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Category Archives: Ian Parker
No cover-up over £12m SEND overspend, claims council chief
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Town Hall bosses have been forced to accept 23 recommendations from external accountants after IT problems saw them lose track of thousands of payments, in the latest council cock-up that was described by a veteran Tory councillor … Continue reading
Posted in Amy Foster, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Croydon Council, Dr Ola Olasode, Education, General Purposes and Audit Committee, Ian Parker, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, SEND
Tagged 2026 council budget, audit and governance committee, Cllr Amy Foster, Cllr Ian Parker, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Council budget, Council IT department, Croydon, Croydon Council, Education, Ian Parker, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Oracle, SEND, Shelley Davies, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Synergy, Tory
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It was a bad deal for Croydon. Why did they allow it to happen?
CROYDON COMMENTARY: With Tory Mayor Jason Perry using £½million of public money as a hush fund, RICHARD HOWARD, pictured right, the LibDem mayoral candidate, lays out all the obvious flaws with the council’s Red Clover Gardens scheme Two years ago, … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Brick by Brick, Business, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon Town, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Housing, Ian Parker, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Richard Howard, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, The Penn Report, Tony McArdle
Tagged 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, Brick by Brick, Cllr Ian Parker, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Croydon, Croydon Council, Green Party, Ian Parker, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Liberal Democrats, Lion Green Road car park, London Borough of Croydon, Major Richard Howard, Peter Underwood, Red Clover Gardens, Regen Capital, Regen Coulsdon, Richard Howard, Scrutiny and Overview Committee, Tory
3 Comments
Police prepared to seize vehicles involved in Coulsdon meets
Croydon’s top cop has pledged to stop the illegal speedway car racing and mass gatherings of petrolheads on a Coulsdon trading estate that has been causing “a nightmare for residents”. DCS Nick Blackburn has told Inside Croydon that his officers … Continue reading
Posted in Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Crime, Ian Parker, Nick Blackburn, Policing
Tagged Cllr Ian Parker, Conservative, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Croydon Council, Croydon Cruise, DCS Nick Blackburn, Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Blackburn, London Borough of Croydon, Marlpit Lane, Metropolitan Police, Redlands Industrial Estate, Surrey Police, Ullswater Crescent
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Coulsdon locals call for urgent action over night-time ‘cruisers’
The combined resources of two police forces are being brought together for joint action against nuisance drivers who have been gathering for noisy, late-night meets and racing in the car parks and service roads of an industrial estate in Coulsdon. … Continue reading
Posted in Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Crime, Ian Parker, Nick Blackburn, Policing
Tagged Cllr Ian Parker, Conservative, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Croydon Council, Croydon Cruise, DCS Nick Blackburn, Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Blackburn, London Borough of Croydon, Marlpit Lane, Metropolitan Police, Redlands Industrial Estate, Surrey Police, Ullswater Crescent
5 Comments
‘Hypocrite’ Tory voted for proposal to destroy heritage home
Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on a planning committee meeting where Conservative councillors backed a private developer’s bid to drastically alter a listed family home in a conservation area So much for Tory Mayor Jason Perry protecting family homes in … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Chris Clark, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Ian Parker, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, Ria Patel
Tagged Chris Clark, Chris Philp MP, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Conservative, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Ian Parker, Labour, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Morgan, Planning, Ross Gentry, Tory
12 Comments
Agent on a mission overlooks Coulsdon Tories’ dark secret
It is just over a year until Croydon goes to the polls in its second Mayoral election, and the local Tories already seem up for the fight. But leading the way for them is a paid gofer who struggles to … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Ben Taylor, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Council Tax, Croydon South, Ian Parker, Mario Creatura, Mayor Jason Perry, Rowenna Davis, Tony Newman, Waddon
