Forward plan

Urgent item for Cabinet: Energy Rebate - Non-Discretionary and Discretionary Scheme

Decision maker:  Cabinet

Decision:   7 Mar 2022

Lead officer:  Peter Cosgrove

Decision status:  Recommendations Approved

Notice of proposed decision first published: 25/02/2022

Reason for urgency:
The government announced its Energy Rebate scheme for council taxpayers on 3 February. Regulations were announced on 11 February and these were used for a report to Council on 24 February that agreed an amendment to the Council Tax Support Scheme whereby income form the Energy Rebate is disregarded. The Energy Rebate scheme also requires Council to have in place a discretionary scheme, but the required government guidance for the discretionary scheme was not published until Thursday 23 February. There was therefore insufficient time for notice of this decision to be included on the previous Forward Plan and a decision is required by Cabinet on 7 March 22 as it is not possible to delay the creation of a discretionary scheme until the April meeting given the need to support residents as soon as possible. As it is possible to provide at least 5 days advance notice the general exception urgency process has been followed to enable notice of the decision to be provided.