Kingston council has agreed budget plans that will see residents’ tax bills rise by at least £78, with Band D properties now having to pay more than £2,000 over the year.

At a meeting of the full council last week (February 25) a majority of councillors supported the budget for 2021/22, which will see council tax bills go up by 4.99 per cent.

Including the GLA precept, which is set by the Mayor of London, a Band A property will see an increase in council tax that will equate to an extra £78.36 per year, or £1.50 a week.

Those living in Band D properties (used as the average by councils), will see their bills go up by £117.55 over the year to £2,056.80, thought to be one of the highest in the country.

The council is also making £7.415 million in savings, including closing public toilets in car parks and reducing the libraries budget by £100,000 over the next two financial years.

Portfolio Holder for Finance, councillor Andreas Kirsch, presented the budget, noting that the last 11 months have been “challenging,” due to the coronavirus crisis.

He also emphasised that while the council used to receive £66 million in general government grant in 2010 it now receives nothing, and almost 90 per cent of the council’s budget comes from council tax and business rates.

However, he said he was “proud” that the council had managed to set a balanced budget for 2021/22, and highlighted work to fund further improvements to parks and green spaces, as well as the council’s small sites programme to build more affordable homes in the borough.

Conservative councillor and deputy leader of the opposition, Rowena Bass, criticised the budget for being “lacklustre and disappointing,” adding “this is a cruel time to be increasing council tax again and by such a high amount.”

She raised particular concerns about the growing issue with the dedicated schools grant, which has grown to a cumulative deficit of £25m, placing considerable strain on the council’s sustainability.

Currently a statutory override allows this risk not to be considered in assessing the council’s financial sustainability, but she said this is only a “temporary dispensation.”

The budget passed with 36 votes in favour and nine against with one abstention.