A letter from the Leader of the Council
Dear Resident
Council Tax for 2025 to 2026
At this time of the year, I feel it is important to write to you directly. Firstly, to thank you for the part you play in helping make this borough one of the best places to live in the UK. Secondly, to thank you for your contribution via Council Tax that helps us maintain high standards across our services – the important things like street cleaning, bin collections, support for children, and care for the elderly and the most vulnerable.
This year we are proposing a low Council Tax increase, and we take pride in the fact this will be one of the lowest increases in London.
We are proposing a smaller than expected increase for two reasons. One, we know how difficult rising costs are for many people in Kensington and Chelsea, and we want to make sure we do all we can to help. And two, we believe that taking money from people’s pockets through taxes should be the very last thing we look at when faced with savings and challenges.
Like many councils across the country, we are facing financial uncertainty and difficulty. Our budget gap – driven by reduced funding from Government and rising costs – is £40 million over the next four years. This means we have to be leaner, efficient, and more focused. An organisation that continues to prioritise what our residents want most, making sure it does the basics better than anyone else.
Next year we will spend £677 million on important day-to-day local services and the delivery of major priorities set out in our four-year Council Plan, which can be found on our website.
The last 12 months has been an incredibly busy time. We have built 32 award-winning new homes for social rent and market rent at Acklam Road. As well as new homes at Kelso Cochrane House and Hewer Street.
Over the last three years, we have invested more than £7 million in our parks including Kensington Memorial Park and Holland Park – and work continues on new open spaces across the borough. We have continued to build and invest in our amazing public spaces, enhancing small shopping streets like Bute Street and supporting larger projects like iconic Sloane Street.
And over the next five years, we have committed to spend £4.7 million on youth service grants, investing once again in our Ofsted outstanding-rated Children’s Services. We also set aside £750,000 to go back into residents’ pockets to help with the rising cost-of-living, with more than 14,000 low-income households eligible for a £50 payment, alongside continued support for school meals.
My promise to you is that through the difficult times ahead, we will continue to work hard to keep costs down and make sure we spend your money with the utmost care. Therefore, our Council Tax precept will increase by two per cent this year, and our social care contributions will increase by two per cent.
This means an average Band D property (excluding Garden Squares) will see an increase from £1,037.58 to £1,079.08, or less than 80p per week. Where a property lies empty for one year, we will charge a premium rate of up to 100 per cent Council Tax.
Elizabeth Campbell
Leader, Kensington and Chelsea Council