Consultation Shows Merton Residents Want Council Tax Rise


Most respondents want priority for adult care

Nearly 80% of local residents responding to Merton Council's Council Tax consultation called for the current freeze to be reversed.

Most English councils made use of powers to increase council tax by up to 2% to fund adult social care in 2016-17. But Merton Council controversially chose to freeze council tax as it has done since 2010.

Labour-run Merton recently completed a consultation on on using the precept allowed by the Government to raise £1.7m to spend on adult social care in 2017-19.

The consultation received what Merton agreed was a high response rate, with 2,203 people completing it. There were 1,435 online responses and 768 paper responses.

Overall, 77% of residents who responded called for an increase in Council Tax. The breakdown was as follows:

For no increase in council tax 22%

For a 1.99% increase 12%

For a 2.00% increase 17%

For a 3.99% increase 48%

In the list of things which people wanted the Council to place the highest priority was Care for Adults which had the support of 81%.

Merton Council says its Cabinet will discuss the result next month, and the decision on council tax levels will be taken next year.

A Merton Council spokesperson said: “As is usual when we carry out consultations, all responses to the council’s current consultation on council tax will be considered by cabinet on 12 December. The decision on council tax levels and the budget will be agreed at full council on 1 March 2017, following recommendations from Cabinet on the 13 February 2017 when the cabinet will make a decision that is best for Merton and its tax payers."

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November 25, 2016