Category Archives: Housing

Is Croydon on the brink with £1 billion borough debt?

Posted on June 10, 2013 by

Four articles and announcements have appeared in the past few days, all apparently unconnected. Yet if the strands of the four stories are drawn together, they illustrate how badly run is Croydon Council, negligently wasting vast sums of public money … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, Care Homes, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Libraries, Property, Riesco Collection, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hard times make it right to give everyone the benefit

Posted on June 7, 2013 by

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The “reform” of social security, or “welfare” as the government terms it in its Americanised manner, is being used as an excuse to take money away from the poorest in society. But there must be a better way, … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Fisher, Croydon Central, Gavin Barwell MP, Housing, London-wide issues | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It will take more than a PR bandaid to fix Croydon

Posted on May 31, 2013 by

CROYDON COMMENTARY: CHARLOTTE DAVIES, pictured left, the chair of the South Croydon Community Association, says that detailed checks on how Croydon Council is being run, by the Audit Commission and the Charity Commission, are long overdue Croydon is a complex … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2014 council elections, Art, Centrale, Charity, Community associations, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Fairfield Halls, Housing, John Laing Integrated Services, Libraries, London Mozart Players, Menta Tower, Music, Parking, Planning, South Croydon Community Association, Theatre, URV, Warehouse Theatre, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cane Hill plans for 675 family homes but only 222 children

Posted on May 10, 2013 by

The “family homes” built by Barratt Homes can’t be very good: according to the house-builder, few of those that it will be building at Cane Hill in Coulsdon will accommodate any children. Apparently to avoid having to provide a school … Continue reading →

Posted in Boris Johnson, Business, Cane Hill, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon West, Croydon Council, Croydon South, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Education, Housing, Mayor of London, Old Coulsdon Residents' Association, Planning, Schools | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Appeal judges’ decision on Crystal Palace puts parks at risk

Posted on May 2, 2013 by

An appeal court decision to allow “luxury apartments” to be built in Crystal Palace Park could see parkland up and down the country subject to speculative development, according to a concerned London Assembly Member. Earlier this week, three Lords of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bromley Council, Community associations, Crystal Palace Community Association, Environment, History, Housing, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Norwood Society, Outside Croydon, Property, Upper Norwood | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Have you been hit by benefits cap? The BBC wants to know

Posted on May 1, 2013 by

Do you live in Croydon and are affected by the changes in social security payments, specifically the benefits cap? Nina Robinson is a BBC journalist making a radio documentary for World Service and she wants to speak to anyone who … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, Housing, London-wide issues | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Croydon’s homes crisis is borough’s bitter Thatcher legacy

Posted on April 18, 2013 by

CROYDON COMMENTARY: DAVID CALLAM says that the council lost much of its ability to manage its own policies on business and housing to a premiership of 30 years ago Margaret Thatcher is portrayed as a darling of the Home Counties … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Council Tax, Croydon Council, David Callam, Housing, Lambeth Council, London-wide issues | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Investigation called for over councillor’s planning interests

Posted on April 7, 2013 by

Julie Belvir, the Borough Solicitor, Croydon Council‘s senior legal officer, is expected to investigate the conduct of Waddon councillor Clare Hilley. Last month, Inside Croydon published an email from Hilley in which she offered her “planning expertise” to a leading … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Environment, Housing, Julie Belvir, Planning, Property, Simon Hoar, Tony Harris, Waddon, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Campaigners protest Bedroom Tax as “vilification of the poor”

Posted on March 16, 2013 by

More than 60 protesters braved pouring rain to protest against the Bedroom Tax outside Croydon Town Hall today. The protest was one of more than 50 demonstrations held concurrently across the country to oppose the measure that will mean that … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, Andrew Pelling, Health, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

White Label’s “no Cannes do” with conference publicity

Posted on March 12, 2013 by

Whoops. Looks like another clanger dropped by White Label, the PR agency that is ubiquitous in Croydon Council business.

Posted in Business, Cane Hill, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Croydon Council, Housing, Jon Rouse, Planning, Property, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Planning conflicts of interest? In Croydon? Don’t be silly

Posted on March 12, 2013 by

The Daily Torygraph, that bastion of left-wing revolutionaries, yesterday ran a fascinating report on how some councillors had been abusing their position within local authority planning committees to line their own pockets. Or purses. Shock! Horror! This, of course, would … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Cane Hill, Clare Hilley, Croydon South, Housing, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Richard Ottaway MP, Ruskin Square, URV, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

More than 2,000 people in Croydon hit by £1,000 Bedroom Tax

Posted on March 6, 2013 by

At a time when precise, hard details are hard to come by, as our local and national politicians duck and dive around issues, here’s two stats: According to the National Housing Federation, 2,908 people in Croydon living in council homes … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Housing, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Altitude 25′s water supplies now come under pressure

Posted on February 26, 2013 by

More problems at the Altitude 25 building complex raise further questions about the practicality of the council’s plans to house 17,000 extra residents in high-rise buildings in central Croydon. Residents in the expensive town centre tower that overlooks East Croydon … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe, Altitude 25, Fairfield, Housing, Planning, Property | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

1.85%: Croydon in a Pickles over Council Tax hike

Posted on February 15, 2013 by

Mike Fisher, the leader of the Conservative group that tries to run Croydon Council, tonight raised the white flag at the Town Hall when – at the latest possible moment on a Friday evening just before half-term week – he … Continue reading →

Posted in Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, Schools, Croydon Council, Mike Fisher, Housing, Tim Pollard, Council Tax, Dudley Mead, URV, Policing, Sutton Council, Lambeth Council | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Poor set to suffer thanks to Barwell’s posturing

Posted on January 30, 2013 by

“Over the past five years, benefits have risen twice as fast as salaries.” Thus spoke the Member of Parliament for Croydon Central in full-on arslikhan mode at Prime Minister’s Questions at the House of Commons. “Does the Prime Minister agree that, … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Central, Gavin Barwell MP, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments