Borough BookAlphaWaltham Forest, 2026/27
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Where your council tax goes in Waltham Forest

A Band D home pays £2,386.96 this year, up 4.8%. Council tax covers about 23% of what the council spends on day-to-day services; government grants pay 65%, including the money passed straight to schools, and business rates 12%.

Band D bill£2,387up 4.8% on last year
Council budget£680mday-to-day, including schools
Paid by council tax23%of the budget
Council controlGreen31 of 60 seats

Your bill

Pick your band. The council keeps 79% of it; the rest goes to the Mayor of London.

Band D, 2026/27
£2,386.96
£238.70 a month over 10 instalments, or £198.91 over 12
Waltham Forest Council£1,876.45Mayor of London (GLA)£510.51
Police£334.13
Fire brigade£76.85
Transport£77.09
City Hall and the London Assembly£22.44
At Band D the Mayor’s share went up £20.13 this year: £15.00 more for police and £5.13 more for the fire brigade.
sourcedBand D bill for 2026/27approxMayor's share by body (MD3472)

Your £1,876.45 to the council pays for

Care for older and disabled adults£606
Children's services£337
Schools and education£309
Streets, waste and transport£155
Running the council£151
Debt costs and levies£121
Housing and homelessness£92
Parks, libraries and leisure£48
Community safety and regulation£37
Planning and the local economy£19
Public health£1
Show your bill as a table
Band D, 2026/27: where your council tax goes
Your billShare
Care for older and disabled adults£605.7825.4%
Children's services£337.1414.1%
Schools and education£309.4613.0%
Streets, waste and transport£154.856.5%
Running the council£150.926.3%
Debt costs and levies£120.845.1%
Housing and homelessness£92.273.9%
Parks, libraries and leisure£48.122.0%
Community safety and regulation£37.101.6%
Planning and the local economy£19.010.8%
Public health£0.970.0%
Waltham Forest Council, all services£1,876.4578.6%
Mayor of London: police£334.1314.0%
Mayor of London: the fire brigade£76.853.2%
Mayor of London: transport£77.093.2%
Mayor of London: City Hall and the London Assembly£22.440.9%
Mayor of London (GLA), all£510.5121.4%
Your bill£2,386.96100%

Split in proportion to the £390m the council pays for itself, after schools and public health, which have their own ring-fenced grants. Council tax pays about 40p of every £1 of that; government grants and business rates pay the rest.

sourcedSplit by service, 2026/27 budget return

The council’s budget

What the council spends on day-to-day services after fees and charges, and where the money comes from, including grants that can only be spent on schools or public health. It must balance by law.

FundingReserves (one-off)Services
Council tax to Net budgetRevenue Support Grant to Net budgetBusiness rates kept locally to Net budgetSchools grants (ring-fenced) to Net budgetPublic health grant (ring-fenced) to Net budgetOther government grants to Net budgetDrawn from council reserves to Net budgetNet budget to Schools and educationNet budget to Care for older and disabled adultsNet budget to Children's servicesNet budget to Streets, waste and transportNet budget to Running the councilNet budget to Debt costs and leviesNet budget to Public healthNet budget to Housing and homelessnessNet budget to Parks, libraries and leisureNet budget to Community safety and regulationNet budget to Planning and the local economySourced from a published documentCouncil tax£156.0m, 23%Sourced from a published documentRevenue Support Grant£82.8m, 12%Sourced from a published documentBusiness rates kept locally£83.8m, 12%Sourced from a published documentSchools grants (ring-fenced)£268.2m, 39%Sourced from a published documentPublic health grant (ring-fenced)£21.4mSourced from a published documentOther government grants£66.6m, 10%Sourced from a published documentDrawn from council reserves£3.4mSourced from a published documentSchools and education£332.6m, 49%Sourced from a published documentCare for older and disabled adults£126.0m, 19%Sourced from a published documentChildren's services£70.1m, 10%Sourced from a published documentStreets, waste and transport£32.2mSourced from a published documentRunning the council£31.4mSourced from a published documentDebt costs and levies£25.1mSourced from a published documentPublic health£21.6mSourced from a published documentHousing and homelessness£19.2mSourced from a published documentParks, libraries and leisure£10.0mSourced from a published documentCommunity safety and regulation£7.7mSourced from a published documentPlanning and the local economy£4.0m£680m

Not drawn in the flow, because they are below zero: Council tax surplus and other (−£2.4m). They are in the tables.

