To not understand why council tax in London is so cheap

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

This is based on a ridiculously small sample size. My 4 bed house up north costs me £180 a month. Friends 3 bed in London is £90.

Why is it so much cheaper? A few other London base mates reported low council tax rates too (but not that low).

Is London cheaper? Why council tax when everything else is so expensive?

Current plans for Planning Area 2 which includes Tooting (there may have been later updates; this is the latest I've seen):

Analysis

The new projections for the Tooting area show a significant and sustained shortfall of up to 3FE. These projections are higher than previously reported and indicate that a further expansion should be considered in this area.

Feasibility studies have confirmed that a 1FE expansion can be achieved by new build at Hillbrook Primary School. The new headteacher and governors are willing to support a permanent expansion, following further discussions with the governors.

Smallwood Primary School is also capable of returning to a 2FE admission and the school has admitted 60 in this academic year. It is proposed that formal consultation on permanent expansion now takes place following further discussions with the headteacher and governors.

The only other school that would be suitable for expansion in this area is Broadwater Primary School. Whilst the governors have had some reservations about expansion in the past, the building and site lends itself to expansion via a stand alone new building. It is proposed that discussions be started with the headteacher and governors of Broadwater Primary School.

A further option is to explore the possibility of a site for a new primary school serving the Tooting area. A free school may also attract additional capital grant, over and above the Council?s formula allocation. At present however, no suitable site has been identified.

Proposals

It is proposed to consult on a scheme to expand Hillbrook Primary School from 2FE to 3FE. The proposed scheme could comprise the construction of a new 2 storey extension to the front of the main building to re-house the kitchen and house an additional three classrooms at first floor level. This would include part re-modelling and refurbishment to address the School?s existing accommodation deficiencies.

As indicated above, it is recommended that full studies are undertaken for Broadwater and Smallwood schemes and that further consultation is undertaken with the headteacher and governors of Broadwater School prior to considering whether wider consultation should be progressed.

If you are interested, relevant reports tend to go through the meetings of the Education and Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee (if you click on a meeting and then on the "official page" link, you can see the minutes).

Marriedinwhite - absolutely. It absolutely baffles me that we can have such fantastic primaries (on the whole), yet our children are let down massively when it comes to Year 7. I am almost interested to see how Bolingbroke does. I have a friend with a child going in at the beginning this September and a fair few over the next years of intake as well. By the time my DD3 is ready for secondary it will have been running as a full school for two years. So, we shall see.

Elephants - thank you for the link, I really appreciate it. I do feel slightly out of the loop having only come back to the UK 6 months ago. I had heard word of this new free primary in Tooting as well - apparently it is going to be closely linked with Graveney. Again, we shall see. Where is Smallwood btw? Is it down towards Longley Road area?

It's near St George's, just off Garratt Lane between the two cemeteries.

Thank you.

£78 a month, 2 bed flat, inner london borough, band B . though flat worth £300k. so many discrepancies around the country isn't there?