Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Core Services introduced the annual Council Tax Base report for the 2021/22 financial year, which must be set by 31 January each year in accordance with Section 67 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

With regard to the level of Council Tax for 2021/22 that would be set by the Assembly in February 2021, the Cabinet Member advised that the Council’s latest Medium Term Financial Strategy had assumed an increase in the Council Tax base of 1.5%.  However due to Covid-19, many more residents were claiming Council Tax Support which had reduced the number of chargeable properties to the extent that, based on the Band ‘D’ properties for 2021/22 after all discounts and exemptions had been applied, the amount of Council Tax income would reduce by £0.268m compared to the previous year.  It was noted that the resultant financial pressure was likely to mean that the Council would have to consider implementing the maximum permissible increase when determining the level of Council Tax for 2021/22.

Cabinet resolved toagree that, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council as its Tax Base for the year 2021/22 shall be 50,995.71 Band ‘D’ properties.