Wandsworth council freezes council tax to help with cost of living

By Charlotte Lillywhite, Local Democracy Reporter

A town hall will freeze its core share of council tax to help residents with the cost of living, but bills will increase to help fund social care.

Wandsworth residents are set to continue paying some of the lowest council tax bills in the country this April despite high inflation squeezing the council’s budget.

Wandsworth council approved council tax rates for the 2023/24 financial year on Wednesday.

The authority’s share of council tax for general use will be frozen while the adult social care precept will be hiked by the maximum amount allowed without a referendum –  two per cent, or £9.54 for band D households.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s share is set to rise by 9.7 per cent.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Labour council leader Simon Hogg said: “Residents here in Wandsworth will pay the lowest average council tax in the country.

“This freezing of the main element of council tax is a key part of our plan to deliver a fairer, more compassionate, more sustainable borough.” He said the adult social care precept hike will “support the NHS and care for our most vulnerable”.

He said the authority had created the biggest cost-of-living response in the capital – with a £5million scheme to support residents.

But Conservative councillors said Wandsworth Labour promised to cut council tax ahead of the local elections last May.

They called for an overall one per cent cut in council tax – with a three per cent reduction for general use and two per cent hike in the adult social care precept.

Labour took control of the council from the Conservatives for the first time in 44 years last May.

Conservative councillor Peter Graham said: “This is an administration which pledged on page 17 of its manifesto we will cut council tax – insisting we believe in fairness and that means a modest reduction in council tax.”

Labour councillor Graeme Henderson, cabinet member for health, said the authority had to hike the adult social care precept “at the behest of the government” while there is a “crisis in social care”.

Councillor Hogg said the Labour administration “will charge the same low council tax and deliver better services for all”.

Pictured top: Wandsworth town hall (Picture: Google Street View)