Category Archives: URV

More on procurement: Croydon’s “urgent” £500,000 contract

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

Let’s hope that Bernard Weatherill House, the monument to delusion at Croydon Council, at the centre of their £450 million urban regeneration scheme, will have revolving doors. Because no sooner does Chief Exec Jon Rouse and his lacky, Nathan Elvery, … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Jon Rouse, Nathan Elvery, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Latest Cannes trip gets Rouse his moment in The Sun

Posted on April 10, 2012 by

Maybe openness, transparency and accountability to public scrutiny does work. Since Inside Croydon was launched nearly two years ago, we have often returned to the council’s spending on its annual jolly to the South of France for £248,000 per year … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Housing, Jon Rouse, Local media, Menta Tower, Mike Fisher, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Simon Hoar, Tony Newman, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shard overshadows copycat developers’ visions

Posted on April 9, 2012 by

South London commuters, arriving at London Bridge station, will be aware that the Shard nears completion. This Guardian piece by Jonathan Glancey from two years ago ably predicts the building’s influence on developers elsewhere – including Croydon Shard London Bridge, … Continue reading →

Posted in Commuting, Property, London-wide issues, Business, Environment, Outside Croydon, Housing, Planning, URV, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Menta Tower, East Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Psst. Croydon plans for the future. Quietly

Posted on April 7, 2012 by

This just in this morning, from the council’s “spatial” planning department. Undoubtedly, for anyone with any interest in the future of Croydon, as a resident or a business owner, this “framework” will be of avid interest. But does it strike … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, East Croydon, Environment, Housing, London-wide issues, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Transport, URV, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Croydon considers handing over children’s homes

Posted on April 3, 2012 by

Croydon’s latest exercise to “identify” publicly owned properties that can be handed over to John Laing as make-weights towards the £450 million urban regeneration project, which is delivering the splendidly palatial new council HQ offices, could see two children’s homes … Continue reading →

Posted in Care Homes, Croydon Council, Jon Rouse, New Addington, Property, South Norwood, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Croydon starts to gag councillors over planning bids

Posted on April 1, 2012 by

Another one of Croydon Council’s more ludicrous internal memos reaches us here at Inside Croydon. This one, from the council’s official solicitor, seeks to forbid councillors from talking to local residents on planning matters. Some times. They’re just not entirely … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Cane Hill, Clare Hilley, Croydon Council, Environment, Housing, Jon Rouse, Julie Belvir, London-wide issues, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Restaurants, Ruskin Square, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Council increases charges for parking, burials and rat catching

Posted on February 28, 2012 by

Did someone mention a zero increase in Council Tax? And did anyone mention the widespread increases in charges for a variety of council services, from parking to vermin control, which virtually all Croydon residents need to use? While Croydon’s political … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Care Homes, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Mike Fisher, Parking, Phil Thomas, Planning, Policing, Thornton Heath, URV | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Croydon’s Budget (part 2): Fisher shows what his priorities are

Posted on February 20, 2012 by

The ruling Conservative group’s Cabinet meets tonight to rubber-stamp the budget plans for the borough for the coming year. Here, we examine where their priorities lay, and highlight some startling inconsistencies So, no Council Tax increase in Croydon for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Environment, Fairfield Halls, Jon Rouse, Libraries, London-wide issues, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Planning, Schools, URV, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ruskin Square build unlikely to start before 2013

Posted on February 8, 2012 by

The grandiose multi-million plan to redevelop Croydon’s “Gateway” looks to be stalled, with sources close to the Ruskin Square site suggesting that no substantive building work will begin there before 2013. Since getting revised planning permission for the mixed use … Continue reading →

Posted in East Croydon, Environment, Jon Rouse, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council’s planning chief leaves after less than 6 months in job

Posted on February 1, 2012 by

Stephen McDonald, appointed to much fanfare as Croydon’s executive director of planning and environment only last August, has quit his estimated £140,000 per year post as “a result of mutual recognition that there was a difference in expectations” over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Jon Rouse, Planning, Stephen McDonald, URV | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment