London’s boroughs are divided in more ways than just the lines drawn onto a map. Whether they be north or south of the River Thames, each council can charge differing amounts of council tax. This divide is felt strongly on the border of Wandsworth and Richard Upon Thames where the average council tax price difference for the last four years has been just shy of a whopping £5,000 between the neighbouring boroughs.
Two streets on the border of the two councils, separated by little more than a river and an allotment, can see council tax disparities of £2,500 per year despite being less than a five minute drive from one another. Dowdeswell Close in Wandsworth has a view over Beverley Brook to their Hertford Avenue neighbours in Richmond where costs of council tax have been as high as £3,264 per year.
Residents on the Wandsworth side of the divide, comparatively, pay £845 per year based on their Band D property status. Over the past four years residents from Richmond-Upon-Thames have, on average, paid £7,774 compared to their Wandsworth neighbours’ average bill of £2,927 over the four-year period.
Other comparisons of average council tax bills over that four-year timeframe show that in Dyers Lane in Putney, where the boroughs of Wandsworth and Richmond meet, residents on the Wandsworth side of that road have paid £4,847 less in council tax over the past four years. Similarly in Roehampton Vale where Wandsworth meets Kingston, average bills in Wandsworth are £4,406 lower over that same period.
READ MORE:Martin Lewis shares simple tip to get £150 back from the government and straight into your account
London is famed for its stark contrasts in wealth and prosperity within a short distance – Tower Hamlets and Canary Wharf for example – and the disparities in council tax are widening. Wandsworth Council voted on Wednesday, March 9 to reduce the borough’s share of bills by one per cent.
Wandsworth will retain its title as the borough with the lowest average bills of any in London, and this is certainly noticeable in the borough’s council tax costs. The next closest South London borough to Wandsworth’s low average council tax costs is Westminster which stands at £3,291, which is still £300 dearer.
Wandsworth Council leader Ravi Govindia said: “With households facing rising energy bills and other increasing costs, it is more important than ever for the council to be making sure our residents get true value for money by paying the lowest possible council tax bills while still enjoying high quality services.
“Wandsworth has an unrivalled track record over many decades of making sure its residents pay some of the country’s lowest council tax bills and I’m proud that this year we are the only town hall in London planning to actually reduce our share of bills.”
Despite this, bills across London are expected to increase as the Greater London Authority’s share of council tax will rise by 8.8 per cent.
This will take Wandsworth’s Band D council tax bill, such as those on Dowdeswell Close, to £866, of which Mayor Sadiq Khan will receive £32 to redistrubute.
Cllr Govindia added: “Wandsworth is in a unique position to be able to do this because of the way we have carefully and prudently managed our finances over the years. That efficiency is now reaping the benefits for our residents with a net decrease in our share of council tax bills from April.”
Do you want to stay up to date with the latest news, views, features and opinion from across the city?
MyLondon’s brilliant newsletter The 12 is absolutely jam packed with all the latest to keep you keep you entertained, informed and uplifted.
You’ll get 12 stories straight to your inbox at around 12pm. It’s the perfect lunchtime read.
And what’s more – it’s FREE!
The MyLondon team tells London stories for Londoners. Our journalists cover all the news you need – from City Hall to your local streets, so you’ll never miss a moment.
Don’t skip a beat and sign up to The 12 newsletter here.
Many properties in Wandsworth pay less even than the Band D households, more than 50,000 properties in the borough are placed in Bands A,B and C for council tax.
These bands were decided back in 1991 and established based on the price of the property in April of that year more than three decades ago.
You can find out more about your council tax band and see what your neighbours are paying here.
Want more news from MyLondon? Sign up to our free newsletters here.
Trainee Reporter – LGBT+ Specialist. Previously worked for Daily Star, The Sun, Brixton Blog and South West Londoner.
Three stories written this month include a in depth interview with LGBTQ+ activist Peter Tatchell ahead of the 50th anniversary of Gay Pride in the UK, an interview with an ex-Lieutenant Commander who had to keep his sexuality a secret in the Armed Forces for 20 years who lost his partner to AIDS two days before he left the Navy and a chat with the founder of The Gay Men’s Dance Company who offer professional training, pole dancing and a dance class in heels.
Got a story? You can reach me at [email protected] or DM me on Twitter @mattlspivey.
For all the latest World News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