Tagged Chris Philp MP, Cllr Rowenna Davis, Conservative, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Ian Parker, Labour, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Morgan, Tony Newman, Tory
9 Comments
‘Nosey’ Parker proves to be a costly expense for local Tories
Our Political Editor, WALTER CRONXITE, on a spectacular own-goal by Croydon Tories’ long-standing agent It is said that people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. The aphorism played out at Croydon Conservatives’ HQ at 36 Brighton Road in Purley would … Continue reading
Labour candidate refuses to answer questions over spending
According to their election expense returns for one constituency, Croydon Labour were paying a worker at a rate of just £26.89 per day during last year’s General Election campaign. And rival politicians reckon their numbers don’t add up, as WALTER … Continue reading
Posted in 2024 General Election, Ben Taylor, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Croydon South, Ian Parker
Tagged Ben Taylor, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon South, Ian Parker, Labour, Tory
4 Comments
Passengers’ petition makes call for return to the old Route 166
Residents in Coulsdon and Purley have been echoing legendary rocker Chuck Berry, sort of, by demanding that Transport for London “take the highway that’s the best” (for passengers), and let them get their kicks on the old-style route 166. It … Continue reading
Posted in Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon Town, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Ian Parker, Purley, Rowenna Davis, TfL, Transport, Waddon
Tagged 166 bus route, Banstead, Brighton Road, Charlie King, Chuck Berry, Coulsdon, Coulsdon West RA, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, East Coulsdon RA, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, East Surrey Transport Committee, Pampisford Road, Purley, Purley Memorial Hospital, Route 66, Rowenna Davis, TfL, Transport for London
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They voted to raise your Council Tax, then to increase their pay
TOWN HALL SKETCH: Things don’t sound too good in the Chamber these days, and it is not just because the council has hired a cheaper contractor for its audio system. As tempers frayed at the most important meeting of the … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', Amy Foster, Avril Slipper, Callton Young, Christopher Herman, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Carers, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Esther Sutton, Ian Parker, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Kola Agboola, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Rowenna Davis, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Stuart King
Tagged 2025 Council budget, Claire Bonham, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jason Cummings, Kola Agboola, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Rowenna Davis, STUART KING, Tory
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Council in secret deal to lease medical centre site as a car park
EXCLUSIVE: Coulsdon residents have been waiting a decade for a promised medical facility in the town centre. In March, the council announced it had sold the site to the NHS. In the summer, local MP Chris Philp promised work on … Continue reading
Posted in Business, CALAT, Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Croydon Council, Croydon NHS Trust, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Health, Ian Parker, Matthew Kershaw, Old Coulsdon, Parking
Tagged Conservative, Coulsdon, Coulsdon CALAT, Coulsdon Medical Centre, Coulsdon Town, Croydon, Croydon NHS Trust, Ian Parker, Kia Coulsdon, Matthew Kershaw, Mayor Jason Perry, Tory
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Mystery in Coulsdon as their ‘Welcome’ sign goes missing
The usually peaceful and slightly quaint demeanour of Coulsdon town centre has been shattered by the mysterious disappearance of the “Welcome to Coulsdon” sign over the course of the weekend. A slightly bewildered note appeared on the social media pages … Continue reading
Perry forced to make U-turn on his overnight parking charges
Less than a month after he introduced overnight car parking charges across most of the borough in changes claimed “to make parking fairer, simpler, and more consistent”, Tory Mayor Jason Perry has been forced into making a hand-brake turn and … Continue reading
Posted in Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon Town, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Ian Parker, Mayor Jason Perry, New Addington South, Old Coulsdon, Parking
Tagged car parking, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, ECRA, Ian Parker, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, RingGo
12 Comments
‘Underhand’ Tories blame residents for medical centre delays
