Decision details

Council Tax legislation sets out a procedure to be followed to set the council tax each year. The stages are
i. Calculate the tax base
ii. Calculate the amount to be raised from the council tax
iii. Divide the amount to be raised by the tax base to calculate the council tax rate for the year
It is a legal requirement that the tax base is calculated and approved by 31 January each year.

Each billing authority is required to estimate the level of surplus or deficit on the Council Tax and Business Rate elements of the Collection Fund at the end of each financial year in order that these amounts can be included in the calculation of the Council Tax for the coming financial year.

These estimates must be made and notified to all precepting Authorities, by the 15 January each year (or the earliest working day before this date if it falls on a weekend). This has been completed and is included in this report for information

For Business Rates the process requires completion of the NNDR1 form which must be ‘signed-off’ by the Council and returned to the DCLG by 31 January 2018.

Council has delegated authority to the Chief Financial Officer following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance to approve the Collection Fund Surplus/ Deficit 2017/18, the Council Tax Base for the City of Southampton 2018/19, and the NNDR1 return.