Southwark Council Taxpayers have faced an average 14% a year tax rise from Labour and Green Members of the Greater London Authority.

Working with Labour Mayor Ken Livingstone, Labour and Green Assembly Members have backed big rises in the “GLA Precept” charged on Council Tax bills. These rises have been much bigger than inflation and have ranged as high as 29% in one year.

I guess we shouldn’y be surprised that Ken Livingstone should do this. One example is bus investment. Before the GLA is cost £30M and took 7 years to get 20% increase in passenger numbers in London. Ken spent £1,000M to get such a rise in 3 years. His impatience is costing Southwark council tax payers a fortune.

GLA Assembly members are there to watch over the mayor and stop him when he goes too far. But Green and Labour members of the Assembly seem to have forgotten this role.

Contrast this with Southwark Council’s Lib Dem-led Administration which has kept average Council Tax rises below inflation each year over the same period.