The almighty row in Coulsdon over a long-promised medical centre has seen the local Tories panicked into issuing multiple press releases to stake claim to some kind of “victory”, after the Tory-led council broke its promises to residents by putting … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Philp MP, Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Medical Centre, Coulsdon Town, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon Council, Croydon NHS Trust, Croydon South, Health, Ian Parker, Luke Shortland, Mario Creatura, Matthew Kershaw
Tagged Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Coulsdon, Coulsdon CALAT, Coulsdon Community Centre, Coulsdon Medical Centre, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon NHS, CWRA, Ian Parker, London Borough of Croydon, Luke Shortland, Mario Creatura, Matthew Kershaw, Tory
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Here’s the Mayor and 33 Croydon Tory councillors who THREE times voted in favour of hitting you with a 15% Council Tax hike
JASON PERRY. Mayor of Croydon Elected in May 2022 with a margin of fewer than 600 votes. Is paid £82,000 per year by the council. His office answers the phone just 20 hours per week. Stood on a election promise … Continue reading
Posted in Adele Benson, Andrew Stranack, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Fatima Zaman, Helen Redfern, Ian Parker, Jade Appleton, Jason Cummings, Jeet Bains, Joseph Lee, Lynne Hale, Margaret Bird, Maria Gatland, Mario Creatura, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, Ola Kolade, Richard Chatterjee, Robert Ward, Scott Roche, Simon Brew, Simon Fox, Sue Bennett, Tony Pearson, Yvette Hopley
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Tory
25 Comments
Conservatives recruit social media expert for local elections
Our south of the borough reporter, PEARL LEE, on the latest efforts to win political control of the Town Hall Croydon Tories are gearing up for a battle to win back control of Croydon Town Hall – just in time … Continue reading
Budget is approved but Labour council haunted by its past
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Back-to-back meetings yesterday pushed through the paperwork to balance the books and increase Council Tax. But Hamida Ali’s administration cannot shake off its part in the borough’s financial calamity. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor With the £120million … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Andrew Stranack, Brick by Brick, Chris Buss, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Ian Parker, Jason Cummings, Jeet Bains, Lynne Hale, Maddie Henson, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Stuart King, Tony Newman, Vidhi Mohan
Tagged Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jason Cummings, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, Rapid Review, S114, Section 114, Simon Hall, STUART KING, Tony Newman, Tory
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Coulsdon councillors distance themselves from plotter Morgan
Our fringes of Surrey correspondent, PEARL LEE, on the latest developments in the intrigue and dispute around a residents’ association Coulsdon’s Tory councillors have finally called time on the illicit takeover of a residents’ association. Coulsdon Town councillors Ian Parker, … Continue reading
Posted in Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Ian Parker, Luke Clancy, Mario Creatura
Tagged Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon South, CWRA, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, ECRA, Michael Southwell, Peter Morgan, Tory
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Car lobbyist’s Christmas ‘coup’ over Coulsdon residents’ group
Our south of the borough correspondent, PEARL LEE, finds a controversial right-winger bending rules to grab control of a local association Peter Morgan, the resident of east Coulsdon notorious for having been kicked out of UKIP and the Tory parties, … Continue reading
New leader Ali is set to confront ‘shocking’ council finances
CROYDON IN CRISIS: After winning a Labour group selection battle by 22 votes to 19 over Alisa Flemming, Hamida Ali tells her supporters ‘the hardest graft ever is about to start’. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Hamida Ali has no … Continue reading
Posted in 2022 council elections, Addiscombe West, Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Callton Young, Chris Clark, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Croydon South, Hamida Ali, Ian Parker, Knife crime, Mayor of London, Paul Scott, Sadiq Khan, Sarah Jones MP, Sean Fitzsimons, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, Woodside
Tagged Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Callton Young, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Croydon South, Hamida Ali, Labour, Paul Scott, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed OBE, Tony Newman, Tory
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Residents’ association issues apology for ‘Chinese virus’ tweet
Our south of the borough correspondent, PEARL LEE, reports on how a Tory-backed group in Coulsdon has cause to regret handing its social media account over to a far-right agitator The Coulsdon West Residents’ Association, only reformed recently with the … Continue reading
