Category Archives: Alison Butler
Individuals and single candidates seek votes in splintered field
Nominations for candidates for the May 7 local elections close later today, and the final forms will include independents and single candidates from new parties looking to win a seat at the Town Hall. WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, looks at … Continue reading
Trebles all-round! Kerswell’s nominated herself for an award
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council still has debts of £1.4bn, or more, but that won’t stop a select few execs attending a gala event at a Mayfair hotel next week, where tables cost up to £5,000 and our bureaucrats are … Continue reading
MP Reed claims those who left borough broke ‘have now gone’
WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, checks the ‘facts’ where other local news outlets dare not look Steve Reed OBE, the MP who was Labour’s front bench spokesperson on local government at the time that the council for the area he is … Continue reading
Negrini doctored specialist reports and withheld finance details
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Investigators from Kroll never had investigatory powers to check people’s bank accounts in the search for possible fraud over the £73m refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls. But there was evidence in the public domain of ‘direct personal … Continue reading
Kroll Report provides no answers to £73m Fairfield fiasco
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Jo Negrini refused to be interviewed, all Colm Lacey’s emails got wiped and former cabinet members Newman, Scott, Butler and Hall were never spoken to in person as part of the £310,000 investigation. By STEVEN DOWNES Late … Continue reading
Labour Party chief’s consultancy business is in deep trouble
EXCLUSIVE: Might the failure of David Evans’s Croydon-based business offer some clues to the effectiveness, or otherwise, of his time running the party machine for Keir Starmer? By our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE Whatever might be planned by David Evans … Continue reading
Evans above! Labour’s General Secretary to stand down
WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on the end of an error David Evans, the former key aide to Tony Bliar and one-time Croydon businessman who was installed as party General Secretary after Keir Starmer became Labour leader, is to stand down … Continue reading
Ombudsman creates league table of London’s failing councils
The Housing Ombudsman has launched a special investigation into Lewisham Council, which is guilty of “repeated failings”. The watchdog said it would carry out the probe into the south London council after issuing it with 16 “severe maladministration” findings in … Continue reading
£68m: final cost of Brick by Brick, as agreed by Mayor Perry
£68m This is what a “solvent liquidation” looks like, according to Croydon’s elected Mayor Jason Perry. That’s the latest final estimate of the exit costs of winding down and closing Brick by Brick, the failed housing company set up by … Continue reading
‘Grand National’-sized field in the running for Croydon East
Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on the short memories and absence of shame among Newman’s numpties seeking selection for ‘higher’ office Boris Johnson is not the only politician with no shame. One of the numptiest of Newman’s numpties, Manju Shahul-Hameed, continues … Continue reading
Council yet to start legal action on Negrini’s £437,000 pay-off
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Mayor Perry is taking his time over his public claim to be pursuing the former council CEO for a refund of her golden handshake. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Almost two months after Jason Perry, Croydon’s elected Mayor, … Continue reading
Labour attack ads score yet another embarrassing own goal
‘Smear campaign’ which started with ad backed by Croydon North’s MP has managed to draw even more attention to how his mates bankrupted the borough. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Labour’s controversial attack ads, which started with a racist dog … Continue reading
Mayor Perry to spend thousands on certificates for old mates
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The Conservatives at the cash-strapped council are still wasting public money when it comes to doling out meaningless bits of ceremonial tat to their mates. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Mayor Jason Perry, who earlier in the … Continue reading
Councillors line up Stormzy for the Freedom of the Borough
More dither and delay by our cash-strapped council, after they are forced to check whether the global superstar rapper will accept a civic honour. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon’s Labour councillors want to give Stormzy the Freedom of the Borough. … Continue reading
Kerswell condemns councils’ accountability as inadequate
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Yesterday’s meeting of the cash-strapped council’s disciplinary committee may have committed Croydon to tens of thousands of pounds of additional legal costs, with no guarantee of any success in the cases which might eventually be brought. And … Continue reading
Grey man’s appointment places Gray with Croydon clique
Political editor WALTER CRONXITE delves into the shadowy south London connections that Sue Gray will encounter when she starts work as the Labour leader’s Chief of Staff The grey man of British politics, the terminally boring Keir Starmer, now has … Continue reading
Scott and Butler to be snubbed by Town Hall honours system
By our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE Alison Butler and Paul Scott, half of the Labour “Gang of Four” that bankrupted Croydon Council, will not be offered the traditional, post-council career honour of being made honorary alderwoman and alderman of … Continue reading
Newman’s defence slips: there’s ‘no evidence’ of wrongdoing
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The latest in-depth coverage of the borough’s bankruptcy by a national newspaper sees the former Labour council leader dump blame on his erstwhile colleagues. By STEVEN DOWNES The council leader who oversaw Town Hall meetings and gatherings … Continue reading
Labour’s ‘toxic legacy’ in Croydon proving hard to shake off
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Around the country, the Tories are in retreat thanks to the failings of their three Prime Ministers. But not in Croydon, where they face a neutered opposition, as political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports In London and in … Continue reading
Council plundered £40m from ring-fenced housing account
CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘Incompetence or wilful pilfering’ of a ring-fenced account for social housing has deepened the financial hole that the authority has dug for itself Croydon Council raided the supposedly ring-fenced Housing Revenue Account for nearly £40million, a shocked … Continue reading
Labour makes itself a laughing stock with Croydon tweet
Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports on a massive gaffe by party staff in London, who seem to have forgotten the omnishambles caused by their colleagues when in charge in Croydon The Labour Party in London has made itself the subject … Continue reading
‘There is no solution in sight’ warns council’s finance chief
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council’s finances for 2023-2024 are worse than when Croydon first issued a Section 114 Notice, according to an official report released today. And a dispute over £73m of ‘missing’ housing funds could turn the financial black … Continue reading
Scott and Butler lined up to receive council service award
Councillors who presided over Croydon’s financial ruin could soon be honoured by the very borough they helped bankrupt, thanks to the council’s flawed constitution. By Town Hall correspondent, KEN LEE Tony Newman, Alison Butler, Paul Scott, Simon Hall and other … Continue reading
