The London Borough of Harrow is set to decide whether to initiate a 12-week consultation on potential changes to the Council Tax Support (CTS) scheme for local households.
The consultation, which would begin on August 5 if approved, includes public and targeted sessions to explain the proposed changes.
Voluntary and community organisations will help ensure that a wide range of residents are reached and informed. The consultation aims to gather feedback on how the changes might impact residents before any final decisions are made.
The council is considering these changes as part of an effort to save £1.3 million annually from the CTS budget. Harrow Council projects next year’s spend on Council Tax Support to exceed £19 million, an increase of more than £5 million since 2015, with annual costs expected to rise by £0.5 million.
The report highlights the need to continue supporting Harrow’s most vulnerable residents while also proposing that those receiving CTS and able to work might be asked to contribute more. No final decisions have been made yet.
If Cabinet gives the green light, residents will be consulted on the potential impacts of the changes. The council plans to work closely with voluntary and community sectors to ensure diverse community input. All 8,200 households currently receiving CTS will be asked to participate.
The proposed changes would maintain the current level of support for the most vulnerable residents and pensioner-only households, while ensuring that all households contribute fairly to funding local services.
Households in higher banded properties (Bands E-H) may no longer receive greater levels of support than those in lower banded properties.
If the Cabinet recommends proceeding, the decision will undergo a five working day call-in period before the consultation goes live on August 5.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
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