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Ten days left to tell commons conservators to rein in their tax increase plans Published: Thursday, October 19, 2023* Council leader brands proposed levy increase “totally unacceptable” * 25 per cent rise would hit thousands of households in west of the borough* Conservators’ consultation closes October 29People 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.

John Cameron ● 37d

Just received from WPCC today (11 October). Note that the £53,000 quoted is only for distribution by post to every household in the levy paying area — see my comments below. ++++++++++ Thank you again for your questions and taking the time to consider the current consultation on the levy. When the Conservators first announced that they were exploring amending the levy (December 2019), they committed to consulting residents which they believe is very important to understand their views. Whilst the feedback from the informal consultation held in the autumn of 2022 showed support for increasing the levy, the Conservators believed it to be important to provide all those in the levy paying area the opportunity to respond. A budget of £53,000 was approved to enable the distribution of consultation documents by post to every household in the levy paying area. The cost of organising of meetings to engage with levy payers and provide an opportunity to ask questions was not included in the £53,000 budget.  A link to the report from the consultation held in the autumn of 2022, prepared by Resources for Change can be found here: https://www.wpcc.org.uk/about-us/masterplan-consultation +++++++++

This is useful but may not include:
— the overall cost of the 2022 consultation (see link);
— printing and designing the mailout;
— the online submission facility cost;
— who will be analysing the responses and expense of doing that;
— the expense of holding four meetings for residents.

Based on this I would estimate that the overall expense of this consultation will be more than £100,000. This is a big financial risk to take in light of the negative reaction of the Councils who actually collect the tax.


Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 50d

3 October 2023Thérèse Coffey MPSecretary of StateDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsNobel House, 17 Smith SquareLondon, SW1P 3JRDear Secretary of State,Wandsworth Council has been notified by the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators (WPCC) that they wish to increase the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Special Levy, a local tax that pays towards the upkeep of green spaces in Wandsworth and neighbouring London boroughs.I understand from the previous correspondence between DEFRA and WPCC (your ref: PO2022/12999/BG) that evidence of support from local authorities is welcomed by your department in your consideration of increases in the WPCC’s council tax levy above the inflationary limit, and that you have the power to make a decision in principle.I am writing to confirm that Wandsworth Council does not support WPCC’s proposed uprating of the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Special Levy by 25%. I understand that this increase would be in addition to the inflationary increase that the WPCC apply at the maximum level every year already, so residents’ bills could rise by almost a third under their proposals.We have offered to work with the WPCC to find efficiencies given the council itself maintains a number of its own open spaces, but this offer has not been taken up.With high inflation and the cost of living crisis affecting everyone in Wandsworth, it is more important than ever that residents’ bills are kept as low as possible. That is why Wandsworth Council froze the main rate of council tax in 2023-24.I hope you can reassure the Council and residents in Wandsworth that you intend to reject this request which is wholly unacceptable. Yours sincerely,  Leader of the Councilcc : Councillor Ross Garrod, London Borough of Merton Leader: Fleur Anderson, Member of Parliament, Putney

