Thanks to over 40 years of strong financial management, we have been able to freeze tax and roll out the most comprehensive COVID support package in London to help Wandsworth residents through the pandemic.
Our tax freeze means that Wandsworth will retain its status as having the lowest average council tax in the U.K while still delivering the top-quality services residents deserve and expect.
We are paving the way forward showing that it is possible to keep tax low while delivering quality services.
We wanted to make sure that we did everything we could, as a caring council, to support residents through the pandemic.
Our record breaking COVID support package has delivered:
- Council tax freeze for Wandsworth residents.
- Free school meals for every eligible child.
- 2700 laptops to local children to enable them to learn at home.
- Over £80K of funding to support mental health.
- Work Match programs to help people get back into jobs.
And much much more.
Despite our tax freeze, we are ensuring that vulnerable residents are supported by raising the social care precept by 3% which will directly help the most vulnerable in our community.
Also, we are planning to set up a new charitable fund to receive donations from residents who wish to pay a bit more to help those who are less well off.
Sadly, neighbouring Labour boroughs have chosen to raise tax despite delivering less than Wandsworth for higher taxes. You won’t find a weekly bin collection in Merton like you do in Wandsworth.
Labour-run Lambeth, Merton and Hammersmith and Fulham are all hiking tax by 1.99%, in addition to the Labour Mayor's unnecessary tax increase which stands at an extra 9.5%.
We have called on the Labour mayor to scrap his tax hike which will hit those with less in Wandsworth, hardest.
Throughout this pandemic we have stood shoulder to shoulder with our community, standing between residents and the danger.
And as a caring council, we will continue to do whatever it takes to support Wandsworth through COVID.
Together, we will get through this, and together, as a borough, we will bounce back better post pandemic.
Find out more at Wandsworth.gov.uk
