Date issued: 24 November 2020
On 23 November 2020, Colchester Borough Council's Cabinet agreed that its current Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme, which this year has helped 9,300 residents reduce their council tax bill and provided around £8.6million of support, should remain the same for 2021/22 – continuing to help residents through the coronavirus pandemic.
Colchester's current LCTS scheme provides a council tax reduction for residents who need additional support. The scheme is one of the most generous in Essex and aligns with the council’s Strategic Plan to aid recovery in the borough.
The 2021-22 LCTS scheme has already been considered by the council’s Scrutiny Panel and will now be discussed by Full Council on 3 December 2020, with an implementation date of 1 April 2021.
Councillor David King, Portfolio Holder for Business and Resources, said: “This year has been incredibly challenging for residents and the Local Council Tax Support scheme ensured that the most vulnerable had additional aid for the first and current national lockdown.
“Reducing the costs for 9,300 of the most deserving and vulnerable of our residents has always had support from councillors across the political spectrum and we will recommend we continue again next year, despite the economic climate.
“But this is just one part of the support we have been giving this year. We are helping businesses and those they employ. We are distributing benefits quickly, despite extra demand and our officers working from home, and frontline staff have been aiding residents who need additional support throughout the pandemic. This is a package of council support for the most vulnerable, when they are at their most low and it is great that despite a socially distanced, lonelier world we can continue to help so many.”
Page last reviewed: 24 November 2020