Staff at Fisher’s Folly had something to celebrate this week, after Croydon Council managed to make it into the annual Private Eye magazine round-up of the country’s rottenest boroughs for a sixth year in a row.

Someone has even suggested that the nice people at the Guinness Book of Records ought to be tipped off, as getting a mention for civic under-achievement every year since 2017 is something thought to be unmatched in the history of British local government.

Croydon was declared Britain’s Rottenest Borough for 2020, the year the council went bankrupt. In 2021, Croydon was nominated for two awards, itself an outstanding achievement.

But this year, without stalwarts such as Paul Scott, now an ex-councillor, Tony Newman, now a suspended member of the Labour Party, or even Jo “Negreedy” Negrini, to pitch in with their outstanding efforts to win notoriety for Croydon, some feared that the council might miss out on the Rotten Boroughs Awards.

Those concerns proved entirely unfounded.

Out now!: Someone should buy Mayor Perry a subscription

Step forward Croydon Council newbie, and the “Borough Barrister”, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense.

Lawrence-Orumwense was picked out for special mention in Lord Gnome’s esteemed organ for his part in launching the disastrous, and gormless, High Court injunction against this website in November.

Lawrence-Orumwense has been named as “Legal Eagle of the Year” in the annual set of Rotten Borough gongs in the latest edition of the Eye.

Inside Croydon even gets a mention, the second time in three editions of the country’s best-selling satirical magazine. Which is nice.

The first issue of Private Eye for 2023 was published on Wednesday, although the human dynamos working in the propaganda bunker at Fisher’s Folly have yet to issue a press release or publish a story on the council’s website to hail such a resounding success by the council.

Accolade: there’s even a mention for iC. Which is nice

And nor has Mayor Jason Perry issued any quotes, linking the award to his time in charge at the Town Hall. Loyal readers will recall that Mayor Perry did nothing whatsoever to prevent the embarrassing injunction attempt, which cost Croydon Council Tax-payers an estimated £20,000 in legal and associated fees, and caused further damage to the “laughing stock” borough’s sullied reputation.

Perry’s part in this latest omnishambles follows in the proud tradition of award-winners such as Jo Negrini and Tony Newman and provides further evidence that having an elected Mayor is, as predicted by Inside Croydon, just #ABitLessShit.

Read more: Bankrupt council paid firm of solicitors £2m over two years
Read more: Council withdraws High Court case against Inside Croydon
Read more: ‘Better than evens’ chance of winning Negrini legal case
Read more: Eye! Eye! Croydon gets two gongs in Rotten Boroughs awards

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• ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SIXTH successive year in 2022 in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine