Council tax support and rent freeze approved to help Hartlepool households
A full meeting of Hartlepool Borough Council unanimously approved maintaining its local council tax support scheme (LCTS) at 12% for the eight year in a row in 2021/22.
This means financially-disadvantaged working-age households will continue to only be required to make a minimum 12% contribution towards their council tax bills.
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Hide AdCouncils are required to fully protect low income pensioners eligible for LCTS support.
The recommendations backed also included setting a local welfare support budget of £200,000 for 2021/22.
A report from Chris Little, director of finance and development, last month warned there will likely be an increasing number of people claiming local council tax support due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The motion was initially recommended by the finance and policy committee last month, before being backed by all councillors on September 17.
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Hide AdCllr Shane Moore, council leader, said: “This will provide certainty for our budget planning and more importantly support the most financially vulnerable residents during 2021/22.”
It was also unanimously agreed by full council to impose another rent freeze for properties in the council’s housing revenue account (HRA) for next year.
This is estimated to provide capital investment of £3.138million, including a forecast Homes England capital grant of £1.064m, and would allow for 28 new council homes to be provided.
Cllr Moore added the investment can still be provided despite the rent freeze due to a change in Government interest rates, which will provide a boost to both the residents and the council.
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Hide AdHe said: “Because the Government has reduced interest rates for the HRA investments we are still able to invest around £3.1million, inclusive of forecast Homes England capital grants, in additional properties to help our residents and to make the HRA more financially resilient.”
Cllr Moore thanked members of the finance and policy committee for their input in the report, having also recommended the HRA plans for approval ahead of the full council meeting.
A rent freeze was also agreed for council homes last year, which meant between 13 and 19 new council properties would be expected to be provided in 2020/21, with the exact number depending on Homes England grant funding.
Currently Hartlepool Borough Council owns and manages around 300 properties after investing in social housing and reopening its housing revenue account (HRA) in 2016.