Wandsworth is challenging Government cuts and needs local residents’ help
Published: Friday, August 28, 2026
The council is stepping up its demands for a fairer deal for the borough, and insisting that government funding should better reflect the needs of areas like Wandsworth.
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The administration is pursuing every available route to secure a better outcome for local people.
As part of this, we are putting forward a proposal to the Government, asking it to reconsider its funding decision for Wandsworth. This would help us protect essential local services and continue supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities.
Where there is strong support from local people a proposal would be submitted through the Sustainable Communities Act, which allows councils to formally ask the Government to take action.
We will ask the Government to review the amount of funding Wandsworth receives so that it better reflects the needs of our borough. The administration will also ask for any funding cuts to be introduced over a longer period to give the Council more time to adapt, and for greater powers to keep more of the money raised locally and invest it back into local services.
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To support this request, we want to hear from residents about the Council's budget and what they think the Government could do to better support Wandsworth.
We are inviting residents to take part in a borough-wide engagement exercise to help shape future priorities and inform decisions about council spending and services.
The feedback we receive will help us understand which services matter most to residents as we plan how to respond to ongoing financial pressures while continuing to deliver the services people value most.
Residents deserve a fairer deal
Leader of Wandsworth Council, Cllr Robert Morritt, said: "Wandsworth residents deserve a fairer deal. Our core government funding has been cut and these changes will see Wandsworth’s funding fall by £84m, equivalent to 40% by 2029."
"The financial challenges we face are not of our making. Years of central government cuts, combined with the difficult financial position inherited by this administration, mean hard choices are inevitable."
“That is why I have already written to Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey and other senior ministers to make the case for Wandsworth residents and to press for a fairer funding settlement. It cannot be right that Wandsworth contributes so much to the national economy and tax base yet receives significantly less in return than many other parts of the country. For every £1 raised from Wandsworth taxpayers, only 4 pence is returned to the Council through government funding.
"Through our intended proposal under the Sustainable Communities Act, we are arguing for a system that gives communities a stronger voice, and councils the resources they need to deliver for residents. To enable us to submit a proposal we really need to hear from residents via our engagement exercise."