Politics
Westminster Referendum on Council Tax Adjustment: Effects on Household Bills and Service Delivery
The ballot measure would alter annual payments for City of Westminster properties while shifting resources toward specific housing and street programmes.
How we reported this
The City of Westminster will place a ballot measure before residents in November that proposes raising the council tax by 4.9 per cent for the 2027 financial year. The measure targets an estimated £18 million in additional revenue to be allocated to the council's affordable housing acquisition programme and pavement repair contracts. Property owners in Band D homes would face an extra £92 on their yearly bill under the proposal.
Westminster's existing council tax has remained capped at the national referendum threshold since 2022. Local authority documents show that 43 per cent of the borough's 120,000 residential properties fall into Bands A to D, meaning a majority of households would see the increase if the measure passes. The vote follows a 2025 decision by the council to freeze discretionary service charges on parking permits and garden waste collection.
Who Gains and Who Loses Under the Measure
Renters in social housing managed by Westminster City Council stand to benefit from the projected purchase of 180 additional units over three years, according to the council's housing revenue account forecast. In contrast, owner-occupiers and private landlords would absorb the direct tax rise without immediate offsets. Street cleaning contracts in the West End would receive an extra £2.3 million, while funding for youth centres in the north of the borough remains unchanged in the draft budget.
The legislation states that proceeds must be ring-fenced for the listed programmes, with quarterly reporting to the council's audit committee. Policy analysts note that similar measures in other London boroughs have produced mixed collection rates, with an average 3 per cent shortfall in the first year after approval.
Ballot papers will be sent to all registered electors by 15 October. Results are scheduled for announcement on 3 December, after which the council must incorporate the outcome into its final budget submission to the Greater London Authority by 31 January 2027.