Borough Will Not Make Cuts To Its Council Tax Support Scheme

Published on: 13 Dec, 2014
Updated on: 13 Dec, 2014

Despite having cuts in grants and other funding, Guildford Borough Council has pledged not to make changes to its council tax support scheme for 2015.

In a statement, the council says the full council agreed at its meeting on December 9 not to make changes from April 1, “to protect those most in need”.

The lead councillor for finance and asset management, Cllr Nigel Manning, said: “We have made no significant change to the relief that we provide. This is to allow people time to adjust to the changes that have been introduced over the past two years.

“We have had a considerable reduction in government grant and other funding, and have had to make some difficult decisions about who gets financial support and how we can assist those in need. We have about £700,000 less to spend each year.

“Changes to our local council tax support scheme (LCTS) in the last two years have saved £400,000. We have met the remaining £300,000 by absorbing it into our budget – rather than passing it on to households who might struggle to cope with the reduced income – and increasing the council tax on empty properties.”

Two years ago, following widespread consultation, Guildford Borough Council introduced a new LCTS scheme. Last year it reviewed and updated it.

The council says it consulted widely again this year and made just one minor change to the scheme relating to the way the government funds the care plans of special needs children.

Recipients with special needs children’s care plans should not notice any difference in the amount of LCTS they receive.