Under the Conservatives, Westminster had the lowest Council Tax in the UK. That was not an accident. It was an active choice to protect residents from unnecessary costs. We are committed to restoring that tradition of responsible financial stewardship and value for money.
Reviewing Every Major Contract and Spending Commitment
The Geoffrey Osborne housing contract cost Westminster residents £27 million. We will properly review all major contracts to ensure value for money and award them to reputable companies in sound financial health. Procurement will prioritise quality and value, not ideological box-ticking that ignores due diligence and increases costs for taxpayers.
Keeping Council Tax as Low as Possible
Many households are already under severe cost-of-living pressure. The City Survey shows the proportion of residents feeling financially comfortable has fallen nine percentage points in a single year, from 64% to just 53%. Council Tax has risen sharply and is projected to rise further. Projected above-inflation increases in the next four years will be deeply damaging in a city where rents, transport and essentials are already among the most expensive in the country. We will make a firm commitment to keep Council Tax as low as possible for the next four years.
Opposing the Family Home Tax
The Labour Government is pursuing a Family Home Tax that would hit nearly 4,000 homes in Westminster, punishing families, pensioners and long-term residents. We offered a cross-party effort to oppose it. Labour refused. We will continue to fight it at every level.
Fighting for Fair Funding
The Government's Local Government Finance Settlement means a substantial reduction in support for Westminster. We will continue to campaign for a fair deal that recognises our unique pressures: a daytime population of over 800,000, the cost of delivering services in central London and the needs of 200,000 people who live here.
Protecting Frontline Services
Waste collection, social care and neighbourhood safety will be protected through smarter spending. We will cut duplication, simplify processes and prioritise the services you rely on.
Efficiency and Waste Reduction
We will carry out an audit of all Council-funded services and programmes. Where spending cannot be justified to the residents who pay for it, whether internal duplication or discretionary programmes that most residents never use, it will be stopped and the funding redirected to frontline priorities.
Digital Transformation and Cyber Security
We will use technology and automation to improve services and reduce costs, with robust cyber security following the recent attack on the Council. Digital modernisation must go hand-in-hand with strong governance and accountability. We recognise that digital-only solutions are not always the answer and some residents will want or need nondigital access. We pledge to deliver digital by choice.
Maximising Commercial Revenue
Westminster's property portfolio, advertising locations, parking assets and event spaces will be managed proactively to generate commercial value, without burdening residents.
Transparency and Financial Accountability
We will publish clearer, more accessible financial information, with improved reporting on spending and regular scrutiny of major projects. Residents will be able to see how their Council Tax is being used. We will engage with residents on spending priorities.
Partnership Working
We will expand collaboration with businesses, charities, voluntary organisations and other London boroughs to unlock efficiencies, innovation and shared learning, particularly in complex areas such as homelessness prevention and community safety.
Our pledge: Council Tax kept as low as possible. Fight the Family Home Tax. Fight for fair funding. Review every major contract. Smarter spending that prioritises value for money.
Safe Streets. Clean City. Real Action.
Your vote on 7 May is the difference between a Labour Council that takes you for granted, or a Conservative Council that will deliver value for money, safe streets and a clean city.
Only the Conservatives can beat Labour in Westminster.
Vote Conservative on Thursday, 7 May.