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Category Archives: Children’s Services
‘Council’s finances remain broken’ MP Irons tells Commons
Local government minister admits that Croydon’s finances ‘are not small problems to deal with’ Natasha Irons, the Labour MP for Croydon East, yesterday made an 11th-hour plea to government ministers to act to salvage something from the wreckage of Croydon … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon East, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Natasha Irons, Section 114 notice
Tagged Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, EFS, Exceptional financial support, Government Spending Review, Jim McMahon, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Natasha Irons MP, Rachel Reeves, Section 114, Section 114 Notice, Spending Review, Tory
4 Comments
Perry accused of ‘betrayal’ as he smuggles out more youth cuts
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Local MP and opposition councillors accuse the council of having no clear plan on what will replace an in-house team which works to reduce drugs and knife crime and to engage the borough’s youngsters. By our Town … Continue reading
Posted in Amy Foster, Children's Services, Crime, Croydon Council, Croydon East, CVA, Education, Fieldway, Knife crime, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Natasha Irons, New Addington North, New Addington South, Policing, Restaurants, Schools
Tagged Amy Foster, Cllr Amy Foster, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon East, Elianne Andam, Labour, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MOPAC, Natasha Irons MP, New Addington, Tory, YET, Youth Engagement Service, Youth Engagement Team
8 Comments
Council failed to tell affected schools about their lollipop cuts
CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘Mayor Perry must really hate Croydon’s children’ says one local politician who criticises recent Town Hall pay hikes while the council was planning to axe school road safety patrols to save just £58,000 per year. By our … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Claire Bonham, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Rowenna Davis, Schools, Scott Roche, Waddon
Tagged Castlemaine Avenue, Cllr Claire Bonham, Cllr Rowenna Davis, Cllr Scott Roche, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Green Party, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Lollipop ladies, Lollipop men, Lollipop patrols, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Melville Avenue, Peter Underwood, School road safety patrols, Tory, Waddon
9 Comments
Complaints against Perry’s council on rise, Ombudsman says
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE, on another year where our council is close to the top of a league table – for most upheld complaints Katherine Kerswell, Croydon’s £204,000 per year chief executive, if she bothered … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Bromley Council, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Lambeth Council, Planning, Southwark Council, Surrey, Sutton Council
Tagged Amerdeep Somal, Bromley, Children's Care, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Lambeth, LGO, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Local Government Ombudsman, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Ombudsman, Planning, social care, Southwark, Surrey County Council, Sutton, Tory
4 Comments
Perry slammed for £439,000 in ‘golden hellos’ paid to new staff
Political Editor WALTER CRONXITE on the latest revelation about the spendthrift council under its Tory Mayor Croydon Council, which came under fire after this website revealed that it had paid a “golden handshake” of £437,000 in a hush money settlement … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Uncategorized
Tagged 'Golden hellos', Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Daily Torygraph, Jo Negrini, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Social workers, Tory
5 Comments
Croydon families get help from second ‘hub’ in South Norwood
Croydon families will soon have more support, with a “Family Hub” opening at the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Centre in South Norwood. The council said: “The opening of this hub marks another milestone in the council’s commitment to making sure Croydon’s families … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Education, Family Hubs, Health, Selsdon and Addington Village, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale, South Norwood
Tagged Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care, Family Hub, Samuel Coleridge Taylor Centre, Selsdon, South Norwood, Woodlands Centre
3 Comments
Free STEM workshop for children with autism, BLBG, Mar 29
Croydon families have a unique opportunity to participate in a free Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths – STEM – workshop designed specifically for children with autism. Taking place on Saturday March 29 at the Hub Broad Green on Keeley Road, … Continue reading
Posted in Activities, Broad Green, Community associations, Education, SEND
Tagged autism, Big Local Broad Green, Broad Green, Chi Mu Mu Foundation, RoboThink UK, SEND
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Council reaches out to residents for more help with fostering
Croydon has a critical shortage of foster carers, according to the council. There are 231 children and young people looked after by 142 fostering households across the borough. “But more carers are needed to provide safe and loving homes for … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Foster care, Fostering Week, London
