Dover District Council

Your Council Tax

2021/22

Dover District Council, Kent County Council, The Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent and Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority together deliver most of the local services in your area. Your local parish or town council also provides some local services.

The Council Tax you pay is collected by Dover District Council on behalf of all the above authorities. The total amount is then divided between these authorities.

Dover District Council Council Tax Section Email: [email protected] dover.gov.uk/counciltax

Phone: 01304 872199 Where your Council Tax goes 2021/22

Council Tax breakdown by band (excluding parish precepts)

The Police and Crime Kent & Medway Total Council Tax Kent County Dover District Commissioner for Fire and Rescue (excluding parish Council Council Kent Authority precepts) House Band £ £ £ £ £

A 945.84 131.46 145.43 53.88 1,276.61

B 1,103.48 153.37 169.67 62.86 1,489.38

C 1,261.12 175.28 193.91 71.84 1,702.15

D 1,418.76 197.19 218.15 80.82 1,914.92

E 1,734.04 241.01 266.63 98.78 2,340.46

F 2,049.32 284.83 315.11 116.74 2,766.00

G 2,364.60 328.65 363.58 134.70 3,191.53

H 2,837.52 394.38 436.30 161.64 3,829.84

Council Tax percentage breakdown

Does everyone pay the same amount of Council Tax?

How much you pay depends on:

• the Council Tax ‘band’ your home is put in • the town or parish you live in • if your home is occupied by less than two adults • if you are entitled to any reductions, exemptions, discounts or Council Tax Support that can help reduce your Council Tax payments.

What band is my home in?

The band for your home is printed on your bill. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) values domestic properties for council tax. This valuation is used to set your council tax band. You might need to contact the VOA if you think your council tax band is wrong.

The Council Tax banding letters A – H shown in the banding table below, are based on the capital value or selling price of your property as it would have been on 1 April 1991.

The Valuation Office Agency places every home into one of the following bands:

Valuation band range of values

Band A Up to and including £40,000

Band B £40,001 - £52,000

Band C £52,001 – £68,000

Band D £68,001 - £88,000

Band E £88,001 – £120,000

Band F £120,001 – £160,000

Band G £160,001 - £320,000

Band H More than £320,000

What if I think my Council Tax band is wrong?

You need to contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and ask to have the banding reviewed. You can find out more about when you can challenge your band and what you need to do at gov.uk/challenge-council- tax-band. If you challenge your band, you must continue to pay council tax at your current band until your appeal is decided. You can contact the VOA at gov.uk/contact-voa

If you are unable to use the online service you can also contact the VOA on 03000 501 501.

Do bear in mind that band A is the lowest band. If your home is in band A, the band cannot be reduced further. You may, however, be entitled to a reduction on your bill – see our Council Tax discounts section. Council Tax charges 2021/22

Council Tax has to be paid for most homes, whether rented or owned, lived in or not. The actual amount you pay depends on the band your property has been given and your personal circumstances. The table below shows the amount payable for each band in Dover for 2021/22:

