Wandsworth Council tax increase proposal

Wandsworth Council is considering a historic council tax increase of up to 160 percent to address a projected 40 percent reduction in central government funding. The Conservative-led administration warned that borough reserves could be exhausted within three years without such measures.

By September, the proposal evolved into a specific projection where council tax bills for a Band D home could increase by approximately £958 for the 2027/28 period. The council attributed this steep rise to the Labour Government’s ‘Fair Funding reforms,’ which they claim will reduce the borough's annual funding by £84 million.

Wandsworth has been granted special dispensation by government ministers to exceed the standard 5 percent cap on tax increases without a local referendum, a privilege also extended to other London boroughs like Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea. While the council blames the central government for the budget gap, local Labour MPs have declined to support the council’s appeal, arguing against shifting responsibility for local financial choices onto the government.