Show the budget as a table
Where the money comes from, 2026/27
£mShare of the net budget
Council tax£156.0m23.0%
Revenue Support Grant£82.8m12.2%
Business rates kept locally£83.8m12.3%
Schools grants (ring-fenced)£268.2m39.5%
Public health grant (ring-fenced)£21.4m3.1%
Other government grants£66.6m9.8%
Council tax surplus and other−£2.4m−0.4%
Drawn from council reserves (one-off)£3.4m0.5%
Net budget£679.9m100%
What it pays for, 2026/27
£mShare of the net budget
Schools and education£332.6m48.9%
Care for older and disabled adults£126.0m18.5%
Children's services£70.1m10.3%
Streets, waste and transport£32.2m4.7%
Running the council£31.4m4.6%
Debt costs and levies£25.1m3.7%
Public health£21.6m3.2%
Housing and homelessness£19.2m2.8%
Parks, libraries and leisure£10.0m1.5%
Community safety and regulation£7.7m1.1%
Planning and the local economy£4.0m0.6%
Net budget£679.9m100%

Where the money comes from

Council tax£156.0m
Revenue Support Grant£82.8m
Business rates kept locally£83.8m
Schools grants (ring-fenced)£268.2m
Public health grant (ring-fenced)£21.4m
Other government grants£66.6m
Council tax surplus and other−£2.4m
Drawn from council reserves£3.4m
Net budget£679.9m

What it pays for

Schools and education£332.6m
Care for older and disabled adults£126.0m
Children's services£70.1m
Streets, waste and transport£32.2m
Running the council£31.4m
Debt costs and levies£25.1m
Public health£21.6m
Housing and homelessness£19.2m
Parks, libraries and leisure£10.0m
Community safety and regulation£7.7m
Planning and the local economy£4.0m
sourcedAll lines

The council’s two returns to government do not agree on its council tax for 2026/27: £156,034,000 in its budget return and £155,728,462 in its council tax return, £305,538 apart. The budget here uses the budget return’s figure, so it adds up; your bill uses the council tax return’s. There is probably an explanation; we have not found it yet.

Council tax over the years

The council’s own share of a Band D bill went from £1,544.35 in 2022/23 to £1,876.45 in 2026/27, up 22%.

Band D council tax in Waltham Forest each year
YearThe council’s shareWhole bill, with the Mayor of London
2022/23£1,544.35£1,939.94
2023/24£1,621.41£2,055.55
2024/25£1,702.32£2,173.72
2025/26£1,787.27£2,277.65
2026/27£1,876.45£2,386.96

Councillors and how each ward voted

Green 31, Labour 15 and Conservative 14 of the 60 councillors on the council’s list. Green has more than half the seats, so runs the council. Only the councillors elected are named here; everyone else stood as their party’s candidate.

Cann Hall

How Cann Hall voted: turnout 36.9%
Votes for each candidate in Cann Hall ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party1,970Eva Tabbasam
Green Party1,951Tom Hainge
Green Party1,900Peter Richardson
Labour Party1,381
Labour Party1,323
Labour Party1,141
Reform UK287
Reform UK283
Liberal Democrats219
Conservative and Unionist Party209
Conservative and Unionist Party180
Conservative and Unionist Party164
Liberal Democrats156
Liberal Democrats141

The declaration gave no turnout. 15 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Cathall

How Cathall voted: turnout 31.6%
Votes for each candidate in Cathall ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party872Rachel Barrat
Labour Party832Aisha Abubakar
Labour Party785
Green Party728
Reform UK181
Waltham Forest Independent Socialists144
Conservative and Unionist Party132
Conservative and Unionist Party125
Waltham Forest Independent Socialists123
Liberal Democrats122
Liberal Democrats118
Independent80

The declaration gave no turnout. 23 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Chapel End

How Chapel End voted: turnout 41.5%
Votes for each candidate in Chapel End ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party1,808Layla Rosa
Green Party1,784Sue Wheat
Green Party1,744Luke Glazzard
Labour and Co-operative Party1,668
Labour and Co-operative Party1,562
Labour and Co-operative Party1,407
Reform UK349
Liberal Democrats302
Conservative and Unionist Party255
Conservative and Unionist Party212
Conservative and Unionist Party205
Liberal Democrats158
Liberal Democrats155
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition94

The declaration gave no turnout. 21 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Chingford Green

How Chingford Green voted: turnout 51.4%
Votes for each candidate in Chingford Green ward
PartyVotesElected
Conservative and Unionist Party2,696Mitchell Goldie
Conservative and Unionist Party2,468Kay Isa
Conservative and Unionist Party2,419Kelly Summers
Green Party733
Green Party615
Green Party611
Labour Party536
Labour Party514
Reform UK483
Reform UK471
Labour Party452
Reform UK437
Liberal Democrats208
Liberal Democrats124
Liberal Democrats111

The declaration gave no turnout. 8 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Endlebury

How Endlebury voted: turnout 46.5%
Votes for each candidate in Endlebury ward
PartyVotesElected
Conservative and Unionist Party1,709Roy Berg
Conservative and Unionist Party1,695Emma Best
Green Party513
Green Party451
Labour Party410
Reform UK390
Labour Party334
Reform UK333
Liberal Democrats114

