Consultation agreed on voluntary 'mansion tax'

Residents paying the highest rates of council tax in an area of Surrey are being asked for their views on voluntarily paying more to fund services.

Waverley Borough Council (WBC) is setting up a consultation based on a scheme introduced by Westminster Council, dubbed a "mansion tax".

Highest band council tax payers are also being asked which services they would like to see funded.

Farnham Residents Group councillor and former Eastenders actress Kika Mirylees said: "It isn't going to be there for your hedges to be trimmed, it is really there to benefit people who are in need of support."

The highest council tax rate for a band H properties in Waverley has been set at £4,812.36 for 2024/25.

Independent councillor Steve Williams also said at Tuesday's meeting: "What we have here is a very bold, imaginative, creative way to enable those who can afford it within our community to be able to make a contribution."

In February the council decided to explore the creation of a voluntary contribution scheme when setting its budget for the coming year.

If approved, a charity would need to be set up to receive the donations and administer the scheme for the council.

Westminster's initiative generates an extra £300,000 each year, WBC says.

The London council had consulted its band H tax payers and found "significant" support for the scheme before it was introduced in 2018, WBC said.

As part of the consultation, residents in band H properties were invited to suggest which discretionary services they would like the money to be spent on.

The suggestions were grouped together and developed into the objectives of the fund – which were to fund youth services, help rough sleepers off the streets at night and help isolated people.

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