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Category Archives: Adult Social Care
Council Tax hits £2,500 per year as debts continue to mount
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council chief exec and Mayor pass the buck to central government for borough’s continuing financial problems, while confirming that they are to axe another 360 jobs. Watch the world’s worst comedy double act – Perry and Kerswell … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, SEND
Tagged Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Tory
22 Comments
‘Mayor and CEO are respected and provide strong leadership’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Like a dodgy business that offers to pay for positive reviews on Tripadviser, the council has been patting itself on the back this week because some local government colleagues have said some nice things about them. By … Continue reading
Posted in Annette McPartland, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, The Penn Report
Tagged Annette McPartland, Conservative, Corporate Peer Challenge, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, LGA, Local Government Association, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Richard Plant, Section 114 Notice, Stiles Harold Williams
19 Comments
Cash-strapped council has spent £6.4m… to make more cuts
CROYDON IN CRISIS: After cuts to services of £137m in four years and with this year’s council budget out of control, official figures show that the council is spending millions more to find out how to save money. EXCLUSIVE by … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, SEND
Tagged 'Future Croydon', Adult Social Care, Boston Consulting Group, Children's Services, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Digital Croydon, Impower, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Newton, No Future Croydon, SEND, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Tory
20 Comments
Council’s care equipment service is spun-off to Provide
Croydon’s community equipment service, based on Imperial Way and providing wheelchairs, specialised beds, mobility aids and other equipment for use in the home, has been spun out of the council, and re-launched as Provide Equipment Hub. Employee-owned, Provide Equipment now … Continue reading
Family let down by police and officials over 22-year-old’s death
An inquest into the death in Caterham last year of 22-year-old Hannah Aitken has found that she died after taking a poisonous substance which she ordered online from abroad. Paramedics who treated her were not carrying the antidote and had … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Care Homes, Caterham, Crime, Health, SEND, Surrey
Tagged Caterham, Hannah Aitken, Leigh Day solicitors, Suicide, Surrey
1 Comment
Perry and Kerswell ask for your ideas to fix their budget mess
Our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE, on Mayor Perry and the council directors’ latest lame efforts to make a (empty) silk purse out of a debt-laden sow’s ear Could there ever have been a more misleading headline to a council … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice
Tagged 2025 Council budget, Budget 2024, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Tory
7 Comments
You won’t fix ‘broken window syndrome’ with police on horses
CROYDON COMMENTARY: There are many problems in our town centres, says EMMA GARDINER, but Mayor Perry is going the wrong way about putting them right Croydon’s elected mayor, Jason Perry, recently treated the public to a selfie in the town … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Business, Community associations, Croydon BID, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, South Norwood Community Kitchen
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon BID, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Emma Gardiner, Homelessness, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Metropolitan Police, South Norwood Community Kitchen, Tory
9 Comments
Perry’s Council Tax increases to reach 27% by April 2025
CROYDON IN CRISIS: More mega-millions borrowing, more maximum tax increases, but still no solution in sight for the borough’s residents, as officials pretend that they are running a balanced budget. By STEVEN DOWNES Croydon residents will be hit by another … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice
Tagged Angela Rayner MP, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, S114, S114 notice, Section 114, Section 114 Notice, Tory
12 Comments
Perry ducks scrutiny over council financials that don’t add up
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Elected Mayor didn’t hang around to face the music from councillors as the £42m overspend was discussed at the Town Hall this week. By STEVEN DOWNES The council’s projected £42million overspend this financial year is “unprecedented”, and … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Leila Ben-Hassel, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Leila Ben-Hassel, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Scrutiny committee, Section 114, Section 114 Notice, Tory
15 Comments
Mayor Perry busts his unbalanced budget with £42m overspend
CROYDON IN CRISIS: According to official figures, even with a £38m government bail-out, the Conservative-run council looks like spending £42m over budget in this financial year – and that’s £10m more than when it first went bust in 2020. EXCLUSIVE … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Section 114, Section 114 Notice, Tory
14 Comments
Council carers’ consultation event, George Street, Sep 9
Posted in Adult Social Care, Charity, Croydon Council
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Dear Angela: It’s time for you to act and fund Croydon fairly
Last month, the Croydon Mayor wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister begging for an urgent meeting to resolve the council’s long-standing financial problems after 14 years of Tory austerity. Angela Rayner did not reply. So now ANDREW FISHER, pictured right, … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Andrew Fisher, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Libraries, Section 114 notice, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North
Tagged Adult Social Care, Andrew Fisher, Angela Rayner, Children's Services, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fund Croydon Fairly, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Public libraries, Section 114, Section 114 Notice, Steve Reed OBE, Streatham and Croydon North, Tory
16 Comments
IT’S OFFICIAL: Croydon still among country’s worst councils
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Four years since Katherine Kerswell was installed as Croydon’s chief executive, and figures from the Local Government Ombudsman confirm that our council is among the most complained about in England. And soon, our council might be forced … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning
Tagged Amerdeep Somal, Bromley Council, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lambeth council, LGO, Local Government Ombudsman, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Surrey County Council, Tory
12 Comments
Poor councils make bad situations worse says Ombudsman
People who have been treated poorly by their local council are all too often having their situations made worse when their council delays putting things right. That’s the view of the Local Government Ombudsman in her annual review of all … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Bromley Council, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Lambeth Council, Merton, SEND, Southwark Council, Sutton Council
