Council tax bills in Wandsworth, a south London borough, are set to increase by £958 per year for Band D properties, nearly doubling current rates. The Tory-led council blames the Labour government's funding cuts of £84 million annually for this rise. Despite these drastic increases, three local Labour MPs—Rosena Allin-Khan, Fleur Anderson, and Marsha de Cordova—refused to support the council’s appeal against the funding reductions, arguing that the current administration is responsible for recent financial decisions and service cuts.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
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Council tax bills in Wandsworth are set to almost double with rates for a Band D property rising by a proposed £958.
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rates → see → 958
Residents in the south London borough are facing the eye-watering increases after the Tory-run council claimed the Labour Government had slashed its funding by £84million a year.
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Government → face → 84million
The cut is more than the council's total spending on parks, libraries, leisure centres, bin collection and street cleaning, the local authority said.
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authority → say → parks
Wandsworth is historically known as Margaret Thatcher's 'favourite' council.
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Wandsworth → know → council
During more than 40 years of Tory control it was viewed as a pioneer of outsourcing services and famous for its ultra-low council tax.
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it → view → tax
The Conservatives lost control of the council to Labour in 2022 until earlier this year, when they formed a minority administration following elections in May.
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they → lose → May
The borough's three local Labour MPs have now refused to join the Tory-run council's challenge against the Government's cuts to its funding - which are due to Labour's changes to the funding formula for councils - despite the looming tax hike for residents.
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which → refuse → residents
Council tax bills in Wandsworth are set to almost double with rates for a Band D property rising by a proposed £958
Robert Morritt, the Tory leader of Wandsworth Council, wrote to MPs representing constituencies in the borough to ask whether they would support the council's appeal to the Government.
But Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan, Putney MP Fleur Anderson and Battersea MP Marsha de Cordova refused to offer their support in a written response.
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Khan → set → response
In a letter, seen by PoliticsHome, the MPs wrote that while they 'continue to express our concerns about local authority funding challenges', they 'cannot support a narrative that seeks to rewrite the recent financial history of Wandsworth Council or shift responsibility for damaging choices that are being made by the current Conservative administration'.
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that → see → administration
'When Labour left office in May 2026, Wandsworth Council was in a strong financial position,' the Labour MPs added.
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MPs → leave → position
'The Council had some of the highest reserves in London and no external debt.
'
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Council → have → London
Labour maintained balanced budgets, delivered Britain's lowest council tax and carefully managed public finances, while continuing to invest in local services and communities.
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Labour → maintain → services
Residents are entitled to ask why a council that inherited such a strong financial position has already made cuts in services, and why they are being threatened with a council tax rise... and decisions to cut further services.
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they → entitle → services
A spokesperson for Putney Conservative Association said: 'It is deeply disappointing that Wandsworth's three Labour MPs will not support the Council's challenge to the Government's 40 per cent cut to Wandsworth's funding.
'
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MPs → say → funding
Putney MP Fleur Anderson and Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan both voted for the Local Government Finance Report that implemented the new funding settlement, while Battersea MP Marsha de Cordova had no vote recorded.
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vote → vote → settlement
For them to refuse even to acknowledge the consequences of the settlement for residents, let alone support residents, is extremely disappointing.
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refuse → refuse → residents
'Whatever their party, our MPs should be putting Wandsworth residents first and joining us in fighting for a fairer deal.'
Labour's 'Fair Funding Review 2.0' will see money redistributed from some council areas to others and is aimed at pushing funding 'towards areas with high deprivation and need'.
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money → put → deprivation
Plans to increase council tax in Wandsworth were heard at an extraordinary council meeting on Tuesday, although a final decision will not be made until early next year.
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decision → increase → year
The council said, unless the Government rethinks its cuts to funding, council tax will need to rise by £958 for a Band D property - a 94 per cent increase.
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tax → say → increase
Peter Graham, the council's deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, said: 'We promised that we'd be honest with residents.
'
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we → say → residents
Council tax will need to rise unless Government thinks again.
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Government → need → ?
And it must think again.
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it → think → ?
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
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people → want → services
'Residents should not be left to carry the cost of an unfair funding system.
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Residents → leave → system
That is why we are fighting hard at the heart of Government for a fairer deal for Wandsworth, and why we have made a clear case ahead of the Autumn Budget that our borough should not be punished for running efficient services and keeping council tax low.
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borough → fight → tax
'Our message to residents is clear: we are on your side, we are making your case, and we will keep fighting for the funding Wandsworth deserves.'
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Wandsworth → make → funding
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: 'We have consulted extensively on reforming the outdated council funding system to ensure money goes where it is most needed, following on from a long-standing consensus.
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it → say → consensus
We're also protecting councils through transitional arrangements so no area faces a cliff edge.'
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area → protect → edge
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