Tory-led Wandsworth Council has announced its intention to double council tax, with a 94% increase on Band D.
Deputy Leader Councillor Peter Graham said during an extraordinary council meeting on Tuesday that the tax increase was necessary to address a £215million budget gap in the next four years.
Councillor Graham stated the rise was a last resort and the only alternative to radical cuts to services.
The tax rise will accompany budget savings made from various cuts from suspending charity grants, ending holiday food vouchers, and the Wandsworth Access for All scheme.
Graham characterised Wandsworth finances as dire after overspending and financial mismanagement from the former Labour council, who lost control in May.
The Deputy Leader emphasized that those on lowest incomes would have the lowest increase spread over a longer period of time.
Leader of the opposition and Wandsworth Labour Simon Hogg said: “This is the end of the Wandsworth Tories.”
Hogg characterised the move as selfish and politically motivated.
He said the Tories knew the state of the Wandsworth budget before they took control of the council and yet purposefully concealed their intention to raise council tax during election campaigns in May.
Hogg said: “Amateurs have created chaos in our council.
“Do you even like the people of Wandsworth?”
Hogg emphasized Labour would overturn the council tax rise.
Debate was heated in the council meeting, with a labour councillor describing Graham’s speech as the nastiest she had ever seen in the chamber.
Graham responded to the claim that the tax rises were cruel by saying: “We are doing things we do not want to do.”
Featured image credit: Fred Lake
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