Hertfordshire Labour leader calls to extend proposed council tax exemption for care leavers

Hertfordshire Labour group leader, Cllr Nigel Bell, has called for proposals to extend exemptions for care leavers from council tax.

County council budget plans – due to be voted on next Tuesday (February 13) – include the exemption for care leavers until they reach the age of 21.

But on Wednesday (February 7), Cllr Bell called for that to be extended until care leavers reach the age of 25.

This, he said, would be in line with many other local authorities. And he asked members of the children, young people and families cabinet panel to back the move they had been calling for for five years.

He said that while they had been told it was too complex, other councils had found solutions and implemented the change already.

At the meeting executive member for children, young people and families Cllr Fiona Thomson said the exemption for care leavers was something she had been committed to.

And she said it was a “positive step” and that she was pleased to be able to bring it forward for care leavers .

She acknowledged that some councils had implemented the exemption for care leavers up to the age of 21 – and others to 25.

But she said that the proposal to support young people up to 21 was within the context of the challenges of the children’s services budget as a whole.

She said that for the first year it was “an appropriate proposal”, but would be reviewed throughout the year.

She stressed that the existing proposal sat within the context of the council’s draft budget – known as the integrated plan or IP.

And as the proposal to increase the age to 25 has not been costed, she suggested it should be presented as an amendment at full council.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group Cllr Steve Jarvis said he was sympathetic to the idea but he understood the point about the totality of the IP budget.

Hertfordshire County Council’s budget for 24/25 will be determined at a meeting of the full council on Tuesday February 13.