Oh look… they’ve all gone to the south of France for a meeting
It’s been busy, busy, busy for the Croydon delegation at MIPIM, the property developers’ “junket” (© council leader Tony Newman) held in Cannes in the south of France this week.
Croydon Council has spent £8,000 of Council Tax-payers’ money in sending three senior officials, including executive director Jo Negrini, centre in the picture above.
They have been working closely with local PR agency Grey Label and the Develop Croydon lobby group of local businesses. Richard Plant, pictured left above, chairs Develop Croydon when he is not running Stiles Harold Williams, the property management firm which has such a tight grip on so much of the town centre’s commercial property, and which conducts much work for the Whitgift Foundation, the majority freeholders of the Whitgift Centre.
The picture shows Plant and Negrini in Cannes meeting with Richard “Dick” Blakeway, the Tory Mayor of London’s deputy responsible for housing.
Blakeway is usually based at City Hall, but how much more fun it must be for Negrini and her colleagues to meet him while at MIPIM in Cannes. And at our expense, too.
“Our time is now,” indeed.
- This is what £8,000 of public money buys Croydon at MIPIM (Part 1)
- This is what £8,000 of public money buys Croydon at MIPIM (Part 2)
- Read our report on MIPIM and Croydon Council’s lingering love affair with the event here
- Negrini signs-off on £8,000 MIPIM junket to the south of France
- Property investor Philp comes up short on Purley ‘skyscraper’
- Inside Croydon Events: for dates and links to what’s happening in and around Croydon, updated daily, click here
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I’m trying to work out why you have such a problem with people promoting Croydon. Seems you want us to be stuck in the sixties with its revolting architecture, and frankly down trodden reputation.
There is a lot of good work going on in Croydon, and with a bit of luck people like yourselves will be no where near the decision making when it comes to making Croydon a modern attractive place to live and work.
So you think they’re out there “promoting Croydon”. Blimey. Were you born yesterday?
Oh wait. You also support Winston McKenzie’s UKIP…
I’m with David on this. Jo Negrini is doing her best to attract international investors to Croydon, and is proving successful, as the picture shows. That’s Donald Trump standing next to her.
Using our tax money to promote business for private landlords or affordable homes? which one is it? There are only two types. Posh flats for investors and affordable homes for others. So which one are they promoting?
Private landlords and “posh investors” bring PAID for council tax to Croydon. They bring in wage earners who spend in local shops, buy drinks in local bars, eat food in local restaurants. Some employ local people. They attract big shops and businesses to Croydon.
How on earth can this be bad for Croydon. Do you want it filled up with freeloaders who get free homes, free council tax, free money week in week out? Seriously some people want Croydon to be a home for the unaspirational.
Once again, thank god people like you are not running the Council… well I hope you are not anyway.
Not sure that this comment makes sense.
However, if you are saying that private landlords and investors (we have never used the word “posh”, so it must be some deep issue for you) generate wealth local through their profitable investments, then you would be right. And so it is they who should be going to events such as MIPIM, not the local authority.
Interesting how you’re in support of the (ab)use of public funds when it benefits the wealthiest part of society, but wholly opposed to the use of public money for the poor and needy.