Council Tax Guide 2012

City | Coast | Countryside

About your Council Tax 2012-13

This leaet forms part of your Council Tax Bill

...Making Every Penny Count www.lancaster.gov.uk

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Lancaster City Council – making every penny count Dear resident THE current condition of the economy – both locally and nationally – has left us all with extremely tough choices in managing our budgets.

This is not only true of our own households but public bodies such as the city council.

Late last year representatives of the district’s public services came together with businesses, organisations and individuals to discuss the future of the district in light of these issues.

Take pride in the environment... reduce, re-use, recycle

The outcomes of those conversations, as well as feedback from other sources, greatly assisted councillors.

As a result, the necessary savings have been achieved whilst, at the same time, retaining the broad range of services and there will be no increase in council tax levels.

What’s more, careful planning and budgeting has also enabled some growth in spend for areas that matter most to local people, such as funding for Police Community Support officers, apprenticeships and economic regeneration projects.

This is good news for local people, but the challenge for all of us is to ensure that the council is able to carry on providing good value for money services that are important to our communities. To ensure we can continue to make every penny count, we will continue to review what we provide and how we provide it and explore ways in which we can improve efficiency even further.

There are many ways in which all of us, as citizens, can do our bit for our communities too.

Simply wanting to in our streets, our environment, our local economy, our heritage and just as importantly, each other will go a long way in shaping the future of the district as a whole and improving the lives of those that live in it.

Last year, saw more than 17 community groups join forces with the council to tidy up their streets, play areas and parks by organising litter picks. Other local residents volunteered to get involved in Street Pride events and worked alongside the council to give nominated areas of the district a thorough clean.

This is just one example of how we can all make a difference in the coming year as well as helping to reduce the amount of money that you pay in council tax towards keeping the district clean.

In the coming pages you will read more about how the council’s budget and its portion of the Council Tax you pay will be spent in 2012/13.

Take pride in helping others.... volunteer to make a difference

I say ‘our portion’ because we don’t keep all the money you pay in Council Tax. The majority is passed on to Lancashire County Council (73%) with the Police Authority receiving 10% and the Fire Authority 4%. You can find out more about how much these authorities will be charging on page 3 of this booklet.

In real terms, households will continue to pay an average of £3.70 a week – to the city council from April 2012.

Councillor Eileen Blamire, Leader of Lancaster City Council Do you want to get involved and have your say on council services? Sign up to the council’s community consultation register and get involved in future consultations.

You can do this by emailing consultation@lancaster.gov.uk, by phoning our Consultation and Engagement Officer 01524 582268 or by visiting www.lancaster.gov.uk/haveyoursay

...Making Every Penny Count

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Council Tax 2012/13 The following chart shows the average Band D Council Tax for each of the four charging organisations, together with the percentage increase from the previous year. In addition, some parish and town councils in the district have made charges (‘precepts’) for their own expenses. Details of these charges and the Council Tax payable for city, parish and town council purposes for different bands are set out on pages 4 and 5 of this booklet.

Lancaster City Council 13% (£192.25, 0%) Fire

Change in spending between years Reasons for the net increase in the revenue budget are shown below. £M Budget requirement 2011/12

21.481

Less change in Government funding

-1.310

Add net inflation Less net reduction in services

4% (£63.65, 0%) Police 10% (£149.93, 2.5%)

Budget requirement 2012/13

0.173 -0.154 20.190

Where the money is spent The weekly cost of your local services for a Band D

Lancashire County Council property is £3.70 and a breakdown is provided below.

73% (£1,108.30, 0%)

Planned Spending 2012/13 The city council estimates that its gross revenue spending for 2012/13 will be £101.202 M. A total of £80.269M will be generated through grants, rents, interest and fees and charges, leaving net spending of £20.190M after the transfer from balances.

The Government will provide revenue support of £225K and business rates will generate £11.593M, leaving £8.363M to be raised through Council Tax after the use of Collection Fund balances.

