Providing Support for Council Tax in Wales

This consultation seeks views on proposals for introducing new schemes in Wales to provide support for council tax once the current Council Tax Benefit system is abolished by the UK Government on 31 March 2013.

Start of consultation: 06/02/2012

End of consultation: 05/04/2012

In the Spending Review 2010, the UK Government announced that it would localise support for council tax from 2013-14 and reduce expenditure by 10 per cent.

From 31 March 2013 council tax benefit in its current form will come to an end and the provision of support for council tax and the funding associated with it, will be devolved to local authorities in England, to the Scottish Government and to the Welsh Government.

Therefore the Welsh Government must work in conjunction with local government to design and implement a new scheme in sufficient time to provide council tax support for those on low incomes or in vulnerable groups by 1^st April 2013.

This consultation sets out the policy, financial and operational considerations related to providing support for council tax in Wales and expectations about how any new scheme could operate.

The document asks for the views of local authorities, advisory groups, representative bodies, the third sector and others who may be affected by these changes, to help the Welsh Government decide on the policy and delivery options for introducing a new scheme to provide council tax support in Wales.

Your views are welcomed on all aspects of the proposed approach set out in the document, in addition to the specific questions asked.

If you are not currently entitled to council tax benefit, then nothing will change for you. If you do receive council tax benefit, there may be changes which will affect you from April 2013:

• Some changes could affect how you claim support with your council tax bill;
• Some changes could affect how much support you can claim, or whether you receive any support at all, and therefore how much council tax you are expected to pay.

This document is not about how much council tax you should pay.  It is about how a new system should be designed and operated to help those who need support to meet their council tax bill.

How to respond

Please submit your comments by 05 April 2012 in any of the following ways:

Email:

LGF1Consultations@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Post:

Joanna Valentine
Local Government Finance and Public Services Performance Division
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Any response you send us will be seen in full by Welsh Government staff dealing with the issues which this consultation is about. It may also be seen by other Welsh Government staff to help them plan future consultations.

The Welsh Government intends to publish a summary of the responses to this document. We may also publish responses in full. Normally, the name and address (or part of the address) of the person or organisation who sent the response are published with the response. This helps to show that the consultation was carried out properly. If you do not want your name or address published, please tell us this in writing when you send your response.

National Survey for Wales

In 2012, six hundred local residents will be contacted by the Welsh Government by letter asking them to take part in the National Survey for Wales. This research will involve an interviewer coming to their home, and they will randomly select one person in the household to take part in a short interview. Residents will be asked a number of questions about their quality of life and their views on local public services like health, public transport and schools.

If the interviewer calls at a time that is not convenient, they will be happy to make an appointment for another time.

The survey interviews are being carried out by two specialist research companies: TNS-BMRB and Beaufort Research Ltd. All TNS-BMRB and Beaufort Research interviewers carry a Market Research Society Interviewer Identity Card. You should not let anyone into your home if they do not show you this card.

To find out more please view the Welsh Government's National Survey for Wales www.wales.gov.uk/nationalsurvey

To contact the Welsh Government team that runs the National Survey, email surveys@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Referendum on the law-making powers of the National Assembly for Wales

3 March is your chance to have your say.


On 3 March 2011 there will be a referendum on the law-making powers of the National Assembly for Wales and Denbighshire's Counting Officer Mohammed Mehmet is urging voters in the County to be ready to have their say.

Voters that want to have their say in the referendum need to have registered to vote by Wednesday 16 February. The electoral register is updated annually and if your details have recently changed, for example if you have moved house, then you need to register with your new details if you want the opportunity to vote in the referendum on 3 March.
If you are a student, you can register at your home and term time addresses which ensures that you have a choice of where to vote on 3 March.

Mohammed Mehmet said: “Registering to vote is simple, quick and easy. You can go to www.aboutmyvote.co.uk, print off a registration form and send it us. It only takes a few minutes to secure your vote for this important event, so make sure you do so now.”

“This is also a good time to consider where you will be on 3 March and if you would find it more convenient to vote by post or by proxy, where you ask someone you trust to cast your vote for you. To do this, you will need to fill in a form, which is also available on www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
“The National Assembly for Wales is the democratically elected body that takes decisions and makes laws that affect you, so it is important that you take part in the referendum so that your voice is heard on its future”.
“The only way in which you can do this is by ensuring that you are registered to vote and that you do this by February 16.”
The Assembly has powers to make laws in 20 subject areas. In each subject area, the Assembly can make laws on some matters, but not on others. The referendum will ask voters whether the Assembly should now to be able to make laws on all matters in the 20 subject areas it has powers for.
For more information contact your local electoral services department on 01824 706101 or visit http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/

Want to try something new?

