How this works
The rules a council lives by
- It must set a balanced budget every year.
- It can borrow only for buildings and other capital, not for running costs.
- A council tax rise of 5% or more needs a local referendum.
Every number is labelled
- sourced from a published document, linked below.
- approx from a secondary source or an assumption still to be checked.
- modelled worked out from sourced figures by a stated method.
- test invented to show the layout, underlined in red. Replaced by real data before launch.
Sources
89 published documents. Every figure links to the one it comes from.
Questions
Is this the council's website?
No. BoroughBook.UK is an independent project. It is not run by, endorsed by or affiliated with Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
Where do the numbers come from?
From the council's budget reports, the returns every council files with central government and the council's quarterly spend files. Every figure is marked sourced, approx or test, and each source is linked on this page.
Why does council tax pay for only part of the budget?
The council's day-to-day spending is also paid for by business rates it keeps, government grants and, in some years, a one-off draw on reserves. Council tax is the part residents pay directly.
Does the site store my band or my choices?
No. The bill calculator and the balance tool run in your browser. Your band, discount and choices are never sent anywhere, and reading the site never needs an account.
How do I correct a mistake or reply to a pledge card?
Email boroughs@guzh.uk. Any councillor or party named on a card can reply, and the reply is published on the card within five working days. Corrections need a source, and every change is made in the open: the code, the data tables and every card are on GitHub at https://github.com/xternal/borough-ledger.