Parliament and Politics: Wandsworth sets lowest council tax

THE Tory-run London borough of Wandsworth announced yesterday that average council tax bills will be pounds 145 - the lowest in the country, writes Ngaio Crequer.

Wandsworth is able to set such a low figure because of government measures aimed at easing the introduction of the new tax - to prevent the widespread hostility engendered by the poll tax.

The Government said, when introducing the council tax, that no one should have to pay pounds 130 more than he or she paid for the community charge. As Wandsworth's poll tax was zero for the last two years, it can take advantage of the Government's transitional relief.

So, instead of a tax of pounds 446, residents in band D, the average band, will only have to pay pounds 145. Band A residents will pay an average of pounds 101, and those in band H pounds 234. Property in band A is valued, at April 1991 prices, at up to pounds 40,000. Band D properties range between pounds 68,000 to pounds 88,000, and band H over pounds 320,000.

Average council tax bills are pounds 32 higher in Tory areas than in Labour, according to a survey in the Local Government Chronicle.