Ten days left to tell commons conservators to rein in their tax increase plans 

People living in 28,000 homes in the west of the borough have just ten days left to have their say on plans by the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators for another inflation-busting rise in the levy they charge residents.

The conservators are planning a 25 per cent plus inflation rise in the bills they charge for maintaining Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath and Putney Common. They have launched a public consultation on their plans which concludes on October 29.

Last year their average charge to the 28,000 households subject to the levy was just under £36. This would rise to £45 if their current plans proceed.

Their last increase of just under 13 per cent came at a time when the council froze its share of council tax bills in support of residents struggling to make ends meet in the cost-of-living crisis.

Council leader Simon Hogg, who has written to the Government urging it to block the proposal, said: “The scale of this proposed increase, coming after last year’s rise of almost 13 per cent, is totally unacceptable.

“We froze council tax bills because we wanted to support our residents through the economic downturn. The Conservators did the opposite and are now looking to hit thousands of our residents with another unjustifiable increase in bills.

“There is still time for people to tell the conservators to think again. I would urge everyone affected by these proposals to take part in the consultation and voice their concerns.”

The levy is charged to households living close to Wimbledon Common and also those in the old parish of Putney, which includes Roehampton, and is collected through council tax bills. It is paid by residents living in the boroughs of Wandsworth, Merton and Kingston.