Agenda item

Notice of Motion Regarding "Care Leavers and Council Tax" - Given by Councillor Alison Teal and to be seconded by Councillor Douglas Johnson

That this Council:-

 

(a)       notes that, last year, around 75 young people (aged 16 or over) left the care of Sheffield City Council and began the difficult transition out of care and into adulthood;

 

(b)       further notes that a 2016 report by The Children’s Society found that when care leavers move into independent accommodation they begin to manage their own budget fully for the first time and can find this extremely challenging, often with no family to support them and insufficient financial education;

 

(c)        further notes research from The Centre for Social Justice, which found that over half (57%) of young people leaving care have difficulty managing their money and avoiding debt when leaving care;

 

(d)       believes that as national welfare cuts are removing financial support and the national strategy on care leavers is inadequate, care leavers are a particularly vulnerable group for Council Tax debt;

 

(e)       notes that Sheffield City Council has statutory corporate parenting responsibilities towards young people up to the age of 25 who have left care;

 

(f)        further notes that there are around 440 care leavers in Sheffield liable to pay Council Tax at any one time;

 

(g)       believes that, to ensure that the transition from care to adult life is as smooth as possible, and to mitigate the chances of care leavers falling into debt as they begin to manage their own finances, they should be exempt from paying Council Tax until they are 25;

 

(h)       believes that the lost revenue of around £75,000 in Council Tax receipts is excellent value given the positive impact that exemption will have for this vulnerable group, the duty the Council has under its corporate parenting responsibilities and the savings in reduced instances of housing and social care staff input; and

 

(i)         therefore requests officers to take steps to exempt all care leavers from Council Tax up to the age of 25.

 

Minutes:

13.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Alison Teal, and formally seconded by Councillor Douglas Johnson, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       notes that, last year, around 75 young people (aged 16 or over) left the care of Sheffield City Council and began the difficult transition out of care and into adulthood;

 

 

 

(b)       further notes that a 2016 report by The Children’s Society found that when care leavers move into independent accommodation they begin to manage their own budget fully for the first time and can find this extremely challenging, often with no family to support them and insufficient financial education;

 

 

 

(c)        further notes research from The Centre for Social Justice, which found that over half (57%) of young people leaving care have difficulty managing their money and avoiding debt when leaving care;

 

 

 

(d)       believes that as national welfare cuts are removing financial support and the national strategy on care leavers is inadequate, care leavers are a particularly vulnerable group for Council Tax debt;

 

 

 

(e)        notes that Sheffield City Council has statutory corporate parenting responsibilities towards young people up to the age of 25 who have left care;

 

 

 

 

(f)        further notes that there are around 440 care leavers in Sheffield liable to pay Council Tax at any one time;

 

 

 

 

 

(g)       believes that, to ensure that the transition from care to adult life is as smooth as possible, and to mitigate the chances of care leavers falling into debt as they begin to manage their own finances, they should be exempt from paying Council Tax until they are 25;

 

 

 

 

 

(h)       believes that the lost revenue of around £75,000 in Council Tax receipts is excellent value given the positive impact that exemption will have for this vulnerable group, the duty the Council has under its corporate parenting responsibilities and the savings in reduced instances of housing and social care staff input; and

 

 

 

 

 

(i)         therefore requests officers to take steps to exempt all care leavers from Council Tax up to the age of 25.

 

 

 

 

13.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Jackie Drayton, and formally seconded by Councillor Kieran Harpham, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the addition of the following words:-

 

 

 

 

 

(a)        notes that a form of Council Tax exemption has been in place for care leavers since November 2017, through the use of the Council’s discretionary powers;

 

 

 

 

 

(b)        further notes that the Care Leaver Team support customers who receive Council Tax Support in applying for assistance from the Council Tax Hardship Scheme and that, under this Scheme, the Revenues and Benefits Client Team can reduce the care leaver’s Council Tax amount further - this allows the Council to lower or reduce an individual’s Council Tax bill to nil in appropriate circumstances;

 

 

 

 

 

(c)         notes that, not for the first time, the Green Group have their figures wrong and that, as of the end of November 2017, there were 115 care leavers who are aged under 25 who have a current Council Tax bill, and of these 115 care leavers, 91 are receiving Council Tax Support;

 

 

 

 

 

(d)        notes that what the Council has in place for care leavers currently is a bespoke deal for Council Tax Support, which attends to the individual needs, and that this arrangement is the outcome of significant consultation, working with Sheffield care leavers; and

 

 

 

 

 

(e)        reiterates that a new piece of work is already ongoing for care leavers, including measures of support for Council Tax payments, which will be formalised soon.

 

 

 

 

13.3

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

 

 

 

 

13.3.1

(NOTE: Councillors Bob Pullin, Adam Hanrahan, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Gail Smith, David Baker and Vickie Priestley voted for paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) of the amendment and abstained from voting on paragraphs (c) and (e) of the amendment, and asked for this to be recorded.)

 

 

 

 

13.4

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

 

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       notes that a form of Council Tax exemption has been in place for care leavers since November 2017, through the use of the Council’s discretionary powers;

 

 

 

(b)       further notes that the Care Leaver Team support customers who receive Council Tax Support in applying for assistance from the Council Tax Hardship Scheme and that, under this Scheme, the Revenues and Benefits Client Team can reduce the care leaver’s Council Tax amount further - this allows the Council to lower or reduce an individual’s Council Tax bill to nil in appropriate circumstances;

 

 

 

(c)        notes that, not for the first time, the Green Group have their figures wrong and that, as of the end of November 2017, there were 115 care leavers who are aged under 25 who have a current Council Tax bill, and of these 115 care leavers, 91 are receiving Council Tax Support;

 

 

 

(d)       notes that what the Council has in place for care leavers currently is a bespoke deal for Council Tax Support, which attends to the individual needs, and that this arrangement is the outcome of significant consultation, working with Sheffield care leavers; and

 

 

 

(e)       reiterates that a new piece of work is already ongoing for care leavers, including measures of support for Council Tax payments, which will be formalised soon.

 

 

 

 

 

13.4.1

(NOTE: Councillors Bob Pullin, Adam Hanrahan, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Gail Smith, David Baker and Vickie Priestley voted for paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) of the Substantive Motion and abstained from voting on paragraphs (c) and (e) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)