Category Archives: Kenley

Gove’s Roke “consultation” uses figures that do not add up

Posted on May 23, 2013 by

One of the basics taught at every primary school is adding up. Trouble with Michael Gove, the education secretary, and the “consultation” he commissioned on the future of Roke Primary School, is that none of it adds up. Roke is … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Kenley, Richard Ottaway MP, Roke Primary, Schools | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Red Deer locals look north for help to rebuff Morrisons

Posted on April 30, 2013 by

Another landmark Croydon pub is under threat of takeover from a supermarket chain. And our local councillors’ response – where they have bothered to respond – is effectively to shrug their shoulders and say there’s nothing that they can, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Community associations, Croham, Maria Gatland, Planning, Property, Pubs, Sanderstead, South Croydon Community Association, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Roke Primary victim of “overzealous” Gove, says Tory MP

Posted on April 23, 2013 by

Readers of a nervous disposition should look away now. The following article contains flashing lights and some robust English language and may not be suitable for those under the age of about 12. Or Michael Gove. If further proof were … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon South, Richard Ottaway MP, Education, Kenley, Roke Primary | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Purley residents suspicious as campaign posters disappear

Posted on April 8, 2013 by

A group of residents in Purley are back on a “war footing”, after what they claim has been heavy-handed treatment from Croydon Council over their on-going campaign against a planning application to build a large hospital on the site of … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon South, Croydon Council, Environment, Purley, Health, Planning, Kenley, Community associations | Tagged , , , , , ,

Streatham-Croydon dig in for the future at Frant Road

Posted on March 29, 2013 by

RUGBY ROUND-UP: Redevelopment work on Streatham-Croydon’s stand and changing rooms has begun in earnest at Frant Road this week following a “breaking the ground” ceremony after the last home league game of the season against Old Rutlishians. Steve O’Connell, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Old Mid-Whitgiftians RFC, Old Walcountians, Old Whitgiftians, Purley-John Fisher, Rugby Union, Sport, Steve O'Connell, Streatham-Croydon RFC, Warlingham RFC | Tagged , , , , , , ,

X marks the spot: Croydon appoints firm in administration

Posted on March 24, 2013 by

News reaches Inside Croydon of what appears to be yet another epic fail by the leadership at Croydon Council. On February 11, at the Town Hall cabinet meeting, Mike Fisher, the council leader, and his “top team” decided to appoint … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Environment, Jason Perry, Margaret Mead, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Phil Thomas, Sara Bashford, Simon Hoar, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Croydon among worst hit boroughs by police station closures

Posted on March 1, 2013 by

Croydon is one of the London boroughs worst affected by proposals from the Mayor of London Boris Johnson to close police stations. According to research conducted by the Green Party’s London Assembly Member Jenny Jones, an additional 107,774 people during … Continue reading →

Posted in Boris Johnson, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Greens, Kenley, Mayor of London, Norbury, Policing, Purley, Riots Review Panel, South Norwood | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Nash letter dashes hopes for Roke to escape Harris

Posted on February 26, 2013 by

Parents, governors and staff at Roke Primary were left “shattered” last week, after the local MP, Richard Ottaway, passed on to them a letter he had received from Lord Nash, the under-secretary at the Department for Education. Nash’s letter runs … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Kenley, Richard Ottaway MP, Roke Primary | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tax hikes, more borrowing and party splits: Tory Croydon 2013

Posted on February 22, 2013 by

CROYDON COMMENTARY: There are signs of panic among Croydon’s ruling Conservatives, as the announcement of a hike in Council Tax has prompted in-fighting among party colleagues. Ahead of next week’s Town Hall budget meetings, ANDREW PELLING, below left, looks at … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Council Tax, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Gavin Barwell MP, John Laing Integrated Services, Kenley, Libraries, Mike Fisher, Schools, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Equivalents and exclusions boost results rather than education

Posted on February 19, 2013 by

Things are beginning to look grim for the future of Roke Primary, where parents, governors and staff fear that the public asset of the school, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, is about to be handed over by education secretary … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Gavin Barwell MP, Kenley, Richard Ottaway MP, Roke Primary, Schools | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Kenley road island could cause more deaths, says campaigner

Posted on February 18, 2013 by

The scene of another road accident, this time a fatal one, on the A22 Godstone Road in the early hours of Saturday, is now a matter of dispute between local residents, cyclists, Mayor Boris Johnson and his cycling “advisor” Andrew … Continue reading →

Posted in Boris Johnson, Community associations, Commuting, Croydon Cycling Campaign, Cycling, Kenley, Mayor of London, Steve O'Connell, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Gove will tear us apart: the challenge facing Roke Primary

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

An hour-long film on the battle against academy status by a group of parents and teachers in north London offers salutary lessons for a local school Roke Primary School, in Kenley, is being handed over to a carpet salesman on … Continue reading →

Posted in Gavin Barwell MP, Croydon South, Education, Schools, Kenley, Roke Primary, Steve Hollands | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What councillors say: “no opposition to Roke proposals”

Posted on February 11, 2013 by

Roke Primary is not “a failing” or under-performing school, yet Michael Gove, the Education minister, is about to hand over this publicly owned asset to a carpet salesman to run as an “academy”. No consultation, no mandate, and no agreement … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Kenley, Richard Ottaway MP, Roke Primary, Schools, Steve Hollands | Tagged , , , , , , ,

Boris to close all but one police station in Croydon

Posted on January 9, 2013 by

If you still had any lingering doubt that our elected representatives are too often taking the public for a (very expensive) ride, then a brief exchange today between Steve “Three Jobs” O’Connell and a reporter from the Croydon Sadvertiser should … Continue reading →

Posted in Boris Johnson, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Kenley, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, New Addington, Norbury, Policing, Purley, Simon Hoar, South Norwood, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , , , ,

Roke Primary to be handed over to a carpet salesman

Posted on January 8, 2013 by

Roke Primary School in Kenley is being forced into academy status with the Harris Federation, against the wishes of the governors and parents. Malcolm Farquharson, the chairman of governors at Roke, issued this letter to all parents yesterday, the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Kenley, Roke Primary, Schools | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments