Localising support for council tax: new rightsnet resource

hi ...

just to share with you that we’re working on a new resource to help keep us all up to date as local authorities prepare for the launch of localised council tax support schemes from april 2013

as you know, councils need to publish their new schemes by 31 january 2013, and are beginning to consult on their draft plans ... so we’ve been populating the new resource with links to the consultations that have been launched thus far (let us know if you’re aware of one that we don’t yet have)

then, later in the year, we’ll be adding links to each council’s scheme as they’re published, so that we have access to all of them in one place ... which is when we hope the resource will really come into its own

hope that will be useful going forwards .. let us know if you think there’s anything extra we could be adding in at this stage

you can check out where we’ve got to thus far in the toolkit area of rightsnet @

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/toolkit/council_tax_support

best wishes - shawn

Are you going to include Wales and Scotland?

Shawn, this is very impressive - I guess it’s going to be a lot of work to keep up to date.

You could add placeholders for Arun, East Devon and East Dorset DCs (though I don’t think any of them have formally launched their consultations online yet) and i think Banbridge is in NI?

Gareth, do you know if the (draft) regulations for the all-Wales LCTS scheme are any nearer seeing the light of day?

Jon

No, nor did the Revs and Bens chief I met yesterday.

You can add Basingstoke to the list of councils with a consultation (home page of council’s website)

Thanks very much for all of your feedback.

We have amended the list of councils and added Basingstoke’s consultation as suggested.

We will be adding some further information about Wales and Scotland -

although neither government has set out its firm proposals for council tax support from April 2013, the Welsh Assembly has said that it will operate a national scheme and the Scottish Government has said that, in association with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, it will provide the £40m needed to cover the 10 per cent cut in funding for support in Scotland.

cheers Ros

bolton and north east lincolnshire have launched consultations today ... both added to new page

Chesterfield has a pre-consultation page advising that consulatation begins on 2.9.12

see:  http://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/-Council-Tax-Support-Scheme—-Have-Your-Say!/-Council-Tax-Support-Scheme—-Have-Your-Say!-890-927.html

I’m not sure Derbyshire should be on the list as it is second tier and does not administer council tax benefit

cheers tony ... have added/deleted

(also spotted some other rogue shires that had also crept in!)

Elmbridge, Surrey - http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/documents/detail.htm?pk_document=22068

thanks very much - i’ve added the elmbridge consultation to toolkit.

cheers ros

Redcar & Cleveland

http://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/proposedchangestocounciltax

thanks very much juanita -

i’ve added the redcar and cleveland consultation to toolkit.

cheers ros