CROYDON IN CRISIS: Failed Mayor Jason Perry probably ought to get a season ticket for the High Court, as his council is facing yet another legal challenge over his decision to close the public access service inside Fisher’s Folly. By STEVEN DOWNES
Closed: face-to-face appointments to see officials have been made very much more difficult to arrange by Mayor Perry’s council
Councils across London may have to alter their homelessness services drastically if the High Court rules in favour of a Croydon resident.
That’s the view of PILC, the Public Interest Law Centre, after District Judge Alan Bates agreed that their case brought against Mayor Jason Perry’s Croydon Council over the closure of Access Croydon should go to Judicial Review.
Croydon Council closed its Access Croydon public enquiries office in March 2025 with barely one weekday’s notice.
The architect-designed, purpose-built, public-facing meeting space within the Fisher’s Folly council building was deemed to be out-of-bounds to Council Tax-payers, or people seeking to renew their parking permits, or to pay their green waste fees, or anyone else with a cause to speak to a council staffer. That included many elderly and vulnerable people, and those who had been made homeless and needed the council’s emergency help.
Instead, a much-reduced enquiries operation was set up in another part of the building, with access strictly on an appointment-only basis.
And those appointments often could only be booked by using a computer or tablet device, or using a council phone system that is often faulty, and in any case is only open for limited hours.
PILC has brought the High Court challenge on behalf of a digitally excluded man from Croydon who cannot use the telephone for extended periods of time as a result of a learning disability.
When initiating the claim in August 2025, PILC argued that the shift to fully digital services discriminates against people who are not computer literate or lack internet access.
After last week’s hearing before Judge Bates, it looks as if Mayor Perry and the council’s legal team will be traipsing back to the High Court once again before the end of the year.
High Court decision: Judge Alan Bates has agreed that the council has a case to answer at a Judicial Review
The judge heard that the council’s decision has seriously disadvantaged people who are digitally excluded or unable to use online services, and that closing the walk-in service amounts to unlawful gatekeeping of homelessness assistance.
Our council’s defence? That anyone struggling to access the homelessness services could seek assistance from their local library. When Access Croydon closed, only one of the then 13 Croydon public libraries was even open five days a week. More recently, Perry’s council has closed four public libraries in Croydon.
Judge Bates was unconvinced by the arguments put forward by the council’s counsel, and he questioned whether there was adequate signposting, saying that he had “not been shown any evidence that this facility is publicised at the Access Croydon site”. The judge also noted that there was evidence of “lengthy waiting times” on the council’s phone line.
Alexandra Goldenberg, the solicitor representing the PILC client, said: “In the middle of a housing crisis, Croydon Council has closed their walk-in services.
“These barriers risk creating discriminatory access to homelessness services, leaving many vulnerable people unable to obtain the support to which they so desperately need and are legally entitled.”
A council spokesperson offered up a series of lame excuses for the authority failing to provide the support that it is legally required to deliver. “Like many other London councils, we made this change to help manage rising demand,” said the council spox. Nowhere in legislation are councils given an opt-out for providing homelessness advice and support on the basis of demand.
Public service: instead of dealing with homelessness enquiries, Croydon Council sent people to the library
The council thinks it is continuing to meet its legal duties. “The changes made do not prevent residents from accessing services,” the council claims.
“Housing applications continue to be progressed successfully, and face to-face assessments remain a feature of our service.”
It’s just that they are now very much more difficult, if not impossible, for many people to access. Which, some Katharine Street sources suggest, was always the intention.
“It’s called ‘managing demand’,” our source said. “If people don’t ask for it, the council doesn’t have to provide it. So by making it more difficult for some to make the request, you ‘manage demand’ very effectively by eliminating it.”
Croydon is not alone. An investigation by Kings College London has found that only three of London’s 33 local authorities continue to offer face-to-face drop-in services for people experiencing homelessness.
Failed Mayor: Jason Perry has a worse win ratio at the High Court than England men’s football team in World Cup semi-finals
“The closure of walk-in services has significant consequences for many vulnerable groups, including people with learning or physical disabilities who cannot navigate online systems, rough sleepers without reliable internet access, and those who need immediate in-person advice,” PILC said this week.
“It has also increased pressure on charities, frontline advice organisations, libraries providing digital support, and, in some cases, hospitals are left supporting people unable to access housing services elsewhere.”
Read more: Perry’s council facing High Court threat over Access Croydon
Read more: No Access Croydon: 30 voluntary groups demand reopening
Read more: They voted to raise your Council Tax, then to increase their pay
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If Perry cannot see a problem with a statutory service that requires human contact in an emergency situation by asking a person in a state of homelessness to attend a library and make an electronic booking during opening hours if they can find one open on that day. Then it tells you he is simply not fit for public office. They really should bring back the surcharge for malicious clowns such as him for all the money he is wasting in defending the indefensible.
Perry is a contemptuous, untrustworthy, narcissistic tool. All that power has gone to his head. It would be great if the court knocked some sense and humility into him
No wonder the Town Centre looks looks like an open homeless shelter. If only Purley Way had banking facilities i wouldn’t need to endure the Town Centre every fortnight.