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Category Archives: Council Tax
Commissioners: council lacks focus and robust delivery plans
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government releases report critical of the lack of progress and slow pace of improvements in finances under Tory Mayor Jason Perry. By WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor Six weeks out from the local elections, the government has published … Continue reading
Posted in Abi Brown, Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jackie Belton, Jenny Rowlands, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Stabilisation Plan
Tagged Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jenny Rowlands, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Tory
8 Comments
Whatever could they mean? Commissioners call for ‘honesty’
In what is overall a highly critical report from the government-appointed Commissioners after six months working closely with the council run by successive chief execs Katherine Kerswell (until she left in October with a £50,000 pay-off) and Elaine Jackson, and … Continue reading
Posted in Abi Brown, Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jackie Belton, Jenny Rowlands, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Stabilisation Plan
Tagged Commissioners, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jenny Rowlands, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Tory
4 Comments
Labour’s Town Hall leader files complaint over Perry’s spending
Council’s top lawyer questioned over the public funds used to distribute a propaganda freesheet worthy of something from the regime of dictator Kim Jong-un. WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, reports Jason Perry has been accused of abusing his position as Croydon … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, Stuart King
Tagged 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Cllr Stuart King, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fisher's Folly, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor's Question Time, Our Croydon, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, Tory, Town Hall
14 Comments
‘Red v Blue’ at Town Hall elections could suffer a Green-wash
Polling day in Croydon’s local elections, including its second mayoral vote, is on May 7. WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, sifts through recent opinion polls and by-election results, but has a warning from history of how ‘challenger parties’ can be swept … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Addiscombe East, Chris Clark, Chris Philp MP, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Greens, Croydon South, Croydon West, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Jeet Bains, London-wide issues, New Addington North, New Addington South, Old Coulsdon, Paul Scott, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel, Sarah Jones MP, Shirley North, Shirley South, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North, Tony Newman
Tagged 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Alison Butler, Boris Johnson, Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, Claire Bonham, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Cllr Rowenna Davis, Conservative, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Green Party, Hannah Spencer, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London, Mayor Jason Perry, New Addington, Peter Underwood, Rowenna Davis, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed OBE, Tony Newman, Tory, Zack Polanski
7 Comments
Coulsdon flats, women boxing, tram troubles – and Council Tax
The latest episode of our Croydon Insider podcast takes a deep delve into the news behind the headlines, as the borough’s residents face another above-inflation increase to their Council Tax, just as Mayor Jason Perry awards himself and senior council … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Insider, Gianella A Basile, Inside Croydon, Johnny Dobbyn, Under The Flyover
Tagged Brian Finegan, Brick by Brick, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Trams, Gianella A Basile, Johnny Dobbyn, New Addington, Patreon, Paul Ford, Podcast, The Croydon Insider, The Sweet Science of Bruising, Theatre Workshop Coulsdon
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Perry has stabilised council finances in state of perpetual crisis
TV and radio politics pundit ANDREW FISHER, right, sat through three hours of false claims and spin at the Town Hall last night, as Croydon’s £87,000 per year lame duck Mayor still says he has done a decent job “I … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Fisher, Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, SEND
Tagged 2026 council budget, 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Andrew Fisher, Budget, Capitalisation direction, Commissioners, Conservative, Council budget, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, EFS, Exceptional financial support, Labour, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Tory
9 Comments
£84,000 per year Tory Mayor approves his own pay rise
EXCLUSIVE: It’s trebles all-round for directors at Croydon’s cash-strapped council, as there’s a second generous pay rise in 12 months for council chiefs, while allowances paid to councillors are also to rise, and amount to £1.6m per year. Yet long-suffering … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, SEND
Tagged 2026 council budget, 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Budget, Capitalisation direction, Cllr Scott Roche, Commissioners, Conservative, Council budget, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, EFS, Elaine Jackson, Exceptional financial support, Jenny Rowlands, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, S114, S114 notice, Section 114 Notice, Tony Newman, Tory
3 Comments
Perry begs for another £119m to balance his busted budget
Croydon’s Conservative Mayor, who has hiked Council Tax by 33% since 2023, still needs another £119m government bail-out to make his council budget balance. By STEVEN DOWNES Jason Perry, Croydon’s Conservative Mayor, has got his begging bowl out again to … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Lambeth Council, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, SEND
Tagged 2026 council budget, 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Budget, Capitalisation direction, Commissioners, Conservative, Council budget, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, EFS, Exceptional financial support, Labour, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, S114, S114 notice, Section 114 Notice, Steve Reed OBE, Tory
