact that a default scheme would come into effect even if the Council failed to make a scheme.  The obligation was a statutory duty and applied even if the Council chose not to apply any of the discretions available to it.

As for 2013/2014, there was no additional money available from the Welsh Government to fund the discretionary elements.

The 2013 Regulations required the Authority for each financial year to consider whether to revise its scheme or to replace it with another scheme.  The Authority must make any revision or replacement no later than 31^st January in the financial year preceding the year they come into effect.

The financial implications had been outlined in the budget reports to the Executive.  The projected cost of the proposed scheme in 2014/15 was between £5.51m and £5.61m, which was £350k to £460k more than the grant of £5.15m.

A budget provision of £400k was proposed to meet this shortfall which would be monitored in budget monitoring reports to the Executive.  He did not consider the shortfall acceptable or sustainable and hoped that this message would be relayed to the Assembly.

RESOLVED

·                To note the making of The Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations (“the Prescribed Requirements Regulations”) by the Welsh Assembly on 27^th November, 2013 and the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Schemes) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (“the Amending Regulation”) by the Welsh Assembly on 14^th January, 2014).

·                To note the outcome of the consultation exercise undertaken by the Council on the introduction of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme outlined in Appendix B.

·                To adopt the Scheme as set out in Appendix A.

·                That delegated authority is given to the Head of Function (Resources) to amend the Local Council Tax Support Scheme 2014/2015 should this be required to take account of any amending regulations subsequently passed by the Welsh Assembly.

To submit the report of the Interim Head of Democratic Services.

Reported by the Interim Head of Democratic Services – That a report on the timing of Council meetings was submitted to the Council on 5^th December, 2013.

The feasibility of convening some meetings at either 4:00pm or 4:30pm had been considered by Group Leaders and SLT and was supported.  Group Leaders were recommending that arrangements be piloted in respect of the Planning and Licensing Committee and the two Scrutiny Committees.

An initial Equality Impact Assessment had also been undertaken on the likely impact of starting meetings at 4:00pm and 4:30pm, details of which were referred to at Para3.1 of the report.

RESOLVED

·                To support the convening of some meetings at 4:00pm and 4:30pm and that arrangements be discussed with the Chairs and Members of the relevant Committees and that an update report be presented to the next scheduled meeting of the Council on 27^th February, 2014.

·                To note the findings of the initial equality impact assessment;

·                That arrangements be piloted for a period of 12 months commencing in April, 2014.