Wandsworth council tax likely to be raised by nearly four per cent

Council tax will be discussed on Wednesday 22 at the Finance and Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.

The annual budget setting report will recommend an increase of nearly four percent (3.99), "two per cent of which will be ring-fenced to fund social care."

Councils across the country are expected to raise council tax by up to 4.99 per cent, with the strain on social care cited as the main cause.

All councils are allowed, without a referendum, to raise it by 1.99 per cent with the ability to go up to 3 per cent as long as they spend the extra on social care.

The current rates in Wandsworth:

The council’s finance spokesman Guy Senior said: "Like most councils we propose a modest increase in our tax rate for the coming year to help protect vital front line services from the impact of reduced government funding.

"Thanks to many years of prudent and robust financial management our average bills will likely remain the lowest in the country despite the increase.

"We continue to lead the way in developing new and innovative ways of reducing our spending, including our staff sharing arrangement with Richmond Council which is now helping us provide the same high quality services at a much reduced cost.

"We have also received a £13.2m new homes bonus as a direct reward for our successful regeneration and home building efforts.

"This money is being used to protect investment in local services and is just one of the ways our residents are benefiting from new investment in the borough."

Comments on council’s website are mixed.

One person said: "I don't think it is a bad thing for the council tax to be increased.

"I know it is hard on some families, increases always are, but I fear for the people who may be paid low wages and employed under poor conditions of employment because we more comfortable people can remain so.

"I do not think it is anything to be proud of to have the lowest tax in the country, especially when we have so many wealthy people living in the Borough."

However, another commenter said: "To those who reckon there are many wealthy people who can afford to pay a higher council tax: I think you'll find that most of us can hardly afford to live in our own borough where we were born and raised never mind having to put up with any more rises.

"I definitely do not want to see council tax go up more than it is."

Others issued raised included the need for the council to help people struggling with money, noting there are five food banks in Wandsworth, those of which have experienced a huge rise in residents using their services.

See related: Huge surge in people using Wandsworth Foodbank

The meeting will take place at Wandsworth Town Hall at 7.30pm on Wednesday, Feburary 22.