At Monday’s Discussion Group, Paul Howarth provided a comprehensive overview of the Chancellor’s budget, drawing on the viewpoints of the IFS, Resolution Foundation and Policy in Practice. The discussion was lively with views on how it would affect revenues and benefit departments. There is much for councils need to consider, especially how childcare provision will be treated in council tax reduction schemes. It will be up to each council to decide how this will work.
Despite the colourful soundbites, this budget was a stick-and-carrots budget. With the carrots to delivered sometime in the future.
Among the topics discussed were the retention of Business Rates, new funding for regions, and many more.
Do not forget there is still time to get your CTR scheme redrafted into clear and simple language and orders before the end of March will get a 20% discount. Contact malcolm@visionarynetwork.co.uk.
The recording: https://bit.ly/VNIRBDG230320
The slide pack is attached links to the reports and tables mentioned in the slide pack and recording can be found at https://visionarynetwork.co.uk
Here is the link to our WhatsApp group: https://bit.ly/3Qjrkqe
Please note: the slide pack holds additional slides covering other items of interest in the news and job adverts which are supplied in partnership by Business Smart (https://www.businesssmartsolutions.co.uk/).
Four benefit calculator companies, EntitledTo, Ferret, Policy in Practice, and InBest have asked you to provide them with copies of your 2023/24 Council Tax Scheme. This is to know how the schemes have changed, so they can update their online calculators. To make things easier there is a simple form to do this: https://bit.ly/CTR2324. One form for all four calculators.