Less than 48 hours after the momentous incinerator decision was taken behind closed doors at the Town Hall, and there is already worrying signs of pollution seeping out in central Croydon.

Even with the Beddington Lane incinerator unlikely to be built and in operation until 2014, dangerous levels of pollution have been spotted close to Taberner House, right under the nose of senior Croydon officials.

Under the nose, in fact, of the most senior Croydon official, council chief executive Jon Rouse.

Inside Croydon has in the past brought you the thoughts of the Croydon CEO, and this week he has used the council’s intraweb to spread news of his charitable efforts (of not shaving for a month).

Rouse writes:

“I know times are very tough,” he says with absolutely no irony, coming from the man on £248,000 per year, in a missive directed at council employees fortunate enough to remain on the much denuded staff, many of them on average annual salaries of less than £25,000, “but if any of you would like to support me, you can follow this link, http://mobro.co/JonRouse. Any donations, however, small or large will be gratefully received.

“And if you don’t donate, you still get a good laugh at my expense.”

That much, at least, is true.

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