adiq Khan at present revealed plans to hike his share of council tax by virtually 10 per cent – the largest enhance in his time as mayor.
He needs to extend common Band D payments by £31.59 from April, with £15 of the rise getting used to safeguard free journey for beneath 18s and Londoners over 60.
One other £15 shall be spent on policing and the rest of £1.59 will go to the London fireplace brigade to assist implement post-Grenfell enhancements.
It signifies that many London households face a complete hike of £100 or extra as soon as their native borough council enhance – prone to be 5 per cent – is included.
The additional revenue from the C-charge shall be mixed with the extra £15 from the Mayor’s council tax “principle” to fund the free journey concessions, which can price about £110m to £130m a 12 months.
Free journey for beneath 18s and the 60+ Oyster photocard are presently funded by the Authorities however Ministers stated this help can be withdrawn from April.
In response, Mr Khan has determined to extend his council tax principle by a complete of 9.5 per cent, from £332.07 to £363.66, relatively than axe the journey concessions.
His Tory rival Shaun Bailey accused him of “selecting to tax hardworking Londoners” relatively than eliminating waste and perks at TfL or discovering progressive options, resembling company sponsorship of Tube traces and stations.
The rise, if ratified by the London Meeting subsequent month, will imply Mr Khan’s share of Band D payments could have elevated by £87.66 or 31 per cent since he grew to become Mayor in 2016.
It’s not the largest hike imposed by a Mayor – Ken Livingstone elevated payments by £50.52, or 29 per cent, in 2003.
Mr Khan had beforehand admitted issues that the “regressive” council tax hit decrease revenue households hardest however stated at present that free journey was “extra essential than ever for the poorest Londoners” at a time of financial uncertainty.
The council tax hike will generate about £43m for the journey concessions, leaving between £67m and £87m to be coated by the £15 C-charge.
An additional £43m shall be offered to the Metropolitan police, focused at neighbourhood officers and violent crime.
Mr Khan stated: “I absolutely recognise that in lots of households, funds are extra stretched than ever earlier than due to the pandemic and this choice shouldn’t be taken flippantly. Council tax is a regressive tax however the Authorities have left us with little different possibility.
“I promise all Londoners that each penny of this shall be put to good and environment friendly use maintaining our public transport system working and maintaining Londoners protected.”
