Greenwich council tax will go up by 3 per cent from April – below the rate of inflation and the biggest increase the council can impose without holding a referendum.
Those in council homes will face a 4.1 per cent increase in their rent, while a range of other fees will also see increases at around the rate of inflation.
Some waste collection charges will see large increases, while drivers who choose to park in council car parks in Greenwich town centre will see a 12.5 per cent increase in hourly fees, to £3.60.
Greenwich’s portion of council tax bills will go up by 1.99 per cent, with an extra 1 per cent to cover adult social care costs.
With London mayor Sadiq Khan increasing his share of council tax by 8.8 per cent to help plug gaps in transport funds, a band D household will pay £1,710.09 from April.
The increase does not take into account government plans for all households in bands A to D to get a £150 council tax rebate in April to offset soaring energy costs – this will be treated separately.
Council tax rates are relatively low in Greenwich compared with other London boroughs, with band D residents current paying about £100 more in Lewisham and £200 more in Bexley.
Rents will increase by the CPI rate of inflation – 3.1 percent – plus 1 per cent. However, service charges will be cut slightly. The average tenant will pay £110.36 per week, although this average conceals wide variations, particularly for those moving into new council homes.
However, many tenants will see refunds after a court case relating to water bills, where Greenwich and other councils will have to pay back 20 per cent of water charges from as far back as 2011.
Charges for a range of other services are also going up. Some currently very cheap waste collection fees will be hiked, while parking charges will see increases of varying amounts.
Car parks in Cutty Sark Gardens, Park Row and Stockwell Street, as well as street parking in other parts of Greenwich town centre, will increase from £3.20 per hour to £3.60.
But parking in some streets in east Greenwich will go up by a third, from £1.20 to £1.60 – still substantially cheaper than the tourist area a short walk away.
By contrast, car parking in Eltham will go up from 40p per hour to 50p or 60p.
The increases are due to be approved by a meeting of the council’s cabinet next Thursday.
Help 853 continue reporting on public interest issues in Greenwich and southeast London – we are the only outlet regularly producing original journalism in the borough, and we can only do it with your funding.
Please join over 100 donors who use Steady, PressPatron or Patreon to give a little towards our costs every month. The money pays the bills, a wage for the editor and pays others to write for the site.
You can also buy the editor a coffee at ko-fi.com. Thank you.