Area Band A Band B Band C Band D Band E Band F Band G Band H £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Alkham 1,305.43 1,523.00 1,740.58 1,958.15 2,393.30 2,828.44 3,263.58 3,916.30 Ash 1,323.89 1,544.54 1,765.19 1,985.84 2,427.14 2,868.44 3,309.73 3,971.68 Aylesham 1,323.76 1,544.39 1,765.02 1,985.65 2,426.91 2,868.17 3,309.41 3,971.30 Capel-le-Ferne 1,323.82 1,544.45 1,765.09 1,985.73 2,427.01 2,868.28 3,309.55 3,971.46 Deal 1,316.25 1,535.63 1,755.00 1,974.38 2,413.13 2,851.89 3,290.63 3,948.76 Denton-with-Wootton 1,326.06 1,547.08 1,768.09 1,989.10 2,431.12 2,873.15 3,315.16 3,978.20 Dover 1,344.50 1,568.58 1,792.67 2,016.75 2,464.92 2,913.09 3,361.25 4,033.50 Eastry 1,323.35 1,543.91 1,764.47 1,985.03 2,426.15 2,867.27 3,308.38 3,970.06 Eythorne 1,313.90 1,532.89 1,751.87 1,970.86 2,408.83 2,846.80 3,284.76 3,941.72 Goodnestone 1,303.33 1,520.55 1,737.78 1,955.00 2,389.45 2,823.89 3,258.33 3,910.00 Great Mongeham 1,299.30 1,515.86 1,732.41 1,948.96 2,382.06 2,815.17 3,248.26 3,897.92 Guston 1,345.35 1,569.58 1,793.80 2,018.03 2,466.48 2,914.94 3,363.38 4,036.06 Hougham-without 1,315.56 1,534.82 1,754.08 1,973.34 2,411.86 2,850.38 3,288.90 3,946.68 Langdon 1,318.08 1,537.77 1,757.45 1,977.13 2,416.49 2,855.86 3,295.21 3,954.26 Lydden 1,320.04 1,540.04 1,760.05 1,980.06 2,420.08 2,860.09 3,300.10 3,960.12 Nonington 1,297.08 1,513.26 1,729.44 1,945.62 2,377.98 2,810.34 3,242.70 3,891.24 Northbourne 1,304.22 1,521.59 1,738.96 1,956.33 2,391.07 2,825.81 3,260.55 3,912.66 Preston 1,313.00 1,531.83 1,750.67 1,969.50 2,407.17 2,844.84 3,282.50 3,939.00 Ringwould-with- Kingsdown 1,304.95 1,522.44 1,739.94 1,957.43 2,392.42 2,827.40 3,262.38 3,914.86 Ripple 1,297.94 1,514.27 1,730.59 1,946.92 2,379.57 2,812.22 3,244.86 3,893.84 River 1,305.83 1,523.47 1,741.11 1,958.75 2,394.03 2,829.31 3,264.58 3,917.50 St Margarets-at-Cliffe 1,322.62 1,543.05 1,763.49 1,983.93 2,424.81 2,865.68 3,306.55 3,967.86 Sandwich 1,367.25 1,595.13 1,823.00 2,050.88 2,506.63 2,962.39 3,418.13 4,101.76 Shepherdswell-with- Coldred 1,316.52 1,535.94 1,755.36 1,974.78 2,413.62 2,852.46 3,291.30 3,949.56 Sholden 1,309.96 1,528.29 1,746.62 1,964.95 2,401.61 2,838.27 3,274.91 3,929.90 Staple 1,299.24 1,515.79 1,732.33 1,948.87 2,381.95 2,815.04 3,248.11 3,897.74 Stourmouth 1,319.00 1,538.84 1,758.67 1,978.51 2,418.18 2,857.85 3,297.51 3,957.02 Sutton-by-Dover 1,305.08 1,522.60 1,740.11 1,957.63 2,392.66 2,827.69 3,262.71 3,915.26 Temple Ewell 1,303.60 1,520.87 1,738.14 1,955.41 2,389.95 2,824.49 3,259.01 3,910.82 Tilmanstone 1,307.06 1,524.90 1,742.75 1,960.59 2,396.28 2,831.97 3,267.65 3,921.18 Walmer 1,315.33 1,534.55 1,753.78 1,973.00 2,411.45 2,849.89 3,288.33 3,946.00 Whitfield 1,314.29 1,533.34 1,752.39 1,971.44 2,409.54 2,847.64 3,285.73 3,942.88 Wingham 1,324.09 1,544.77 1,765.46 1,986.14 2,427.51 2,868.87 3,310.23 3,972.28 Woodnesborough 1,305.90 1,523.55 1,741.20 1,958.85 2,394.15 2,829.45 3,264.75 3,917.70 Worth 1,310.52 1,528.94 1,747.36 1,965.78 2,402.62 2,839.46 3,276.30 3,931.56 What do the council’s services cost to run?

The net budget requirement for 2021/22 is estimated at £17,782k, an increase of £53k (0.4%) on last year’s forecast. The council will finance the £500k deficit in 2021/22 from its General Fund balance. Its Band D Council Tax has increased by £4.95 for the year, which is less than 10 pence per week.

Budget Forecast Gross Total Net cost Net cost Expenditure Income 21/22 20/21 Dover District Council £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 Central Services to the Public (incl. Council Tax & Business Rates Collection Costs) 2,887 -1,143 1,744 1,947 Cultural and Related Services 5,349 -1,660 3,689 4,460 Environmental and Regulatory Services 15,246 -7,870 7,376 6,311 Planning and Development Services 4,751 -2,040 2,711 3,209

Highways and Transport Services 1,684 -2,718 -1,034 -953

Housing Services (Housing Benefits & Non- HRA Private Housing) 30,850 -27,525 3,325 4,060 Corporate and Democratic Costs 2,206 -160 2,046 2,143 Public Health 26 - 26 23 Non-Distributed Costs 1,734 -75 1,659 820 Contributions to/-from Balances 607 - 607 1,672 Interest and Investment Income - -1,673 -1,673 -1,750 Other Financial Items/ Adjustments -1,569 -1,125 -2,694 -4,213 Total: General Fund 63,771 -45,989 17,782 17,729 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 21,398 -21,398 - - Totals 2021/22 85,169 -67,387 17,782 17,729 2020/21 Comparison 91,153 -73,424 17,729