2011/12 £M

2012/13 £M

Environmental

7.678

7.864

Highways, roads and transport

3.519

3.497

Planning and development

3.557

3.233

General Fund housing services

6.296

6.400

Cultural and related services

7.543

6.850

Revenues and benefits services

52.669

51.975

Refuse collection, recycling and street cleansing

5.597

6.251

22.160

15.132

Income

-87.538

-80.269

Total net spending on services

21.481

20.933

0.000

-0.743

21.481

20.190

Amount per person

Other services and spending

Contribution from Balances Budget Requirement Funded by: Government Support

-13.128

-11.818

£84.41

Collection Fund Balance

0.000

-0.009

£0.06

Council Tax Requirement

8.353

8.363

£84.48

...Making Every Penny Count

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Council Tax Charge Table Band A £

Band B £

Band C £

Band D £

Band E £

Band F £

Band G £

Band H £

738.87 99.95 42.43 128.17

862.01 116.61 49.51 149.53

985.16 133.27 56.58 170.89

1,108.30 149.93 63.65 192.25

1,354.59 183.25 77.79 234.97

1,600.88 216.57 91.94 277.69

1,847.17 249.88 106.08 320.42

2,216.60 299.86 127.30 384.50

Total

1,009.42

1,177.66

1,345.90

1,514.13 1,850.60

2,187.08

Area

Band A £

Band B £

Band C £

Band D £

Band E £

Band F £

Band G £

Band H £

1,009.42 1,024.06 1,022.06 1,016.62 1,020.88 1,009.42 1,021.41 1,027.97 1,024.84 1,032.64 1,022.83 1,016.61 1,029.09 1,017.20 1,026.70 1,024.56 1,047.65 1,030.55 1,022.48 1,025.32 1,025.00 1,016.88 1,027.70 1,023.67 1,018.21 1,009.42 1,016.96 1,025.98 1,024.76 1,023.70 1,021.77 1,031.96 1,022.12 1,028.40 1,020.48 1,032.82 1,017.29 1,027.05

1,177.66 1,194.75 1,192.40 1,186.07 1,191.04 1,177.66 1,191.65 1,199.30 1,195.65 1,204.76 1,193.31 1,186.05 1,200.61 1,186.74 1,197.82 1,195.32 1,222.26 1,202.31 1,192.89 1,196.21 1,195.84 1,186.37 1,198.99 1,194.29 1,187.92 1,177.66 1,186.45 1,196.99 1,195.56 1,194.33 1,192.07 1,203.96 1,192.47 1,199.81 1,190.57 1,204.97 1,186.84 1,198.23

1,345.90 1,365.43 1,362.75 1,355.51 1,361.19 1,345.90 1,361.89 1,370.64 1,366.46 1,376.87 1,363.78 1,355.49 1,372.13 1,356.28 1,368.94 1,366.09 1,396.88 1,374.08 1,363.31 1,367.10 1,366.68 1,355.85 1,370.28 1,364.90 1,357.62 1,345.90 1,355.95 1,367.99 1,366.36 1,364.95 1,362.37 1,375.96 1,362.83 1,371.21 1,360.65 1,377.11 1,356.40 1,369.41

1,514.13 1,536.10 1,533.09 1,524.94 1,531.33 1,514.13 1,532.12 1,541.96 1,537.26 1,548.97 1,534.25 1,524.92 1,543.64 1,525.81 1,540.05 1,536.84 1,571.48 1,545.83 1,533.72 1,537.98 1,537.51 1,525.33 1,541.56 1,535.51 1,527.32 1,514.13 1,525.44 1,538.98 1,537.15 1,535.56 1,532.66 1,547.95 1,533.18 1,542.61 1,530.73 1,549.24 1,525.94 1,540.58

1,850.60 1,877.45 1,873.78 1,863.81 1,871.62 1,850.60 1,872.59 1,884.62 1,878.87 1,893.18 1,875.19 1,863.79 1,886.67 1,864.88 1,882.28 1,878.36 1,920.70 1,889.35 1,874.55 1,879.75 1,879.18 1,864.29 1,884.13 1,876.73 1,866.72 1,850.60 1,864.43 1,880.97 1,878.74 1,876.79 1,873.25 1,891.94 1,873.89 1,885.41 1,870.89 1,893.51 1,865.04 1,882.93

2,187.08 2,218.82 2,214.47 2,202.70 2,211.93 2,187.08 2,213.07 2,227.28 2,220.49 2,237.41 2,216.15 2,202.67 2,229.71 2,203.96 2,224.52 2,219.89 2,269.92 2,232.87 2,215.38 2,221.53 2,220.86 2,203.26 2,226.71 2,217.97 2,206.14 2,187.08 2,203.42 2,222.98 2,220.34 2,218.04 2,213.85 2,235.94 2,214.60 2,228.22 2,211.06 2,237.80 2,204.14 2,225.29

2,523.55 2,560.16 2,555.15 2,541.56 2,552.21 2,523.55 2,553.53 2,569.93 2,562.10 2,581.61 2,557.08 2,541.53 2,572.73 2,543.01 2,566.75 2,561.40 2,619.13 2,576.38 2,556.20 2,563.30 2,562.51 2,542.21 2,569.26 2,559.18 2,545.53 2,523.55 2,542.40 2,564.96 2,561.91 2,559.26 2,554.43 2,579.91 2,555.30 2,571.01 2,551.21 2,582.06 2,543.23 2,567.63