The declaration gave no turnout. 3 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Forest

How Forest voted: turnout 40.6%
Votes for each candidate in Forest ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party2,401Simone McNichols-Thomas
Green Party2,337Yuksel Gonul
Green Party2,332Paul Perkins
Labour Party1,211
Labour Party1,201
Labour Party1,178
Reform UK315
Reform UK304
Reform UK275
Liberal Democrats233
Conservative and Unionist Party203
Conservative and Unionist Party186
Liberal Democrats165
Liberal Democrats142
Conservative and Unionist Party139
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition44
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition34
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition22

The declaration gave no turnout. 10 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Grove Green

How Grove Green voted: turnout 42.7%
Votes for each candidate in Grove Green ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party2,231Sarah Bentley
Green Party2,030Charlotte Lafferty
Green Party1,828Paul Treacy
Labour Party1,281
Labour Party1,242
Labour Party1,155
Liberal Democrats614
Liberal Democrats497
Liberal Democrats455
Reform UK211
Reform UK186
Conservative and Unionist Party141
Conservative and Unionist Party141
Conservative and Unionist Party128
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition46

The declaration gave no turnout. 14 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Hale End and Highams Park South

How Hale End and Highams Park South voted: turnout 49.7%
Votes for each candidate in Hale End and Highams Park South ward
PartyVotesElected
Labour Party1,384Tony Bell
Labour Party1,365Rosalind Doré
Green Party741
Green Party686
Conservative and Unionist Party571
Conservative and Unionist Party458
Reform UK407
Reform UK398
Liberal Democrats152
Independent65
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition35

The declaration gave no turnout. 13 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Hatch Lane and Highams Park North

How Hatch Lane and Highams Park North voted: turnout 47.7%
Votes for each candidate in Hatch Lane and Highams Park North ward
PartyVotesElected
Conservative and Unionist Party1,818Shenise Adam
Conservative and Unionist Party1,698Siobhan Wing
Conservative and Unionist Party1,693Umar Ali
Green Party1,144
Green Party1,062
Labour Party1,016
Green Party1,000
Labour Party963
Labour Party813
Reform UK679
Reform UK648
Reform UK599
Liberal Democrats207
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition63

The declaration gave no turnout. 9 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

High Street

How High Street voted: turnout 41.9%
Votes for each candidate in High Street ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party1,882Lisa Bryan
Green Party1,759John Donegan
Green Party1,708Marcelo Hart-Camus
Labour Party1,262
Labour Party1,182
Labour Party1,149
Reform UK178
Reform UK162
Liberal Democrats147
Conservative and Unionist Party135
Conservative and Unionist Party135
Reform UK135
Conservative and Unionist Party128
Liberal Democrats108
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition54

The declaration gave no turnout. 6 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Higham Hill

How Higham Hill voted: turnout 35.7%
Votes for each candidate in Higham Hill ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party1,486Louise Ashcroft
Labour and Co-operative Party1,305Karen Bellamy
Green Party1,251Em Dean
Labour and Co-operative Party1,221
Labour and Co-operative Party1,170
Green Party1,148
Liberal Democrats382
Liberal Democrats376
Liberal Democrats341
Reform UK337
Reform UK325
Conservative and Unionist Party215
Conservative and Unionist Party144
Conservative and Unionist Party143
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition74

The declaration gave no turnout. 9 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Hoe Street

How Hoe Street voted: turnout 41.4%
Votes for each candidate in Hoe Street ward
PartyVotesElected
Labour and Co-operative Party1,855Andrew Dixon
Labour and Co-operative Party1,840Miriam Mirwitch
Labour and Co-operative Party1,783Ahsan Khan
Green Party1,729
Green Party1,613
Green Party1,583
Reform UK260
Conservative and Unionist Party213
Conservative and Unionist Party204
Liberal Democrats182
Liberal Democrats167
Conservative and Unionist Party166
Liberal Democrats151
Your Party108
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition69

The declaration gave no turnout. 14 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Larkswood

How Larkswood voted: turnout 43.8%
Votes for each candidate in Larkswood ward
PartyVotesElected
Conservative and Unionist Party1,525John Moss
Conservative and Unionist Party1,525Catherine Saumarez
Conservative and Unionist Party1,524Sam O'Connell
Independent1,078
Independent962
Independent951
Labour Party830
Labour Party711
Labour Party670
Reform UK525
Reform UK514
Reform UK492
Liberal Democrats250

The declaration gave no turnout. 13 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Lea Bridge

