Despite the exciting prospect of nearly £1 million-worth of new furniture in the shiny new glass palace of council HQ that is leaning over the flyover, those members of council staff who have survived the cuts so far are finding it increasingly hard to keep up their morale.

That might have something to do with the way that the staff see matters at Taberner House mishandled, including themselves.

Consider the following message, distributed on the Croydon Council intranet this week, under the title “events and special offers”. And directed, let’s not forget, to existing staff…

Thinking of going self employed or starting your own business?
Free business information workshop
Saturday 14 July, 2:15-4:15pm
The workshop will be an interactive session looking at the online, digital and printed information available in libraries for people considering self employment or starting their own business. There will also be details of free start-up courses run in the local area.
The workshop will take place at Croydon Library.
Please contact level3@croydon.gov.uk or x61 1 15 for further details.

Classy.

Other “special” offers for Croydon Council staff in July include:

• “Free cycling courses” (Rouse’s way of saying “on yer bike”?)
• “Have you ever fancied being a market trader?” (Mary Portas would be delighted)
• “HR Advice Surgery Focus”
•  “Money Advice Service Face to Face Consultations”
• “Teddy bear parachute jump at Croydon Fire Station on Sunday 15 July in aid of the Mayor’s Charities” (that’ll be a real winner)
• “The Regeneration Game – Participants wanted for new Channel 4 TV Programme” (presumably in Croydon to see how not to do it)
• and, this has got to be a clincher, “Take part in a Benefits focus group”

Little wonder, then, that Inside Croydon hears that some disenchanted council staff, feeling like a redundancy statistic waiting to happen are already referring to Rouse’s folly, the new HQ, as “The Leaning Tower of Piss-off”.

• Inside Croydon: For comment and analysis about Croydon, from inside Croydon. Not from Redhill.
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