Westminster City Council's Cabinet has approved a series of fee increases, set to take effect on various dates, with many from 1 April 2027.
The decision, made at a Cabinet meeting on Monday 2 November 2026, is part of a broader effort to ensure services align with the council's policy framework and support cost recovery. The majority of proposed increases are in line with inflation, reflecting the Local Government Association's 3.3% pay award, alongside commercial analysis of market conditions.
Key changes included a proposed average 5% increase for City Promotions, Events & Filming. Fees for this service range from 2% to 22%, with some rising significantly to reflect market demand and cost recovery. New fees have been introduced for 'Drone Filming' and 'Power Cabinet Quadrant hire'. Adjustments for this service range are anticipated to generate an additional £0.069m in income.
HMO Licensing is set to see a significant 24.03% increase. This rise incorporates five years of inflation for the new licensing round. However, the majority of licenses will not be affected until they expire in five years' time, meaning the immediate impact on landlords and affordable housing is not detailed.
Local Land Charges fees are set to rise by 3.7%, with increases modelled on market demand where it supports a rise. Discretionary planning fees are expected to see an average 5% increase.
Other services experiencing fee adjustments include Legal Charges and Adult Social Care, both with an expected 3.3% uplift reflecting staff pay awards. Building Control fees will increase by an average of 5% due to additional workload and costs following the Building Safety Act 2022. Road Management & Construction Code of Practice fees are set to see a 3.3% uplift, contributing to minimising a service deficit.
Fees for Sayer's Croft will increase by an average of 6.8% to improve cost recovery. Resident cemetery fees will rise by 3.3%, while non-resident fees will increase by 6.9%. These changes are intended to contribute towards rising service costs and are based on benchmarking with comparable London authorities. Bulky household waste collection will see a £5 increase for standard collections (a 14% uplift) and a £1 increase for additional items (a 15.6% uplift).
Registrars fees are set for an average 5% increase, reflecting high demand for ceremonies. The council notes that setting fees in advance is necessary to allow pre-bookings for ceremonies such as weddings, offering customers price certainty.
Paid Parking will see a base rate increase of 3.5%, with additional adjustments based on vehicle emissions, supporting environmental objectives. Libraries venue hire fees are expected to increase by an average of 5%. These increases are benchmarked against market rates and balanced by frozen charges in some areas to maintain affordability.
No increase was proposed for Food Hygiene Rating fees.
Leisure fees will see an average 2.8% increase impacting most pay-as-you-go activities and facility hire charges. Swim Lessons and Health and Wellbeing sessions are set to remain frozen. Veterans will be added to the discounted membership scheme. Adult Education fees and Kerbside Permissions will not see an increase at this time.
The Cabinet was asked to approve new fees including a pre-application fee for highways work, a charge for third-party access to highways contracts, and a developer/client cost charge. These changes are anticipated to generate an additional £4.135 million in income in a full year.
Further details can be found in the Public reports pack for the Cabinet meeting held on 2 November 2026.