Friday
19
April
Council Tax dispensations on a case by case basis
02/04/2020 @ 10:59
There will be no blanket dispensations for Newtown residents on delaying payment of the Council Tax.
But cases will be considered on an individual basis, the council has said.
It was revealed at a a meeting of the Finance Panel that there “could not be blanket dispensations” to postpone payments.
With non-essential workers being laid off or put on holiday due to the lockdown, PowysCounty Council has issued further guidance on Council Tax.
But they have not gone as far as neighbouring authorities, Shropshire in England or Gwynedd in giving residents time before collection starts.
Last week, council tax bills were being pushed through letterboxes in the county and direct debits will start to be collected in a few days time.
At a meeting of the Finance Panel Cllr Jeremy Pugh pointed out that people who had suffered flooding in the town need a Council Tax break.
Cllr Pugh said: “I think you’ll struggle to get the council tax in this year.
“I had a meeting in Builth with people who are telling me the last thing they are looking to pay is the Council Tax.
“If you’re trying to evaluate every case, it’s going to cost you an absolute fortune in officers time.”
“A lot of people are losing their jobs, we need to have a position on whether we are or not, going to chase people?”
Finance portfolio holder, Cllr Aled Davies said that the Council would need to issue messages on the Council Tax that help is available, but stressed there would be no blanket dispensations.
Cllr Davies said; “We have to focus resources on where it is most essential.
“We cannot have a blanket dispensation to delay council tax for a few months, we cannot do that, we have to take it case by case.”
Head of Finance, Jane Thomas, added that the budget “relies on council tax.”
In 2020-21 PCC plans to spend a net budget of £269.4million with 34 per-cent of funding coming from Council Tax.
In March, a 4.8 per-cent hike to Council Tax bills was voted through, this comes on top of a 9.5 per-cent increase in 2019-20.
PCC’s Plaid Cymru group have called for Council Tax bills to be deferred with the usual two month break in payments for people who pay by direct debit, to be given at the start of the financial year rather than the end.
Non-aligned former cabinet member, Cllr Liam Fitzpatrick, has said that there should be a six months moratorium on Council Tax.
PCCs’s response to the lockdown has been to set up a new phone line to deal with financial issues.
There advice will be given on how to reduce Council Tax bills and discussing a range of benefits and grants as well as help with money management and budgeting.
You can call the new phone line on 01597 826345 or visit the council’s website for support www.powys.gov.uk/coronavirus
But cases will be considered on an individual basis, the council has said.
It was revealed at a a meeting of the Finance Panel that there “could not be blanket dispensations” to postpone payments.With non-essential workers being laid off or put on holiday due to the lockdown, PowysCounty Council has issued further guidance on Council Tax.
But they have not gone as far as neighbouring authorities, Shropshire in England or Gwynedd in giving residents time before collection starts.
Last week, council tax bills were being pushed through letterboxes in the county and direct debits will start to be collected in a few days time.
At a meeting of the Finance Panel Cllr Jeremy Pugh pointed out that people who had suffered flooding in the town need a Council Tax break.
Cllr Pugh said: “I think you’ll struggle to get the council tax in this year.
“I had a meeting in Builth with people who are telling me the last thing they are looking to pay is the Council Tax.
“If you’re trying to evaluate every case, it’s going to cost you an absolute fortune in officers time.”
“A lot of people are losing their jobs, we need to have a position on whether we are or not, going to chase people?”
Finance portfolio holder, Cllr Aled Davies said that the Council would need to issue messages on the Council Tax that help is available, but stressed there would be no blanket dispensations.
Cllr Davies said; “We have to focus resources on where it is most essential.
“We cannot have a blanket dispensation to delay council tax for a few months, we cannot do that, we have to take it case by case.”
Head of Finance, Jane Thomas, added that the budget “relies on council tax.”
In 2020-21 PCC plans to spend a net budget of £269.4million with 34 per-cent of funding coming from Council Tax.
In March, a 4.8 per-cent hike to Council Tax bills was voted through, this comes on top of a 9.5 per-cent increase in 2019-20.
PCC’s Plaid Cymru group have called for Council Tax bills to be deferred with the usual two month break in payments for people who pay by direct debit, to be given at the start of the financial year rather than the end.
Non-aligned former cabinet member, Cllr Liam Fitzpatrick, has said that there should be a six months moratorium on Council Tax.
PCCs’s response to the lockdown has been to set up a new phone line to deal with financial issues.
There advice will be given on how to reduce Council Tax bills and discussing a range of benefits and grants as well as help with money management and budgeting.
You can call the new phone line on 01597 826345 or visit the council’s website for support www.powys.gov.uk/coronavirus
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service
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