Low-paid workers are being "exploited" due to Wandsworth Council's tax rates, according to the GMB Union.

This is despite the council boasting that it offers residents the cheapest council tax rates in London.

The workers union has claimed Wandsworth Council is outsourcing work to private firms, meaning they avoid paying London Living Wage to staff.

Last week, the council announced that it was set to approve a tax hike of 4.99 per cent, which would keep council tax amongst the lowest in England.

A Band D home would pay £770.31 in council tax per year, which is half the average of a similar home in other London boroughs.

According to Wandsworth Council residents would continue to "benefit from one of the lowest council tax bills in the country."

However, GMB accused the council of making savings by using workers from private companies to carry out tasks such as street cleaning, park maintenance and parking enforcement.

Staff providing council services from outside firms like Quadron and ISS were being paid the national minimum wage of £7.83 an hour, while street cleaners employed by Continental Landscapes received £8.50 an hour, it claimed.

Paul Maloney, GMB Southern Regional Secretary said: “Sadly, many seem oblivious at this exploitation of the lower paid workers many of whom are migrant workers working directly for them to keep the streets clean.

"These lower paid workers deserve the support of the all fair-minded people."

He added that the "exploitation" of staff "working directly for the public in a borough with average earnings for residents working full time of £64,761 has to stop."

The only Conservative council in inner London, Wandsworth has been Tory-controlled since 1978.

The Conservative Party have used it as a model of good local governance.

A council spokesman said: “A December meeting of Wandsworth Council welcomed the fact that the council currently pays all its staff at least the London Living Wage.

“Councillors also debated and unanimously agreed to record its support for all businesses in the borough, including the council's own contracting partners, who are taking steps to pay their London-based employees a London Living Wage.”