Report attached.

Amendment by Upminster and Cranham Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 29 votes to 24; deemed motion by Administration CARRIED by 29 votes to 24.

A report of Cabinet gave details of the proposed Council Tax Support Scheme from 1 April 20196 as well as of a proposal to increase from 50% to 100% the surcharge rate of Council Tax for properties that have been empty for more than two years, with effect from 1 April 2019.

In accordance with Schedule 1A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Council was asked to consider and approve the proposed Council Tax Support Scheme to take effect from 1 April 2019. In addition to the Cabinet papers, the full proposed Council Tax Support Scheme was included in the Council agenda papers, for Members’ information.

Deemed motion on behalf of the Administration

That the report be adopted and its recommendations carried into effect.

Amendment by the Upminster and Cranham Residents’ Associations Group

That recommendations 1 and 2 of the Cabinet report be replaced with the following:

1. Given the adverse response to the consultation, along with the stated negative equality impacts on claimants, Council agrees the Council Tax Support Scheme remains unchanged for 2019/20 with a continued contribution of 15% towards the Council Tax Bills from eligible working age claimants.

2. Approve and recommend to Council an increase from 50% to 100% as a surcharge rate of Council Tax for the properties that have been empty for more than two years with effect from 1 April 2019.

Following debate, the amendment by the Upminster and Cranham Residents’ Association Group was NOT CARRIED by 29 votes to 24 (see division 2) and the deemed motion on behalf of the Administration was CARRIED by 29 votes to 24 (see division 3).

RESOLVED:

1. That the proposed Council Tax Support Scheme as summarised in Appendix C of the Cabinet report of 29 November 2018 be adopted, with effect from 1 April 2019.
2. That an increase from 50% to 100% as a surcharge rate of Council Tax for the properties that have been empty for more than two years be agreed, with effect from 1 April 2019.

Cabinet:

• Considered the responses to the Council Tax Support Scheme and Long Term Empty Homes Premium consultation
• Approved and recommend to Council the adoption of the proposed Council Tax Support Scheme as summarised in Appendix C of the report with effect from 1 April 2019.
• Approved and recommend to Council an increase from 50% to 100% as a surcharge rate of Council Tax for the properties that have been empty for more than two years with effect from 1 April 2019

Councillor Damian White, Leader of the Council, introduced the report.

The report before Cabinet set out the detail of the responses to the public consultation to change the Council Tax Support Scheme 2019 (CTS Scheme) and the Council Tax surcharge on properties empty for more than two years.

An overview  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19