Calculation of Council Tax Income 2021/22 £’000

Planned spending 2021/22 85,169 Less, income 2021/22 -67,387 Net cost of services 17,782 Less, from the Government and Business Rates Payers –

Revenue Support / Lower Tier Services Grant -418 Business Rates Share -7,344 New Homes Bonus Grant -990 Covid 19 Funding -1,301 Collection Fund Surplus -40

Remaining amount to collect as Council Tax 7,689 How is my 2021/22 Council Tax worked out? The Council Tax for Dover District Council is worked out by looking at what money is needed to run the services we provide, based on what we have set as our budget for the coming year.

The total amount of Council Tax we need to collect is identified as the difference between the budget we need and the money we already have to spend on services. This is shown in the table below:

Budget Summary 2021/22 2020/21 Budget Budget Difference £’000 £’000 % Net Budget 2020/21 17,729 Inflation 505 Net increases in income/grants (see notes below) -590 Net contribution to reserves & balances (see notes below) -1,058 One-offs (see notes below) 1,895 Growth (see notes below) 1,317 Identified savings (see notes below) -2,016 Net Budget 2021/22 17,782 17,729 0.30% Less: Funding: Business Rates Share 7,344 8,342 -11.95% Government Revenue Support & Other Grants 418 67 533.24% New Homes Bonus Grant 990 1,733 -42.90% Covid Grants 1,301 0 Collection Fund Deficit 40 84 Total Funding 10,093 10,226 -1.36% Expenditure to be met by Council Tax payers 7,689 7,503 2.57% Divided by equivalent number of Band D properties 38,993.94 39,029.75 -0.09% £ £ % Dover Tax level (Band D) 197.19 192.24 2.57% Add: Kent County Council precept 1,418.76 1,351.26 5.00% The Police & Crime Commissioner for Kent precept 218.15 203.15 7.38% Kent & Medway Fire and Rescue Authority precept 80.82 79.29 1.93% Council Tax level (Band D) 1,914.92 1,825.94 4.87%

Notes: • Includes increase in Green Waste & Development Control income and increased funding for Homelessness. • Includes £0.5m application of balances to finance forecast deficit due to pressures from Covid 19. • Allowance for additional pressures and reduction in income streams from the impact of Covid 19. • Includes additional costs from contract renewals. • Target savings and income generation to offset pressures faced from Covid 19.

Parish Council charges 2021/22

All areas within Dover have parish or town councils and they also ask Dover District Council to collect their “precepts”. These precepts are calculated by the parish or town councils and then divided up as shown below.

Tax Base Precept Band D Band D 2021/22 2021/22 2021/22 2020/21 Increase Increase Area No. £ £ £ £ % Alkham 303.93 13,138.00 43.23 42.33 0.90 2.13% Ash 1,177.32 83,500.00 70.92 71.91 -0.99 -1.38% Aylesham 1,567.16 110,845.23 70.73 70.73 0.00 0.00% Capel-le-Ferne 677.79 47,993.00 70.81 62.17 8.64 13.90% Deal 6,763.64 402,166.03 59.46 58.01 1.45 2.50% Denton-with-Wootton 177.95 13,200.00 74.18 74.36 -0.18 -0.24% Dover 8,162.52 831,200.00 101.83 96.98 4.85 5.00% Eastry 807.20 56,592.79 70.11 68.75 1.36 1.98% Eythorne 793.06 44,365.00 55.94 55.28 0.66 1.19% Goodnestone 173.63 6,959.09 40.08 41.11 -1.03 -2.51% Great Mongeham 271.50 9,241.86 34.04 33.38 0.66 1.98% Guston 417.05 43,000.00 103.11 106.02 -2.91 -2.74% Hougham–without 179.72 10,500.00 58.42 58.11 0.31 0.53% Langdon 237.42 14,770.00 62.21 62.21 0.00 0.00% Lydden 260.97 17,000.00 65.14 65.86 -0.72 -1.09% Nonington 293.20 9,000.00 30.70 30.51 0.19 0.62% Northbourne 277.73 11,500.00 41.41 41.51 -0.10 -0.24% Preston 384.78 21,000.00 54.58 51.45 3.13 6.08% Ringwould-with-Kingsdown 1,025.62 43,600.00 42.51 42.44 0.07 0.16% Ripple 142.39 4,556.48 32.00 30.40 1.60 5.26% River 1,487.93 65,215.00 43.83 43.83 0.00 0.00% St Margarets–at–Cliffe 1,299.06 89,648.13 69.01 69.03 -0.02 -0.03% Sandwich 1,939.66 263,709.66 135.96 123.55 12.41 10.04% Shepherdswell-with-Coldred 766.76 45,900.00 59.86 59.96 -0.10 -0.17% Sholden 722.01 36,122.16 50.03 50.03 0.00 0.00% Staple 232.32 7,887.89 33.95 33.87 0.08 0.24% Stourmouth 117.02 7,441.00 63.59 61.15 2.44 3.99% Sutton–by–Dover 307.89 13,149.00 42.71 42.32 0.39 0.92% Temple Ewell 666.71 26,996.00 40.49 40.78 -0.29 -0.71% Tilmanstone 159.70 7,294.00 45.67 43.93 1.74 3.96% Walmer 3,385.65 196,641.00 58.08 48.66 9.42 19.36% Whitfield 2,079.88 117,550.00 56.52 57.37 -0.85 -1.48% Wingham 749.80 53,399.48 71.22 78.34 -7.12 -9.09% Woodnesborough 494.80 21,736.56 43.93 43.08 0.85 1.97% Worth 490.17 24,930.05 50.86 50.86 0.00 0.00% TOTAL /Average 38,993.94 2,771,747.41 71.08 68.45 2.63 3.84%

