Six councils granted power to raise council tax without needing to consult residents

Six councils in and around London have been granted the power to make bigger council tax hikes, after the government slashed their share of funding.

Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, City of London, and Windsor and Maidenhead will all be allowed to raise council tax rates by more than 5 per cent for two years, without the need for a residents’ referendum.