As Wandsworth's Labour administration propose a 7% rent hike for 17,000 council tenants, Conservative councillors call for a real terms cut.
Wandsworth Conservative councillors have today (25th January) spoken out against the Labour Party’s plans to increase the rents charged to council tenants in the Borough by 7% from April.
Early each year, councillors meet in order to determine the level of rent tenants living in council-owned properties must pay.
At a meeting of the council’s Housing Committee yesterday evening (24th January), a motion was unanimously approved by Labour councillors to hike this figure by 7%. This would result in an average tenant paying roughly £32 per month more in rent – equivalent to roughly half of Wandsworth’s Band C council tax of £66.50 per month.
Conservative councillors expressed their “astonishment” at the decision, citing a range of wasteful spending decisions by the Labour Council that have increased the council’s debts and failed to deliver more affordable homes.
This proposed 7% increase will now pass to a vote of the full council on 8th February. Labour councillors, who fought the May elections on a promise to freeze rents in 2023/24, will vote in favour. Conservative councillors will be voting against.
Cllr Kim Caddy, the Deputy Leader of the Wandsworth Conservative said:
“Labour isn’t working for residents. With rising consumer bills and inflation eating into family budgets, it’s astonishing they would propose hiking rents by 7% for council tenants.
“We know the cost-of-living crisis is hitting many residents hard.
“Last year, under a Conservative administration, we froze rents. This year, we are proposing to do the same – a move that would deliver a real terms rent cut for council tenants two years running.
“Now isn’t the time for rent rises. Wandsworth Conservatives have a real plan for cutting rents while continuing to invest in estate upgrades and critical services for local people.
“Labour aren’t listening. Whether it’s increasing rents on council tenants or cancelling badly needed schemes like the regeneration of the Alton Estate, Labour is failing Wandsworth”.