3,028.26 3,072.20 3,066.18 3,049.88 3,062.66 3,028.26 3,064.24 3,083.92 3,074.52 3,097.94 3,068.50 3,049.84 3,087.28 3,051.62 3,080.10 3,073.68 3,142.96 3,091.66 3,067.44 3,075.96 3,075.02 3,050.66 3,083.12 3,071.02 3,054.64 3,028.26 3,050.88 3,077.96 3,074.30 3,071.12 3,065.32 3,095.90 3,066.36 3,085.22 3,061.46 3,098.48 3,051.88 3,081.16

Lancashire County Council Lancashire Police Authority Lancashire Fire Authority Lancaster City Council

Non Parished Area Arkholme-with-Cawood Bolton-le-Sands Borwick Burrow-with-Burrow Cantsfield Carnforth Caton-with-Littledale Claughton Cockerham Ellel Gressingham Halton-with-Aughton Heaton-with-Oxcliffe Hornby-with-Farleton Ireby and Leck Melling-with-Wrayton Middleton Morecambe Town Council Nether Kellet Over Kellet Over Wyresdale Overton Priest Hutton Quernmore Roeburndale Scotforth Silverdale Slyne-with-Hest Tatham Thurnham Tunstall Warton Wennington Whittington Wray-with-Botton Yealand Conyers Yealand Redmayne

2,523.55 3,028.26

...Making Every Penny Count

Figures based on a Band D property

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Previous Year £

% Difference £

1,108.30 146.27 63.65 192.25

0.0% 2.5% 0.0% 0.0%

1,510.47

0.2%

£

£

1,510.47 1,532.11 1,530.28 1,520.72 1,521.78 1,510.47 1,528.57 1,538.30 1,533.64 1,542.64 1,530.53 1,521.42 1,540.04 1,521.49 1,535.83 1,526.42 1,566.26 1,532.86 1,530.06 1,534.00 1,534.26 1,521.71 1,537.88 1,530.86 1,523.40 1,510.47 1,521.85 1,535.54 1,533.07 1,532.11 1,529.28 1,531.08 1,529.00 1,562.05 1,527.59 1,545.16 1,519.59 1,535.79

0.2% 0.3% 0.2% 0.3% 0.6% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.4% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% 0.3% 0.7% 0.3% 0.8% 0.2% 0.3% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% 0.3% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% 0.2% 0.2% 1.1% 0.3% -1.2% 0.2% 0.3% 0.4% 0.3%

Take pride in your beautiful district.... share what's on offer with your family and friends

Take pride in yourself.... get fit and healthy

Take pride in where you live... help to keep your streets clean

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About your Council Tax Council Tax is charged on most homes, whether rented or owned, lived in or not. There will be one bill per home, whether it is a house, bungalow, flat, maisonette, caravan or houseboat.

Each home is placed in a valuation band, A-H, based on the amount it would have sold for on 1 April 1991.

The Valuation Office Agency, not the council, allocates a valuation band to every home. The council uses the valuation banding to work out your Council Tax bill.

You may be able to appeal against the valuation band if: • You have moved into the property in the last 6 months; or • There has been a change in the building, or the physical state of the local area, which could reduce the value of your dwelling.

For more information write to: The Listing Officer, Council Tax North, Valuation Office Agency, King William House, Market Place, Hull, HU1 IRT Phone: 03000 501501 or visit www.voa.gov.uk The law requires that you must continue to pay your Council Tax until a decision has been reached.

Second Homes Second homes in this district are charged 90% of the full Council Tax.These are defined as furnished dwellings in which no one resides.

• Need major repairs or structural alterations to render them habitable (for up to 12 months); or • Are unfurnished empty homes (for up to six months).

Council Tax is not charged on empty homes which: • A charity owns (exempt for up to 6 months); • The person who lived in is in prison, in hospital or in a residential home; • The person who lived in has gone to live with someone else to receive care, or has moved to care for someone else; • The trustee of is waiting for probate or letters of administration to be granted; • Is subject to repossession proceedings;

If someone in your home is disabled and the property has facilities to specifically meet their needs, you may be entitled to pay less Council Tax.These facilities are: • A room other than a bathroom, kitchen or toilet, needed by the disabled person; • A second bathroom or kitchen for the disabled person; or • Sufficient space to use a wheelchair indoors.

If you think you may be entitled to any discount, exemption or relief, please contact us.