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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
Croydon follows Brighton and Medway with care-leavers’ app
Croydon Council has released a care leavers app to support what they now term as “care-experienced young people” – care leavers – who are taking their first steps towards independent living. The council claims that Croydon Cares “has been co-designed … Continue reading
Mayor Perry accused of ‘cover up’ over Sentamu case review
EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Sources at Croydon Town Hall say that they suspect there is a cover-up over what the council’s social workers, Metropolitan Police and community groups knew about Hassan Sentamu, the teenager convicted of the vicious murder of … Continue reading
Posted in Andy Brittain, Children's Services, Community associations, Crime, Croydon Council, Knife crime, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, New Addington South, Policing, Youth Services
Tagged Anthony King, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Donna Murray-Turner, Elianne Andam, Hassan Sentamu, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, Metropolitan Police, MOPAC, MyEnds, Safer Neighbourhood Board, Youth Engagement Service
10 Comments
MP Jones ‘deeply concerned’ at council cuts to youth service
CROYDON IN CRISIS: While Jason Perry, Croydon’s part-time Mayor, recommends a pay rise for himself, he’s cutting a youth service in what has been described as a ‘stealthy’ move, one which could have ‘catastrophic’ consequences. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Crime, Croydon Council, Croydon West, Fieldway, Mayor Jason Perry, New Addington North, New Addington South, Sarah Jones MP, South Norwood, Youth Services
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon West, Fieldway, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, New Addington, Sarah Jones MP, South Norwood, STUART KING, Tory, Youth Engagement Service
8 Comments
The Jase and Kathy Show – a Christmas Special for Croydon!
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Inside Croydon has obtained a leaked video from an internal council webinar earlier this month, where the Mayor fails to mention the £83m overspend predicted in a recent report to government, and council CEO seems to blame … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Debbie Jones, Improvement Board, Inside Croydon, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, The Penn Report
Tagged Brick by Brick, Christmas, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Debbie Jones, Fairfield Halls, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Morecambe and Wise, S114 notice, Section 114 Notice, Tory, Young Mr Grace
5 Comments
Care leavers given short notice of council’s work scheme
A two-month paid internship scheme in Croydon’s housing contact centre sounds great, but applications are online only and all the borough’s public libraries – with free internet access – are closed until after Christmas Who would want to work in … Continue reading
Council axes Fieldway youth team two weeks before Christmas
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Around a dozen youth workers, many based in New Addington, were told they would lose their jobs last week, as Mayor Jason Perry looks to outsource outreach provision to charities and voluntary groups to save some cash. … Continue reading
Children’s services passes Ofsted inspection despite 5 deaths
The sigh of relief from the Town Hall could be heard all the way to Purley, as inspectors passed the council’s under-pressure children’s care department as overall ‘Good’. But with only 80% staff and a series of deaths of youngsters … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Debbie Jones, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Stuart Collins
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Maria Gatland, Mayor Jason Perry, Ofsted, Ofsted inspection, Stuart Collins, Tory
4 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
Collins named as new £175,000 director of children’s services
Stuart Collins – no, not that one – has been appointed as the council’s corporate director of children, young people and education, taking over from septugenarian Debbie Jones. The job was advertised in August with a £175,000 per year salary. … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, SEND, Stuart Collins, Youth Services
Tagged Children young people and education, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Debbie Jones, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Lunar House, Ofsted, Ofsted inspection, Stuart Collins, Tory
1 Comment
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
Ofsted comes calling: will Kerswell’s council pass the tests?
Staff at Fisher’s Folly have been warned to be on their best behaviour, as septuagenarian corporate director Debbie Jones makes her last hurrah, and evermore ridiculous CEO Katherine Kerswell declares: ‘Let them eat cake!’ The last-but-one time there was a … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Debbie Jones, Education, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Schools
Tagged Children, Croydon, Croydon Council, CYPE, Debbie Jones, Fisher's Folly, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Ofsted, Ofsted inspection, Young People and Education
6 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
