Like Santa Claus on Christmas morning, I come bearing a rather wonderful gift for those living in one particular London borough. The government recently announced that it would be giving five London authorities permission to hike up their council tax by more than the current 5% limit. This meant that the councils in question would have free rein to increase council tax by as much as they see fit without having to consult its residents or local voters. And – as I’m sure you can imagine – residents of the affected authorities weren’t exactly delighted about the prospect.
Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, and City of London were identified as the areas that were most likely to lose out on upcoming government funding. To soften the blow and compensate for the potential losses, the government granted these particular authorities permission to raise their council tax rates beyond the current referendum limit. But one London borough has already confirmed that it will not be taking up the offer.
Wandsworth’s Council Tax will remain the lowest in the country
The lovely, leafy, and (in my humble opinion) rather legendary London Borough of Wandsworth has vowed to keep its council tax rates as low as possible. Wandsworth residents currently have the lowest council tax in the country, with the average household being charged £990 a year. A complete and utter bargain compared to other nearby boroughs.
Home to the likes of Battersea Power Station, Tooting Market, the Clapham Grand, and Wandsworth Common; the south London borough was already a worthy contender for the ‘best borough in London’ crown. But I imagine that this’ll certainly help its case.
Councillor Simon Hogg, Leader of Wandsworth Council, said: “Wandsworth Council sets the lowest Council Tax in the country.
“We don’t want the freedom to increase Council Tax beyond the 5% referendum limit and my administration won’t be using it. It’s the right thing to keep Council Tax as low as we can.”
He continued: “Value for money remains at the heart of everything we do. Wandsworth runs excellent services with some of the highest reserves and lowest debt of any London borough, ensuring our financial stability without burdening residents.”