Wandsworth Council proposes 94% tax rise citing government funding cuts

Wandsworth Council has announced a proposed 94% council tax increase for a Band D property, raising the council's share from £509.84 to £1,468, effective April 2027. The record hike, which would nearly double the total annual bill, follows a comprehensive spending review by the Conservative-run south London borough. The council attributes the increase to the government's Fair Funding reforms, which will reduce its annual funding by £84 million, a 40% cut in grant support. Council leaders stated this loss is equivalent to the borough's total combined annual spending on parks, libraries, leisure centres, bin collection, and street cleaning. Deputy leader Peter Graham said the authority does not want to impose the rise but that additional income is now needed to protect essential services. "Council tax will need to rise unless Government thinks again. And it must think again," Graham said. "We do not want to do this, and we do not take this decision lightly, but the scale of the financial pressure facing Wandsworth means additional income is now needed to protect the services people rely on.