Politics
Croydon Referendum Guide Details Voting Rules for Council Tax and Planning Decisions
The new guide sets out eligibility, timelines and question formats for any local referendums Croydon residents may face on council budgets or development proposals.
How we reported this
Croydon Council published its Local Referendum Procedures Guide on 7 July 2026. The 28-page document explains how residents can be asked to vote on specific council tax rises or major planning applications that exceed existing local plan thresholds.
The guide arrives ahead of the 2026-27 budget cycle, when the council must decide whether to seek voter approval for any increase above the 4.99 per cent cap set by central government rules. Croydon’s finance team has already modelled a possible 1.5 per cent referendum question to fund additional adult social care places.
Direct effects on household bills and neighbourhood plans
Any approved referendum question on council tax would appear on ballot papers sent to every registered elector in the borough. Residents in wards such as Broad Green or Shirley would see the same percentage change applied to their annual bill, currently averaging £1,872 for a Band D property. A separate section of the guide covers planning referendums, where voters in a defined neighbourhood could decide on schemes larger than 500 homes or 10,000 square metres of commercial space.
Policy analysts at the London Borough of Croydon note that the guide repeats the statutory requirement for a 50 per cent turnout threshold before a result becomes binding. Past local consultation exercises recorded turnout between 22 and 31 per cent, according to council records released under the Freedom of Information Act.
Next steps for voters and campaign groups
The council will publish any draft referendum questions at least 56 days before polling day. Campaign material must be submitted to the returning officer for factual accuracy checks. The first possible vote under the new procedures is expected no earlier than October 2026, once the budget working group completes its draft proposals in September.
Community organisations have until 15 August to request clarification on wording or eligibility rules. The guide states that all queries must be answered in writing within 10 working days and will be published on the council website.