John Cameron ● 50d

In my earlier posting (see above) I mentioned that I had asked WPCC a number of questions related to their expenditure. I have now received a helpful reply from Paula Graystone which I am pasting below. It is quite long so I will not comment on individual points raised. However it is worth saying that their proposals include raising £375,000 in additional income each year. This proposed increase is in addition to any annual inflationary increase, the most recent of which was 13%. I have also now asked them for the costs related to the consultation. Reply from WPCC: Thank you for your enquiry regarding salary and security costs.  Breakdown of Keepers and Commons’ Security Costs Staffing - £484,506 – this includes six full-time mounted keepers, one full-time maintenance/security ranger based at Putney Lower Common and a percentage of office-based staff costs for support including administration costs for our duty officer role, out of hours and additional security back up support. Horse Costs - £28,284 – this includes vet services, shoeing, feed and bedding. Sundry Costs - £11,433 – this includes, telephones, radios, utilities gas/electricity, tuition, and insurance. Use of Horses to Patrol You also asked if we had considered whether the horses might be replaced by mechanical transport for the patrolling Keepers and if they were cost-efficient. We have considered replacing the horses with mechanical forms of the transport.  Horses are so much more efficient in moving through thick cover that vehicles cannot get into; the keepers and horses offer a visible reassurance to members of the public in the more remote locations on the Commons and the keepers are able to see to much more from horseback.  Not only that, but we also have a history of having mounted keepers patrolling the Commons and they are part of our social history and are valued by members of the public both old and young. We believe that the patrol horses are cost efficient, better for the environment and promote a sense of safety. Staffing Levels and Costs You also asked about the increase in staff levels (and asked if some of these were part-time) and asked about the increase in salary costs from £1,385,688 in 2022 to £1,505,360 in 2023, which you felt raised questions that levy-payers would need to understand. The figures you have quoted from our accounts include additional pension costs that do not of themselves result in a cash outflow for the charity, as explained in the accounts.  The increase is staff costs reflects the changes in staffing levels.  As stated in our accounts for the year ending 31 March 2023, the average number of persons employed in full and part-time positions by the Charity during the year was 26. The changes from the previous year are set out below (and are also stated in our accounts). Administration – One part-time officer assistant Maintenance - One full-time litter picker and an additional member for the maintenance team Fundraising – One full-time fundraising manager Hopefully, I have answered your questions fully.  Paula Graystone.
Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 53d

Without the support of Wandsworth, Merton and the Government the proposal to increase 25% is now dead in the water.  The WPCC ‘consultation’ is an utter waste of tens of thousands of pounds. Why did the WPCC spend vast sums, knowing they did not have support?  The savings needed are self evident, the ambitious plans are unnecessary. ————————————-Councillor Hogg has branded the conservators plans as “wholly unacceptable” in a letter to the Government, which has the power to block the increase and whose specific consent is required for the Conservators’ plan to proceed.In his letter to Defra minister Therese Coffey Councillor Hogg says: “I am writing to confirm that Wandsworth Council does not support WPCC’s proposed uprating of the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Special Levy by 25%. I understand that this increase would be in addition to the inflationary increase that the WPCC apply at the maximum level every year already, so residents’ bills could rise by almost a third under their proposals.“We have offered to work with the WPCC to find efficiencies given the council itself maintains a number of its own open spaces, but this offer has not been taken up. “With high inflation and the cost-of-living crisis affecting everyone in Wandsworth, it is more important than ever that residents’ bills are kept as low as possible. That is why Wandsworth Council froze the main rate of council tax in 2023-24. “I hope you can reassure the Council and residents in Wandsworth that you intend to reject this request which is wholly unacceptable.”These points have also been made in a letter to Diana Neil Mills who chairs the commons conservators. Councillor Hogg points out: “Wandsworth Council opposed the 12.6% rise that you imposed in your levy last year. There are no circumstances in which increasing your levy by a further 25%, in addition to future rises at the rate of inflation, can be justified. It certainly is not justified now during the cost-of-living crisis. “Many of the parks, commons and green spaces that the Council maintains are award-winning, with six open spaces being awarded a Green Flag this year.  We have managed and funded them throughout many years of public sector austerity.“Despite these financial challenges, public sector organisations have had to innovate and create efficiencies into our ways of working that don’t negatively impact on residents. I reiterate my previous offer of cooperative assistance to you so that you can manage the commons effectively instead of issuing ever-rising bills to Wandsworth residents.”The conservators charge residents in three boroughs – Wandsworth, Merton and Kingston - an annual levy to pay for the upkeep of Wimbledon Common, Putney Common and Putney Heath.The charge is payable by households that lie within three quarters of a mile of Wimbledon Common, or within the old Parish of Putney as it was in 1871, which includes much of Roehampton.

John Cameron ● 56d