Parish Council charges 2021/22 (continued)

For more information about parish or town council’s budgets and activities, please contact your parish clerk. You can find their contact details on our website dover.gov.uk

The following town councils intend to raise more than £140,000 through Council Tax for the financial year 2021/22.

Deal Dover Sandwich Town Walmer Parish Town Council Town Council Council Council £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 Nature reserves, Allotments & Recreation 3 74 0 16 Grants awarded 32 49 0 5 Tourism & Regeneration (4) 103 15 30 Public conveniences 32 10 21 25 Other services 409 616 209 106 Transferred to/(from) balances (70) (21) 19 2 Precept 402 831 264 184

Council Tax discounts

Only one adult lives in my property – what discounts apply to me?

The amount of Council Tax due, based on your band, is also based on at least two adults living in a property as their main home. When we say ‘adult’ we mean a person over the age of 18. People under 18 years old are not counted for Council Tax. You should contact us about a discount if there are not two adults living in your property.

The most common discount is a ‘single occupier discount’. This is where only one adult lives in a property as their only or main home. This discount gives a 25% reduction on the full Council Tax.

Other Council Tax discounts and exemptions

There are other discounts and exemptions that can apply to certain people or types of properties. Some people are not counted for Council Tax purposes, such as full-time students. Here are examples of the personal circumstances that could affect how much Council Tax you pay:

• full-time students, student nurses, apprentices or youth trainees • people residing permanently in hospital or care homes • severely mentally impaired people • people aged 18 and 19 years, who are at or have just left school • people caring for someone with a disability who is not a spouse, partner or child under 18 • people who have been detained (unless imprisoned for non-payment of Council Tax or a fine) • people in respect of whom Child Benefit is payable

If all but one of the adults is not counted (are disregarded) for Council Tax purposes a 25% discount can be given. If all the adults are not counted (are disregarded) for Council Tax purposes the discount will be 50% (unless you would qualify for an exemption).

Disabled person relief

If your property has been changed to make extra space to allow for the needs of a disabled person, you may be entitled to a reduction. The requirements of the relief are if the disabled person needs:

• sufficient floor space to permit the use of a wheelchair and the disabled person needs to use a wheelchair indoors • a room set aside for equipment used only or mainly by the disabled person, or • an extra bathroom or kitchen which has been added to meet the disabled person’s needs.

With this reduction, the disabled relief will reduce the Council Tax by one band or if the property is already in a band A, by the equivalent of one ninth of Band D.

Reductions that can apply to certain types of people or certain types of properties:

• care workers working for low pay, usually for charities • diplomats and their non-British spouses • full time students, student nurses, apprentices and youth training trainees • members of international organisations • members of religious communities • non-British spouses of students • people aged 18 and 19 who are at or have just left school • people caring for someone with a disability who is not a spouse, partner or child under 18 • people permanently residing in hospital • people staying in certain hostels and night shelters • people who are being looked after in care homes permanently • people who are severely mentally impaired • people who have been detained (except for those in prison for non-payment of Council Tax or a fine) • persons for whom Child Benefit is payable.

Properties that need or are undergoing structural alterations or major repair works

Properties that are unoccupied and substantially unfurnished and require or are undergoing structural alterations or major repair works to make them habitable will be able to get a 100% discount on their Council Tax bill for up to 12 months.

