Sadiq Khan urged to ditch plans for 7% council tax hike
By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been urged to ditch plans for a seven per cent council tax hike in 2023 as families continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis.
City Hall is looking to raise its portion of council tax in its 2023/2024 budget, which is expected to cost Band D households an extra ÂŁ27.89, according to data from Kensington and Chelsea council.
Consultations on the planned tax hike increase are underway and are expected to end on January 13.
Conservative Kensington and Chelsea councillor Johnny Thalassites urged residents to participate in the consultation and make their voices heard.
He said: “I understand the pressures we are all under in London but I believe seven per cent is too high given the current difficulties our residents are facing.
“Our priority here in Kensington and Chelsea is to keep taxes and costs down for local residents wherever possible and to protect essential services. I would urge all of our residents to take part in this consultation and give their views to the Mayor of London.”
The Tory councillor said Mr Khan was planning to hike taxes at a time when a lot of households are struggling with the cost of living.
Mr Thalassites said: “The mayor is affording himself an unprecedented latitude by hiking tax by seven percent in a way that no council could.
“We’re consulting on plans at the moment that protect our key services and the people most in need and we’ve managed to do that at this stage in the cycle without a seven percent tax rise and so I think the mayor should be able to do the same and that’s what we’ll be saying in the consultation.”
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said:  “Our city is facing an extremely challenging time due to the state of the national economy and the cost-of-living crisis, which is hitting many Londoners hard.
“The last thing I want to do is raise council tax, but I want to be honest with Londoners that the government is leaving us with no viable alternative if we are to maintain the transport services Londoners rely on and to ensure our police officers and firefighters have the resources they need.”
Pictured top: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (Picture: PA)
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