Tories consult barrister over Wandsworth council tax hike

Key facts

• Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is consulting a senior barrister to challenge government funding cuts.
• The cuts are blamed for a proposed 94% council tax rise by Wandsworth Council.
• Wandsworth Council cites an £84 million annual reduction in grants as the reason for the tax increase.
• The proposed increase would add approximately £958 a year to the council tax bill for an average Band D property.
• The rise is split between the local council and the mayor of London.

The Conservative Party, led by Kemi Badenoch, has instructed lawyers to explore legal challenges against central government funding cuts that are being blamed for a proposed 94% increase in council tax by Wandsworth Council. Badenoch described the planned rise, which would add approximately £958 a year to the bill for an average Band D property, as "outrageous."

Wandsworth Council attributes the significant tax hike primarily to an £84 million annual reduction in grants, which it says is a consequence of Whitehall decisions. The proposed increase is expected to be finalized early next year and is split between the local council and the mayor of London's precept.

Government ministers argue that current council funding arrangements are outdated and require reform to redirect resources to areas of greater need. However, councils facing funding reductions dispute this rationale, arguing that cuts force a choice between reducing services and raising local taxes. The Conservative Party's move to seek legal advice signals an intent to test whether these central government decisions are susceptible to judicial review.