Appeals

• A student owns and was the last person to live in; • A trustee in bankruptcy is responsible for; • Nobody can live in by law; or • A minister of religion is waiting to occupy.

Discounts Full Council Tax is payable where two or more adults live in a property. If you live alone, you will be entitled to a 25% single person discount. However, you may still be entitled to a discount if someone in your household is:

If you have been refused a discount, exemption or relief or do not think you should be responsible for paying Council Tax, you can appeal to us in writing telling us why you think we have got it wrong. Our contact details are on your bill.

We will look at your case again and we might ask for more information. If we do not change our decision and you still don’t agree, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

See www.valuation-tribunals.gov.uk or contact us for details.

• A student or student nurse;

If your second home is job-related (unoccupied because you are required to live elsewhere in a property provided for you as a result of your employment), you will be charged 50% of the full Council Tax.

• An apprentice;

Properties that don’t have to pay Council Tax

• A permanent resident of a care home, nursing home or hostel;

Council Tax is not charged on homes which: • Only students live in; • Only people under 18 live in; • Only people who are severely mentally impaired live in; • Dependent relatives live in as an annexe to the main property (granny flats);

The Council has discretionary power to award a discount, subject to application, if special or exceptional circumstances apply.

• A youth training trainee; • An 18 or 19-year old who is at or has just left school; • A long-term hospital patient;

• Severely mentally impaired; • A care worker on low pay (usually working for charities); • A carer for someone with a disability who is not their husband, wife, partner or child under 18; • A member of a religious community; • In prison; or • A member of visiting forces.

Take pride in your heritage.... support your local attractions

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Take pride in the local economy.... support your local shops and businesses

If you are no longer entitled to a discount, exemption or relief, or a smaller discount should apply, you must notify us within 21 days or you may face a penalty of £70.

Paying Your Council Tax The bill we send you will tell you how much you have to pay, how much your monthly instalments are and how many instalments we have given you to pay the bill in. Details of how to make your payments are on the back of your bill.

It is important that you pay the instalments on or before the day they are due.

What if I don’t pay on time?

The action we will take if you don’t pay will be in line with Council Tax regulations and Lancaster City Council’s Code of Practice on recovery.

If you don’t pay your instalments on time we will send you a reminder. This will tell you to bring your payments up to date within seven days.

If you can't bring your payments up to date then please contact us and we will try to help you. We might be able to make an arrangement so you can pay what you owe.

If you: • Ignore the reminder; • Make an arrangement but don’t keep to it; • Don’t pay anything; or • Pay part but not all of it.

We will send you a summons for the Magistrates Court, and costs will be added to your account. You must pay the full amount shown on the summons, plus the costs, before the

date of the hearing or contact us to make an arrangement for payment if you can’t pay the full amount.

Before we will make an arrangement with you, we will ask you about your financial situation and who you work for and look at your previous payment record.You will still have to pay the summons costs and we will not cancel the court hearing, but you will not have to appear at court unless you wish to. If you do not pay the amount shown on the summons in full, plus the costs, before the hearing we will ask the magistrates to grant a liability order against you, and further additional costs will be added to your account.This order shows that you are liable for the amount of Council Tax shown on the summons and allows us to take further action to recover the money from you.

If you have made an arrangement with us we will still ask the court for the order, but we will not use the powers it gives as long as you keep to the arrangement.

After the liability order is granted we will write to you and ask you for the following information: • Details of how much you earn; • The name and address of your employer and your payroll number; • Details of any other income you get, including your partner’s income.

You must return this information to us.

If you don’t or give us false information you could be prosecuted and face a criminal record and be fined up to £1,000 by the Magistrates Court.

Once we have a liability order from the court, and there has been no contact to make arrangements to pay,

we can take strong action against you including: • Make deductions directly from your wages/salary; • Make deductions directly from your Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance; • Pass your account to the bailiffs to recover full payment. This will mean more costs being added to the debt; • Take bankruptcy proceedings against you. This is a very serious action – you could have to pay additional costs of up to £20,000 or more and lose your home; • Obtain a charging order against your property and ask the court for an order for sale.You would have to pay the council’s costs and may lose your home to pay the debt; • Ask the court to consider sending you to prison for non-payment.

We always prefer to make suitable payment arrangements, but if you don’t contact us we will be forced to choose one of the above actions to recover the debt. Council Tax regulations do not require us to use any of the above in any particular order. We will decide which is the most suitable to secure payment as quickly and effectively as possible.

