Labour-run Merton Council Set to Freeze Council Tax
Labour-run Merton Council is set to freeze the main element of Council Tax for all residents in Merton, keeping bills at least £400 lower than Liberal Democrat-run Kingston.
Labour-run Merton Council made a promise to keep bills as low as we can to help with the cost of living, and we have.
Labour’s Council Tax freeze in Merton means the main element of the Council Tax Bill won’t go up in 2026/27. This is a choice Labour has made for the benefit of people in Merton.
We know how important it is to look after our older and vulnerable residents, and we’re determined to keep providing excellent care and support our NHS. An increase of 2% in the adult social care precept will help fund this.
Labour have always managed Merton Council’s finances carefully, and through hard work have one of the lowest levels of debt of any councils in London. As a result, we have been able to freeze Council Tax this year. That’s making choices that are on the side of local residents.
Whilst we have worked hard to keep bills low for people in Merton, we’ve also been delivering on what matters to them:
We’ve deployed a new Safer Streets Team to patrol every neighbourhood, every week to crack down on anti-social behaviour.
We’ve increased fines for criminals who fly-tip and expanded Labour’s Pop-up Tips so every neighbourhood has one four times a year.
We’ve delivered free swimming for Under 16s and Over 65s in all three Merton Leisure Centres.
We’ve brought back weekly street cleaning for every residential street in Merton, and launched a new graffiti removal service to keep our neighbourhoods clean and tidy.
And we’re about to complete planting 1,000 new street trees to make our streets look better, make them greener, and clean the air too.
We’ve done all this and more, whilst the Liberal Democrats in Kingston have hiked their Council Tax to the highest in London and failed to deliver on their promises to residents - like the new leisure they promised would be delivered in 2023 and which has still not materialised, with estimated costs soaring through the yet-to-be-built roof.
Cllr Ross Garrod said:
“We promised to keep your bills as low as we can to help your family with the cost of living, and we have. Freezing the main element of Council Tax is a choice we have made as a Labour Council, on the side of hardworking families in Merton.”
Whilst Liberal Democrat-run Kingston and Sutton have both announced that they are hiking up Council Tax again this year, Labour-run Merton is freezing the main element of Council Tax – keeping bills as low as possible and helping you and your family with the cost of living.
Only Labour can be trusted to manage council finances carefully and put the needs of residents first.
Pay more and get less under the Liberal Democrats, or pay less and get more with Labour.