Tagged Bromley, Croydon, Croydon Council, Housing, Lambeth, Local Government Ombudsman, London, London Borough of Croydon, Merton, Ombudsman, SEND, Southwark, Sutton
2 Comments
Council’s multi-million consultant deals to make more cuts
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Staff in Fisher’s Folly have already dubbed the plan ‘No Future Croydon’. After cuts of £100m from council budgets in four years, now the chief exec is forking out public money to find more ways of axing … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, SEND
Tagged 'Future Croydon', Adult Social Care, Boston Consulting Group, Children's Services, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Digital Croydon, Impower, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Newton, No Future Croydon, SEND, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Tory
10 Comments
£603,000: the soaring costs of Croydon’s ‘improvement’ panel
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Three years since Tony McArdle and his government-appointed team of troubleshooters were parachuted into the council, there are mounting questions about what they have achieved. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The Government-appointed chair of Croydon Council’s “improvement and … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Libraries, Section 114 notice, SEND, Tony McArdle
Tagged Bankrupt, Chrildren's Services, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Eleanor Brazil, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Levelling, LGC, Local Government Chronicle, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Phil Brookes, S114, S114 notice, Section 114, Section 114 Notice, Tony McArdle, Tory
12 Comments
Perry plans £100m more cuts in country’s first AI-driven council
CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘Transformation’ project is set to be rubber-stamped at this week’s cabinet meeting (it will be approved without anything resembling a debate). But according to council insiders, it is ‘rushed’, ‘full of risks’ and just a ‘Trojan horse’ … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Stuart King
Tagged 'Future Croydon', Claire Bonham, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Green Party, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, STUART KING, Tory
8 Comments
Cummings’ budget rejected before his big Newsnight moment
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The government has just found £2.5bn in ‘exceptional financial support’ for 19 councils. But Mayor Jason Perry and his finance chief have an anxious week after having had their unbalanced budget rejected in a Town Hall meeting. … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Chris Philp MP, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Section 114 notice, Stuart King
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, BBC Newsnight, Conservative, Council budget, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Fund Croydon Fairly, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Improvement Panel, Jason Cummings, Labour, LGA, Local Government Association, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Newsnight, Pay More Get Less, Ria Patel, S114, S114 notice, Say No To 15%, STUART KING, Tory, Unbalanced budget
4 Comments
It’s time for our elected councillors to stand up for Croydon
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Saddled with £1.4bn of ‘toxic’ debt, Mayor Perry has been rendered paralysed in his management of the cash-strapped council’s finances. Ahead of tonight’s budget meeting, ANDREW PELLING outlines some of the options for the borough’s politicians There’s … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Community associations, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Esther Sutton, Improvement Board, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Planning, Ria Patel, Sarah Jones MP, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Andrew Pelling, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department of Levelling Up, DLUHC, Esther Sutton, Green Party, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Ria Patel, S114, S114 notice, Say No To 15%, Section 114, Section 114 Notice, Tony McArdle, Tory
8 Comments
21% Council Tax hike but Perry has a pay rise for his mates
There’s a protest planned outside Croydon Town Hall tomorrow for the first of two council budget meetings You pay more. You get less. Long-suffering residents will be protesting outside Croydon Town Hall tomorrow evening, and again the following Wednesday, March … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Callton Young, Community associations, Council Tax, Croydon Council, David White, Esther Sutton, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Stuart King
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Assembly, Croydon Council, David White, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Say No To 15%, Tory
3 Comments
Gove’s extra cash barely touches the sides of Croydon’s debts
Michael Gove’s £600m hand-out to local authorities in England, announced yesterday, won’t go very far, especially if you consider that the Government’s own expert panel reckons Croydon alone needs £540m to wipe out a chunk of its toxic debt. By … Continue reading
Posted in 2024 General Election, Adult Social Care, Andrew Fisher, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Andrew Fisher, Conservative, Council Tax, Councils in Crisis, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, Department for Levelling UP Housing and Communities, Jason Cummings, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Local Government Association, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Tory
2 Comments
Council loaned Brick by Brick additional £47.3m last year
CROYDON IN CRISIS: In its latest report to Michael Gove, the Government’s improvement panel reveals a £38m hole in cash-strapped council budgets for the next four years – and repeats plea for unprecedented half-a-billion pounds loan write-off Croydon’s cash-strapped council … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, £540m debt write off, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, Department for Levelling UP Housing and Communities, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Tony McArdle, Tory
5 Comments
Cash-strapped council recruits £1m-worth of bean-counters
CROYDON IN CRISIS: While council chief exec Katherine Kerswell prepares to impose another £31m-worth of cuts, the council is recruiting SIX ‘heads of strategic finance’ to tally the money that they don’t have. By our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE … Continue reading
Perry struggles with numbers to offer us: Pay More, Get Less
Our columnist ANDREW FISHER watched the Croydon Council budget webcast this week, so that you wouldn’t have to… Croydon’s very own answer to Laurel and Hardy took to the airwaves this week, as Conservative Mayor Jason Perry and his finance … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Andrew Fisher, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, 2024 Council Budget, Adult Social Care, Andrew Fisher, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jane West, Jason Cummings, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Tory
5 Comments
