Council tax main issue for public in local elections

A new Centre for London survey has indicated that Londoners view council tax, national issues and social care as the top priorities influencing their vote ahead of May’s local elections.

The survey, undertaken from 23 February to 7 March,  asked 1,549 Londoners to pick the top three biggest priorities that will shape their decision at the ballot box in May. It found that level of council tax ranked as the top local election priority for Londoners (46 per cent), higher than national issues (34 per cent) and quality of local social care services (30 per cent), when asked to select their top 3 priorities.

This prominence of council tax as a priority amongst respondents rose in line with working age, peaking with the 55-64 age group. Compared to the wider population, the top 3 priorities of this age group in order were council tax (56 per cent), refuse and recycling collection services (34 per cent) and the state of roads alongside quality of social care services tied in third (29 per cent each).

Council tax also ranked highest in Londoners’ list of vote-influencing issues irrespective of party political preferences.

Nick Bowes, chief executive of Centre for London, said: “However hard local parties campaign on local issues, council elections have never just been about bin collections, parking, schools and potholes. Often they become a proxy for a referendum on the party in government nationally. That’s why our polling is fascinating, as it shows Londoners place the most significance on how much council tax they pay when it comes to who they’ll vote for in the coming elections in May.

“It is also a stark reminder of how many people are feeling the squeeze on their incomes because of the sharp rise in the cost of living. London’s poorest households already face the increasing cost of heating their homes and travelling around the city, with rising council tax clearly at the forefront of people’s minds.

“Low-traffic neighbourhoods and other pro walking and cycling measures have been a highly polarising topic, albeit one which our polling indicates doesn’t appear to hold much overall sway on how people will be voting. Whether this is reflected in results on the day will be a key factor in whether local authorities feel emboldened to press ahead beyond May with plans to promote alternatives to the car without fear of a significant public backlash.”