Discount for annexes

You may get a 50% discount on the Council Tax for an annexe if:

• the annexe forms part of a single property which includes at least one other property; and

• the person living in it is a relative (under the age of 65) of the person who is responsible for paying the Council Tax on the main property; or

• the annexe is being used as part of the main home by the person liable to pay Council Tax.

Council Tax premium for long-term empty properties

An additional amount of Council Tax (a ‘premium’) is charged when a property has been empty and unfurnished for two years or more. From 1 April 2021, the following premiums apply:

• for properties that have been empty and substantially unfurnished for two years, but less than five years, the premium will remain set at 100% • for properties that have been empty and substantially unfurnished for five years, but less than 10 years, the premium will be 200% • for properties that have been empty and substantially unfurnished for 10 years or more, the premium will be 300%

Council Tax exemptions

Any property that falls within one of the following classes (B – W) will be exempt from Council Tax. Please note there is no class A or class C Council Tax exemption.

B Vacant for up to six months and owned by a charity (providing use for the purpose of that charity) D Property left empty by someone who has been detained (except for those in prison for non-payment of Council Tax or a fine) E Property left empty by someone who is permanently in care or hospital

F Property left empty by a deceased person , waiting for probate or letters of administration to be granted G Occupation prohibited by law

H Vacant and being held available for a minister of religion

I Property left empty by someone who has moved elsewhere to receive personal care J Property left empty by someone who has moved elsewhere to provide personal care K Vacant but previously occupied by students

L Vacant where mortgagee is in possession

M Student Halls of Residence

N Properties only occupied by students

O Properties owned by Secretary of State for Defence – armed forces accommodations P Properties occupied by members of visiting forces

Q Vacant property where liable person is bankrupt

R Vacant pitch or mooring

S Property occupied by under 18’s

T Vacant annexe that cannot be let separately

U Occupied only by people severely mentally impaired

V Occupied by a diplomat

W Annexe occupied by a dependent relative of the residents of the main building Government statement concerning adult social care funding

The Secretary of State made an offer to adult social care authorities. (“Adult social care authorities” are local authorities which have functions under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, namely county councils in England, district councils for an area in England for which there is no county council, London borough councils, the Common Council of the City of London and the Council of the Isles of Scilly.)

The offer was the option of an adult social care authority being able to charge an additional “precept” on its council tax without holding a referendum, to assist the authority in meeting its expenditure on adult social care from the financial year 2016-17. It was originally made in respect of the financial years up to and including 2019-20. If the Secretary of State chooses to renew this offer in respect of a particular financial year, this is subject to the approval of the House of Commons.

Appeals about Council Tax

If you think that you shouldn’t be billed for Council Tax, or the council has made a mistake in calculating your bill, you can appeal. Appeals should be made in writing to us and should tell us why you think your bill is wrong.

We will look at your appeal first and try to resolve any issues with you. If you are not happy with the answer, we will give you details on how to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service, who are independent from the council. You should keep paying your bill, even if you have appealed. If your appeal is successful, any overpayments will be refunded to you.

Council Tax Support

If you are on a low income, you may be entitled to some help to pay your Council Tax. To find out if you are entitled to Council Tax Support please see our website or contact us.

You must continue to pay your Council Tax even if you have made an appeal or are waiting for your Council Tax Support application to be processed. If your appeal or Council Tax Support claim is successful, any overpayment will be refunded to you.

In exceptional circumstances the council has the discretion to reduce or remit Council Tax. For further information, please contact us.

Council Tax instalments

You have the opportunity to make payment of your Council Tax over 12 instalments rather than 10. If you wish to make payment over 12 instalments you must contact us no later than 31 March 2021 and a revised bill will be sent to you.

Kent County Council’s offer to care leavers

If you’re leaving care to become independent and you’re aged between 16 and 25, Kent County Council may be able to help support you through their local offer. If you have left care, and Kent County Council has appointed you a personal adviser, please pass your Council Tax bill to them to arrange payment.

You can find out more on the Kent County Council website at kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies- and-policies/childrens-social-work-and-families-policies/care-leavers-local-offer

Joint working

To make our service to you more efficient, Canterbury City Council, Dover District Council and Thanet District Council now process Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Council Tax liabilities and Business Rates liabilities for all three authority areas as part of an outsourced shared service.

The information you have supplied to us is held securely, but may now be accessed by staff authorised by Canterbury, Dover and Thanet, in order to work out entitlement to Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support or Council Tax and Business Rates liability.