If you have difficulty in paying your bills If you are having difficulty paying your bills and need independent advice, contact us and we can refer you to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau for an appointment with a money advice worker. Or you can contact them direct: Lancaster Citizens Advice Bureau 87 King Street, Lancaster, LA1 1RH Tel : 01524 66529 email: enquires@northlancashirecab.org.uk Morecambe and Heysham Citizens Advice Bureau Oban House, 87-89 Queen Street, Morecambe, LA4 5EN Tel: 01524 400400 email: enquires@northlancashirecab.org.uk You can also get independent advice from the Welfare Rights Service: Welfare Rights Service Lancaster and Wyre Area Team, White Cross, South Road, Lancaster, LA1 4XQ Tel: 08450 530013 email: lancasterwrs@lancashire.gov.uk

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How we can help you pay your Council Tax There are two ways we may be able to provide help for you to pay your Council Tax.You can claim either: 1. Council Tax Benefit or 2. Second Adult Rebate

1. Council Tax Benefit The circumstances, under which you can claim this benefit and where to make your claim, are shown below. The amount of benefit you are entitled to will depend on your income and household circumstances.

Your circumstances

Where to make a claim

On Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit or Employment Support Allowance

You can make a claim either through Jobcentre Plus or by applying directly to the council

In receipt of Pension Credit

You can make a claim via The Pension Service or by applying directly to the council

Working and on low pay including if you are selfemployed

You should make a claim directly to the council

Not working but on a low income e.g. any other income not mentioned above.

You should make a claim directly to the council.

Take up of these benefit entitlements The council is keen to improve the take up of these benefits and can offer help and advice to anyone interested in knowing more about them. In particular, the council is keen to offer advice to those people who are currently out of work and who would like to know more about benefits they may be entitled to should they have the opportunity to return to work.

You can contact the Benefits Team in any of the following ways: • By post to: Revenue Services, P.O. Box 4, Lancaster LA1 1QR • By telephoning the Benefits Team on (01524) 582965 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday • By personal visit to the Customer Service Centres at Lancaster or Morecambe Town Halls between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday • By email to benefits@lancaster.gov.uk • Customers with hearing difficulties who have a minicom machine can contact us through Typetalk on 18001 01524 582965.

Alternatively, you can visit the benefits page of the council’s website at www.lancaster.gov.uk/benefits for further information.

You can contact Jobcentre Plus by telephoning 0800 055 6688 or the Pension Service by telephoning 0800 991234.

You cannot receive Council Tax Benefit if you have savings or other capital of more than £16,000 unless you are receiving Guarantee Credit from the Pension Service (but see the section on Second Adult Rebate).

Paying by direct debit

Child Benefit, War Pensions, War Disablement Pensions and some other social security benefits such as Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance will be ignored when we are calculating how much benefit is due. It is important that you claim as soon as possible as delays in claiming may mean that you lose out on benefit you may be entitled to. If you are in any doubt as to whether you can claim, please seek advice using the contact details on this page.

Direct debit is the simplest and safest way to make payments, as well as being the most efficient and cost effective way for us to collect your Council Tax and Business Rates.

2. Second Adult Rebate If your income or savings are too high for you to receive Council Tax Benefit, you may still be entitled to up to 25% off your Council Tax bill if other adults (not partners) live with you and they are in receipt of a low income or are claiming Job Seekers Allowance or Income Support.The other adults must not be paying rent to you.

You cannot get both Council Tax Benefit and Second Adult Rebate at the same time. If you qualify for both, we will work out which is the best for you and award whichever is the highest.

All claims for Second Adult Rebate must be made directly to Lancaster City Council and you should contact us for a claim form.

Did you know it costs less than 5p to process a direct debit payment whilst payments by other methods cost over 50p more? That works out at an extra cost of collection of £5 per year per household.

If you want to pay using this method, please call us on 01524 582900 or complete and return the direct debit instruction provided on the back of your bill.

Data Protection – Fair processing of data Please be assured the council complies with the Data Protection Act 1998.This means the information you have given us will only be held and processed to help us assess and collect Council Tax, revenues and other compatible purposes, such as the detection of fraud*. This information will not be passed to anyone outside the council without lawful authority.

As an individual,you have a number of rights under the Data Protection Act 1998 and further information is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office or website www.ico.gov.uk. *National Fraud Initiative 2012/13 By law, Lancaster City Council must protect the public funds it manages and it is required to participate in the National Fraud Initiative.This is a statutory nationwide drive to crack down on the amount of public money lost each year because of fraud, and requires us to share information provided to us with other bodies responsible for auditing or managing public funds. If you would like more information on the National Fraud Initiative and Lancaster City Council's part in it, please visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/nfi or email: nfi@lancaster.gov.uk.

Photography: Andy Hockridge and Steve Pendrill

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