Residents in Labour councils pay lower Council Tax than those in Tory controlled areas

Wednesday, 27 March 2019 11:16

Labour analysis of official Council Tax figures for 2019/20 shows that residents living in Labour council areas pay considerably lower Council Tax bills, on average, than those living in Tory controlled areas. This analysis comes, despite Theresa May’s previous promise that ‘if your council tax keeps going up and up, but your local services are getting worse….. then we want to help you.’ Where Labour controls the local council, households...Request free trial

This analysis comes, despite Theresa May’s previous promise that ‘if your council tax keeps going up and up, but your local services are getting worse….. then we want to help you.’

Where Labour controls the local council, households will pay on average £351 less next year than those living in Tory areas.

The average council tax per dwelling in Labour council areas is £1169, versus £1520 in Tory council areas. The average increase in council tax per dwelling in a Labour council area is £64, versus £76 in Tory council areas, a difference of 19%.

For residents in every type of authority area they are paying less under Labour. For residents living in a Shire District council area, they are paying on average £295 less with Labour.

In a Unitary Authority area it’s £236 less, in a Metropolitan area it’s £280 less and for those living in a London borough council tax is on average £23 cheaper under Labour.

Figures also reveal that eight of the 10 councils charging the highest average Council Tax per dwelling in 2017/18 are Tory controlled.

Eight of the 10 councils with the biggest increases in council tax between 2017/18 – 2018/19 are also Tory controlled with Conservative Sevenoaks council increasing council tax by over £117 since last year.

Andrew Gwynne MP, Labour’s Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, said:

“The Government has no answers to the dire situation facing our councils.

“Tory austerity has devastated communities but instead of providing sustainable funding, this Government has shifted the pain onto council taxpayers.

“At a time when so many households are struggling with the cost of living, Labour in local government is doing its best to help local residents by keeping Council Tax significantly lower than Tory controlled areas. We need to elect as many Labour Councillors as possible on May 2nd, to stand up against these unfair Tory cuts.”

Ends

Notes to editors

1. Theresa May has previously promised that ‘if your council tax keeps going up and up, but your local services are getting worse….. then we want to help you.’

“So, if your council tax keeps going up and up, but your local services are getting worse. If vandalised bus shelters have become the norm in your area. If your local schools just aren’t good enough, but you know there is nothing you can do to get a better education for your child… If the streets you walk are littered with rubbish. If you’re afraid to go out at night, or, even worse, in the daytime. If the park that you played in as a child is now walked in only by drug dealers or muggers. If you think twice before sending your child to the local shops alone for a pint of milk. If all the shops in your area have gone, replaced by a wasteland of boarded-up premises and charity shop. If that is the Britain you know, then we want to help you.”

Theresa May, Conservative Urban Alliance launch speech, 25 August 2004, https://web.archive.org/web/20041009192151/http://www.tmay.co.uk/article.php?id=168

2. The table below shows average Council Tax per dwelling, based on party control.

Political control	Average council tax per dwelling	Difference
Labour	£1169
Conservative	£1520	£351 (30%)

Labour party analysis of : MHCLG, Live tables on Council Tax, 29 March 2019, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/789634/Table_Per_dwelling_2019-20.xlsx

3. The table below shows the average increase in Council Tax per dwelling, based on party control from 2017/18-2018/19

Political control	Average increase council tax per dwelling from 2017/18-2018/19	Difference
Labour	£64
Conservative	£76	£12 (19%)

4. Eight of the ten councils, the charging the highest Average Council Tax per Dwelling in 2017/18 are Tory controlled.

Rank	Council	Political control	Average council tax per dwelling in 2019/20 in £
1.	Elmbridge	No overall control	2207
2.	South Bucks	Conservative	2147
3.	Chiltern	Conservative	2117
4.	Surrey Heath	Conservative	2091
5.	Mole Valley	Conservative	2070
6.	Tandridge	Conservative	2062
7.	Waverley	Conservative	2040
8.	Epsom and Ewell	Independent	1984
9.	Guildford	Conservative	1955
10.	Reigate and Banstead	Conservative	1947

5. Seven of the ten councils with the biggest increases in council tax from last year are Tory controlled.

Rank	Council	Political control	Increase in average council tax per dwelling between 2018/19 and 2019/20 in £
1.	Sevenoaks	Con	117
2.	Cotswold	Con	116
3.	Horsham	Con	115
4.	Warwick	Con	114
5.	Kingston upon Thames	LD	109
6.	Hambleton	Con	108
7.	Harrow	Lab	107
8.	Uttlesford	Con	107
9.	Rugby	Con	107
10.	South Cambridgeshire	LD	107

6. Theresa May’s council Windsor & Maidenhead has increased its Average Council Tax per Dwelling by nearly £69 on last year’s figure.

Cabinet Member	Council	Political control of the council	Increase in average council tax per dwelling between 2018/19 and 2019/20 in £
Theresa May	Windsor & Maidenhead	Conservative	69
Philip Hammond	Elmbridge	No overall control	97
James Brokenshire	Bexley	Conservative	83

7. Shire Districts - the Average Council Tax per dwelling in Shire Districts is nearly £300 less in Labour controlled areas.

Political control	Average council tax per dwelling in Shire Districts	Difference
Labour	£1247
Conservative	£1542	£295 (24%)

8. Unitary Authorities - Average Council Tax per dwelling in Unitary Authorities.

Political control	Average council tax per dwelling in Unitary Authorities	Difference
Labour	£1174
Conservative	£1410	£236 (20%)

9. Metropolitan Area - Average Council Tax per dwelling in Metropolitan Areas.

Political control	Average council tax per dwelling in Metropolitan Areas	Difference
Labour	£1065
Conservative	£1345	£280 (26%)

10. London Boroughs - Average Council Tax per dwelling in London Boroughs.

Political control	Average council tax per dwelling in London Boroughs	Difference
Labour	£1211
Conservative	£1234	£23 (2%)