Wandsworth council promises residents London’s lowest council tax

A council has promised to freeze council – setting the capital’s lowest tax rate.

Wandsworth council has committed to freeze the bulk of its council tax – with only the element spent on social care increasing – making it the cheapest in London.

A Wandsworth Band D bill from April onwards will be £961 – which the local authority claims will be the lowest in the country. 

Some households in the west of the borough will pay slightly more as they are also subject to a separate levy from the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators.

Council leader Simon Hogg said: “Through sound financial management, we will lead a decade of renewal for our borough.

“Wandsworth is a fantastic place to live. Together we will make sure everyone in Wandsworth has access to the opportunities our borough provides.” 

The freeze comes as eight other boroughs across the capital see tax rates at Band D exceeding £2,000. These include Bexley, Croydon, Harrow, Havering, Kingston, Richmond, Sutton and Waltham Forest.

Wandsworth council has said it will increase the ringfenced adult social care levy by two per cent to help support the borough’s residents living in care. 

The council is also increasing its cost-of-living support package to £15million – the largest amount from any local authority in London. 

Wandsworth council, which was won by Labour in the 2022 local elections after 48 years of Conservative control, said it was taking “decisive action” to protect residents from the cost-of-living crisis by freezing taxes.

But Conservative councillors have said Wandsworth Labour promised to cut council tax as part of its election pledge two years ago.

Councillor Peter Graham, opposition speaker for finance, said: “This isn’t a freeze. Wandsworth council is increasing its share of council tax by 2 per cent, for the second year in a row, despite Labour’s election pledge to cut it. 

“At the same time, they now want to borrow £406million, take over £12million from reserves and increase council tenants’ rents by another 7.7 per cent. Labour is on course to trash the council’s finances. 

“Wandsworth got a better deal from the government than the vast majority of councils this year, with a real-terms increase to its core spending power and another £3million from business rates. 

“Instead of using this money wisely, they are celebrating making local people pay more.”

Pictured top: Council leader Simon Hogg checking camera upgrades at the borough’s CCTV control room (Picture: Wandsworth council)