Council tax in Hammersmith and Fulham (H&F) will be frozen for 2016/17, it was confirmed at a meeting this week.

Councillors rubber-stamped the deal at a full budget meeting at Hammersmith Town Hall on February 24.

Leader Stephen Cowan hailed it as a budget that strips out waste, cuts charges and delivers a better kinder approach for residents.

But Conservative opposition leader Greg Smith called it “a budget of broken promises”.

The council was faced with £15 million cut from its budget this year, with funding reduced by 66% since 2010.

Cllr Cowan says the budget was achieved without the loss of frontline services because of a “more modern, business-like approach to stripping out waste” .

According to H&F the budget will also:

  • Continue to fund the highest number of council-funded police in the borough’s history

  • Defend Charing Cross Hospital

  • Continue to provide free homecare

  • End 15 min homecare visits giving people the time they need for proper care

  • Protect street cleaning and refuse collection services and invest in new improvements to local parks

  • Further reduce the cost of Meals on Wheels for elderly residents

'Standing with residents'

Cllr Cowan said: “This means we can invest in policing, parks and keeping our streets clean while taking a much more compassionate approach to those residents that most need our help.

“I am hugely proud of the transformation taking place across our homecare service which – thanks to the tough decisions we have taken – makes H&F one of only two councils in the country to provide these vital services at no charge to those who need them.

“As well as cutting many fees and charges, H&F is also one of only a handful of councils in the country that will freeze rather than raise council tax this year.

“These changes are not some happy accident – they are the result of decisions taken by an administration that stands with residents and keeps its promises. This is a budget that shows the positive changes we can make together even in the most challenging of times.”

Cllr Smith the administration had failed to lower tax as promised, and increased total spend on councillors pay by £13,000 while claiming allowances have been cut.

He argued Labour had increased fines for traffic offences and accused it of turning up its nose at the government’s New Homes Bonus.

He said: “No council tax cut as promised, more money for councillors, more fines for motorists and fewer homes for local people. This is a budget of broken promises by Corbyn’s council in Hammersmith & Fulham .”

The freeze means Band D property remains at £727.81, plus the Greater London Authority share of £276, making a total of £1,003.81.

The full budget can be viewed here .