Want 2 Work is a joint initiative supported by Jobcentre Plus and the Welsh Assembly and funded by European Social Fund. We can help you to find something which will make a real difference to how you feel and what you can do such as learning a new skill, guidance and advice, gaining confidence and motivation, financial help for training, employment or self employment..
You must be 16 or over, out of work or working less than 16 hours per week and living in one of the following wards-
Rhyl East
Rhyl South West
Rhyl West
We are unable to help if you are on Jobseekers Allowance.

Want to know more - contact Sam Jones on 07760172625

New Leaflets on Mobile Phones and Health for Primary and Secondary School Pupils

Two new leaflets have now been designed to inform primary and secondary school pupils on the safe use of mobile phones. The leaflets have been developed by the Welsh Assembly Government with involvement from the Health Protection Agency, Public Health Wales, Department of Health and external child-orientated focus groups such as Funky Dragon as well as a number of schools in Wales.
100519 Mobile Primary En


100519 Mobile Secondary En

Patients set to access medical records and book GP appointments online

Health Minister Edwina Hart has announced £1.7 million of funding for a new website which will allow patients to check their medical records at the click of a mouse.

‘My Health Online’ - a bilingual NHS Wales website - will also let people order repeat prescriptions and book appointments with their GP.
Other features of the site will include advice and information to help patients manage health conditions. It will link to the existing NHS Direct Wales website.
Mrs Hart said:
“The demand for online GP services is increasing and we recognise that providing accessible information is critical if we want to enable people to change their lifestyles and improve their health.
“The Welsh Assembly Government is also committed to improving access to health services for people living in rural communities. My Health Online will particularly save lengthy journeys to GP practices.
“The website will also help empower people to take responsibility for their own health through the completion of a health diary which can be shared with their GP.”
Work will now start on developing the exact details and requirements of the website.

Did you know? ......Some local gp's including madryn house & clarence house surgery already offer an online repeat prescription ordering service from their websites

Welsh Assembly Government leading the way in planning for an ageing society

The Older People’s Wellbeing Monitor for Wales is a milestone research report that will guide the future work of the Welsh Assembly Government and its partners in planning for the demographic changes in society. See the report at http://wales.gov.uk/topics/olderpeople/research/wellbeingmonitor2009/?lang=en

National Assembly pass measure tackling child poverty

The Measure underpins the Assembly Government’s strategy which will support the UK Government’s target of eradicating child poverty by 2020. It recognises that children and families in poverty often face multiple disadvantage which requires highly specialist and intensive support. It will also strengthen regulatory enforcement in childcare settings. Read more at http://wales.gov.uk/news/latest/091110childpovertymeasure/;jsessionid=04TyK7bZnr9GKC0H9w1YL12QBCWGhwn9TvLywRqB6GFDQQZp2gpq!469745487?lang=en

Families get uniform help again

Families on low income across Wales are to be given a £100 grant towards the cost of new secondary school uniforms.
It is the fourth year of the grant scheme from the Welsh Assembly Government.
Education Minister Jane Hutt said children in poverty should not be disadvantaged.
The one-off grant is available for all pupils entering Year 7 of secondary school in Wales who are eligible for free school meals.
It is also available to pupils in special schools, special needs resource base and pupil referral units in Wales who are 11 at the start of the school year, and who are also eligible for free school meals.
The all-Wales grant scheme was introduced in June 2005 and is targeted at pupils entering secondary school - the time when parents face the biggest cost of buying uniform in one go.

Read more http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8229399.stm

Communities First ‘unlikely to deliver objectives without significant change’

Some improvement, but fundamental challenges need addressing, says Auditor General
The Welsh Assembly Government’s flagship programme to tackle poverty and deprivation in Wales has delivered local benefits but still has some fundamental risks and challenges that need addressing, according to the Auditor General for Wales. His report, published on 9th July, warns that the Communities First programme will not achieve its objectives unless the Assembly Government strengthens its approach to ‘programme bending’ – which requires public bodies to prioritise their programmes on Communities First areas.
The report acknowledges that improvements have been made to the scheme since it was launched in 2001. In the early years, there were serious weaknesses with the way Assembly Government planned and managed the programme. Since then it has made a number of improvements, for example, in the way that it distributes funds and monitors performance.

Download the report at http://www.wao.gov.uk/news_2814.asp