The council is beginning a set of projects “to transform” (their words) five of the borough’s district centres with funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Chosen area: Thornton Heath is one of the places to get a few bob for hanging baskets and not much else
But the money – £833,000 – will be spread very thinly between the five chosen locations: London Road, West Croydon; New Addington; Thornton Heath; Selsdon; and Purley.
“The projects, which will be delivered by March 2025, will focus on communities and place, local business support as well as people and skills,” according to the council.
The council cited somewhat broad objectives, “measures designed to prevent antisocial behaviour” and “improve or create green spaces and public realm”, without providing any specific plans for the areas, while claiming that the schemes would “increase the vitality of the centres”. Whatever that’s supposed to mean.
Previous, similar schemes have delivered up a bit of new paving, a few window boxes and hanging baskets, or maybe some derivative “street art” that gets dug up or painted over a few months later.
“The council is working with ward members and local partners and communities to define the programme,” they said, suggesting that they don’t know themselves.
Apparently, “The projects also aim to boost job retention and local economies by attracting people to district centres.”
And the council said, “This work supports the priorities set out in the Mayor’s Business Plan 2022-2026 to make Croydon a great place for working, earning and learning, and where all children and young people can thrive, learn and fulfil their potential.”
This was put out in the same week that Tory Mayor Jason Perry rejected the recommendations of the council’s scrutiny committee to give two of the borough’s nursery schools, Selhurst Nursery and Crosfield Nursery, a 12-month grace period before reviewing whether they are forced to find an academy partner or face closure.
“Where all children and young people can thrive, learn and fulfil their potential.” Or not, depending on a whim of the Tory Mayor.
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ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2024, Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SEVENTH successive year in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine
A few hanging baskets? What about the Canterbury Road area? Why Purley?
Going by previous spread-too-thinly projects (remember the riots recovery fund?), this will all be of little lasting benefit, but will all feature in the Mayor’s and Tories’ re-election leaflets in 2026, especially in New Addington, Selsdon and Purley
Oh, and Purley? Do you remember how the head of the Purley Business Improvement District appeared on Conservative Party leaflets at election time, expressing his support for “Congo” Chris Philp.
This looks like some kind of pay-back for services rendered.
A few hanging baskets in Purley is Perry’s plan to distract local people from the looming prospect of a skyscraper, far fewer car parking places and a jammed road network. Plus a piddling pool (pun intended)