Full Breakdown
Wandsworth Council Proposes 94% Council-Tax Rise for Band D Properties
By Drooid · · How we work
Proposed 94% Tax Increase
Wandsworth Council, the London borough noted for low council-tax rates, has announced a plan to raise the Band D levy by £958 – a 94 % increase – if central-government funding cuts are not reversed. The proposal, discussed at an extraordinary council meeting, would double the current average Band D bill of about £1,020.35. A final decision is slated for early next year, with the council’s formal tax level to be set through the March 2027 budget process.
Background & Context
The council attributes the rise to an anticipated loss of £84 million in annual funding under the government’s Fair Funding Review 2.0, which reallocates grants from affluent London boroughs to regions with higher need. The loss represents roughly 40 % of the borough’s spending on services such as parks, libraries, leisure centres, bin collection and street cleaning. Wandsworth is one of six authorities granted a two-year exemption from the usual 5 % council-tax cap, allowing the larger increase without a local referendum.
Data & Statistics
- Proposed increase: £958 per Band D property (94 % rise).
- Current average Band D bill: £1,020.35 (half set by the council, half by the Greater London Authority precept).
- Funding cut cited by the council: £84 million per year (? 40 % of its local-government budget).
- Savings already achieved: £529 per Band D household.
- Total spending gap for an average household: about £1,434.
Official Statements & Responses
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) emphasized that local authorities set their own tax levels but must “put taxpayers first.” It noted that over £78 billion has been made available for council finances next year, with most of it un-ring-fenced to allow local priorities, and described the funding reforms as a move to “fix an outdated funding system.”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said the party has instructed lawyers to explore a legal challenge to the funding cuts, calling the situation “outrageous” and alleging that money is being taken from areas that do not vote Labour and given to Labour-voting regions.
Criticism & Opposition
Wandsworth Labour leader Simon Hogg described the tax rise as “selfish and politically motivated,” claiming the Conservatives concealed the plan during the May election campaign and warning that the increase would force families to shoulder the cost of “cruel choices” made by the Conservative administration.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the magnitude of the funding reduction. The council cites an £84 million cut, equating to a 40 % loss of its service budget, while other reports reference a 40 % cut without specifying the monetary amount. No detailed breakdown of how the £84 million figure was calculated has been published, and the council’s projected savings of £529 per household have not been independently verified.
What’s Next
The council will submit its tax proposal under the Sustainable Communities Act alongside Westminster, Richmond upon Thames and Kensington & Chelsea. A legal challenge by the Conservative Party is being explored but has not yet been filed. The ultimate tax level will be determined in the council’s March 2027 budget vote, pending any changes from the government’s autumn funding decisions or a court filing.