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Wandsworth Council has announced it will freeze part of next year’s council tax. On Thursday (February 4) the council said it will freeze the general element of council tax for the next year, and only allow an increase in the social care element, which will go up by three per cent. This will mean an average extra charge of £14.03 a year for a Band D property, leaving Wandsworth residents with some of the lowest council tax bills in the country. Council leader, Ravi Govindia, said: “Wandsworth has a long and proud history of having the lowest council tax, not only in London but the UK. For decades our residents have benefited from this and we have managed to deliver excellent quality services for the best value – making Wandsworth a special place to live.
The leader of Wandsworth Council has been criticised for making a “crass joke about suicide” during a council meeting. Councillor Ravi Govindia, joked that he was “glad” that Labour cllr Judi Gasser “does not spend time counselling people who are at the other end of a Samaritans call.” He told last night’s full council meeting: “I don’t think she gives any hope whatsoever to anyone in difficulties. Her style, her manner, her composure is such that you would simply want to end your miseries.” Cllr Govindia was attacking the Labour opposition for not “acknowledging the good that happens in this council simply because it happens to be a Conservative council,” during a debate on the council’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.