How Lea Bridge voted: turnout 38.8%
Votes for each candidate in Lea Bridge ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party2,443Liz Biggs
Green Party2,325Solène Fabios
Green Party2,303Rosalind Rowlands
Labour Party1,087
Labour Party984
Labour Party950
Reform UK235
Conservative and Unionist Party180
Liberal Democrats169
Conservative and Unionist Party163
Liberal Democrats153
Conservative and Unionist Party140

The declaration gave no turnout. 16 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Leyton

How Leyton voted: turnout 34.4%
Votes for each candidate in Leyton ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party1,822Daisy Richards
Green Party1,799Rob Gardner
Green Party1,657Demetrius Williams
Labour Party1,017
Labour Party930
Labour Party917
Liberal Democrats263
Liberal Democrats256
Reform UK227
Liberal Democrats215
Conservative and Unionist Party194
Conservative and Unionist Party176
Conservative and Unionist Party161
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition84
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition48

The declaration gave no turnout. 10 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Leytonstone

How Leytonstone voted: turnout 24.2%
Votes for each candidate in Leytonstone ward
PartyVotesElected
Labour Party1,815Clyde Loakes
Green Party1,767Denise Alder
Green Party1,707RoseMary Warrington
Labour Party1,508
Labour Party1,463
Independent924
Reform UK279
Reform UK245
Conservative and Unionist Party223
Liberal Democrats222
Conservative and Unionist Party208
Conservative and Unionist Party203
Liberal Democrats180
Liberal Democrats121

The declaration gave no turnout. 13 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Markhouse

How Markhouse voted: turnout 43.1%
Votes for each candidate in Markhouse ward
PartyVotesElected
Labour Party1,368Johar Khan
Green Party1,170Chanté Johnson
Labour Party1,159
Green Party1,100
Conservative and Unionist Party128
Liberal Democrats126
Reform UK119
Conservative and Unionist Party108
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition38

The declaration gave no turnout. 9 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

St James

How St James voted: turnout 45.8%
Votes for each candidate in St James ward
PartyVotesElected
Green Party2,194Anna Rose Kerr
Green Party2,169David Berrie
Green Party2,144Martin Edobor
Labour and Co-operative Party1,766
Labour and Co-operative Party1,536
Labour and Co-operative Party1,515
Reform UK227
Conservative and Unionist Party212
Liberal Democrats167
Conservative and Unionist Party149
Conservative and Unionist Party129
Liberal Democrats123
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition66

The declaration gave no turnout. 24 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Upper Walthamstow

How Upper Walthamstow voted: turnout 43.7%
Votes for each candidate in Upper Walthamstow ward
PartyVotesElected
Labour and Co-operative Party1,290Caramel Quin
Labour and Co-operative Party1,162Yusuf Patel
Green Party828
Green Party749
Conservative and Unionist Party222
Reform UK221
Reform UK205
Conservative and Unionist Party164
Liberal Democrats137
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition37

The declaration gave no turnout. 12 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Valley

How Valley voted: turnout 32.9%
Votes for each candidate in Valley ward
PartyVotesElected
Conservative and Unionist Party1,687Afzal Akram
Conservative and Unionist Party1,583Jemma Hemsted
Conservative and Unionist Party1,552Toby Garrett
Labour Party1,084
Labour Party981
Labour Party898
Reform UK655
Reform UK642
Independent605
Independent581
Independent571
Reform UK534
Liberal Democrats285

The declaration gave no turnout. 19 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

William Morris

How William Morris voted: turnout 44.7%
Votes for each candidate in William Morris ward
PartyVotesElected
Labour and Co-operative Party2,145Kizzy Gardiner
Labour and Co-operative Party2,089Grace Williams
Green Party1,847Ben Copsey
Labour and Co-operative Party1,803
Green Party1,786
Green Party1,720
Reform UK242
Reform UK234
Liberal Democrats223
Conservative and Unionist Party208
Conservative and Unionist Party206
Conservative and Unionist Party187
Liberal Democrats160
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition69

The declaration gave no turnout. 20 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Wood Street

How Wood Street voted: turnout 46.0%
Votes for each candidate in Wood Street ward
PartyVotesElected
Labour Party1,284Richard Sweden
Labour Party1,270Stephanie Talbut
Green Party1,249
Green Party1,143
Independent279
Reform UK183
Reform UK161
Liberal Democrats122
Conservative and Unionist Party117
Conservative and Unionist Party107
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition40
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition35

The declaration gave no turnout. 7 ballot papers were rejected. From the council’s declaration, via Democracy Club (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Still to come for Waltham Forest

For Hammersmith & Fulham, Borough Book also tracks every party’s manifesto pledges, every council payment over £500, Cabinet and Full Council decisions, how this year’s budget gap was closed and a tool to balance next year. Those need the council’s own papers, read by hand, and come here next. See Hammersmith & Fulham.

sourcedBill, budget and history: government returns, checked against their own totals (11 Jun 2026)
Where every figure on this page comes from