Issue - meetings

That:

1)         Council tax exemption or payment equivalent to council tax for those living outside the Borough be provided to Wokingham Borough Council care leavers up to the age of 21 years;

2)         additional budget of £66,160 be approved for 2018/2019 onwards for the cost of this proposal;

3)        the Council Tax Section 13A Policy be amended to include this proposal.

The Executive considered a report setting out a proposal that council tax exemption, or payment equivalent to council tax for those living outside the Borough, be provided to Care Leavers up to the age of 21 years old.

The Executive Member for Children’s Services outlined the proposals which were intended to give council tax exemption to Wokingham Borough care leavers.  Councillor Ashwell explained that all Councillors were corporate parents to the children within its care and when these children reached the age of 18 they then became care leavers.  The exemption was therefore a way to assist with the transition to care leaver.  It was noted that the Council had a statutory duty to support care leavers up to the age of 25 and it was intended to work with the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee to carry out a further review to consider if a potential sliding scale could be worked up to age 25.

 RESOLVED that:

1)         Council tax exemption or payment equivalent to council tax for those living outside the Borough be provided to Wokingham Borough Council care leavers up to the age of 21 years;

2)         additional budget of £66,160 be approved for 2018/2019 onwards for the cost of this proposal;

3)        the Council Tax Section 13A Policy be amended to include this proposal.