Issue - meetings

Purpose of Report

To seek the Executive’s recommendation to the City Council of the Council Tax Base for the financial year 2023/24.

Decision

That it be recommended to the City of Lincoln Council that:

a)    It be noted that there were no special items as defined in Section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended) applicable to any part or parts of the City of Lincoln local authority area;

b)    The Chief Finance Officer’s calculation of the Council Tax Base for the financial year commencing 1 April 2023 and ending 31 March 2024, as set out in Appendix B of this report be approved;

c)    In accordance with the Chief Finance Officer’s calculation, and pursuant to the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended), that the Council Tax Base for the 2023/24 financial year be 25,249.48.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None. There was a requirement to set the Council Tax base for the City of Lincoln area for each ensuing financial year, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended). 

Reasons for the Decision

Before setting the Council Tax Base, the issue of any special items relating to a part of the Council’s area must be considered. If there were any items of expenditure that related to one part of the local authority area, then that expenditure could be levied on those residents in that area and not on others. There were no items of special expenditure for the 2023/24 financial year.

The calculation of the Council Tax Base, was based upon the number of dwellings on the Valuation List, provided by the Government’s Valuation Office. The figures were adjusted for exempt dwellings and for dwellings subject to disabled reduction. The number of chargeable dwellings in each band was further adjusted for discounts, exemptions, premiums, and Council Tax Support. The resultant figure was the total equivalent number of dwellings which were then converted using ratios into the number of Band D equivalents. For 2023/24, the equivalent number of Band D properties was calculated at 25,636.01.