8 Comments
Labour refuse to respond to Cummings’s budget challenge
WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, on a sham challenge issued to rival political parties by a borrowing-dependent Conservative administration that is trying to con the public that they have ‘fixed the finances’ As Tory Mayor Jason Perry prepares to deliver what … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Claire Bonham, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel, Section 114 notice, Stuart King
Tagged 2026 council budget, 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Cllr Stuart King, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Green Party, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Lollipop patrols, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Tory
9 Comments
Budget-buster Perry hires another six-figure salaried ‘interim’
KEN LEE, our Town Hall reporter, on the latest £150,000 per year staff signing by Croydon’s bankrupt council Jason Perry, Croydon’s £84,000 per year executive Mayor who has closed four public libraries to save money and axed lollipop road safety … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Jenny Rowlands, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice
Tagged Camden Council, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Georgia Gould, Interim assistant chief executive, Interims, Jenny Rowlands, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Tory
13 Comments
33% Council Tax increase: Mayor Perry’s legacy for Croydon
Typical households will be paying £600 more in Council Tax in the coming year than they did before the Conservative Mayor took office, while yet more services are cut. But part-time Perry and his councillor colleagues did vote themselves a … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Katherine Kerswell, Peter Underwood, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, West Thornton
Tagged 33% Council Tax hike, Cllr Stuart King, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, The Green Party, Tory
17 Comments
Labour government to give Croydon £120m funding boost
Multiple-year settlements for councils in England and an end to the postcode lottery that has been local authority funding from Whitehall, as £78bn is allocated in effort to ‘end deprivation’. By STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Council will receive an extra £40million … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Rowenna Davis, Steve Reed MP
Tagged Alison McGovern MP, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Green Party, Labour, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Peter Underwood, Steve Reed OBE, Streatham and Croydon North, Tory
8 Comments
Croydon and 99 other councils may seek government bail-outs
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Latest indications across local government finances are that minister Steve Reed is going to have to provide so much exceptional financial support in 2026 that it won’t be ‘exceptional’ any longer. By STEVEN DOWNES There was a … Continue reading
Posted in Abi Brown, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Ged Curran, Jackie Belton, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, London Councils, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice
Tagged Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, EFS, Exceptional financial support, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Councils, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, The Budget, Tory, Unbalanced budget
3 Comments
Finance chief leaves council three months sooner than planned
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Weeks after the abrupt departure of CEO Katherine Kerswell with a £50,000 ‘farewell present’, the early exit of head of finance Jane West prompts speculation that she has become the latest council boss to receive a generous … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Ian Golland, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Kristian Aspinall, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Uncategorized
Tagged Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Council budget, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Ged Curran, Ian Golland, Jane West, Kerry Critchlow, Kristian Aspinall, Lambeth, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Newham, Steve Reed OBE, Tory
15 Comments
Reed confirms council funding formula will favour Croydon
#FUNDCROYDONFAIRLY: Government announces it will re-set its system for deciding grants to local government and, at last, cash-strapped Croydon might receive a fairer share. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The Labour government has today announced that it is to scrap “outdated … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Rowenna Davis, Steve Reed MP
Tagged 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Cllr Rowenna Davis, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed OBE, Tory, Waddon
5 Comments
Commissioners critical of Mayor Perry’s risky financial plans
Council Tax UP Borrowing UP Council debts UP An official report ahead of a Town Hall meeting tomorrow night paints a grim picture. And the government Commissioners are unimpressed. By WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor Croydon’s financial position “remains extremely fragile … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Uncategorized
Tagged Auditors, Commissioners, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Ged Curran, Grant Thornton, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Tory
8 Comments
Now even Mayor Perry agrees we need to Fund Croydon Fairly
Columnist ANDREW FISHER, and this website, have been lobbying government to #FundCroydonFairly since early 2023. So why did it take Mayor Jason Perry so long to catch on? In 2023, this website helped to launch a campaign for fair funding … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Fisher, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Rowenna Davis, Steve Reed MP
Tagged 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Cllr Rowenna Davis, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Tory, Waddon
11 Comments
Labour’s Davis tells minister Reed to fund Croydon fairly
Simultaneously, two of the borough’s mayoral candidates have decided to demand better government grants for the council. By WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor Something very strange happened in Croydon yesterday. The leader of one of the larger political groups said: “For … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Rowenna Davis, Steve Reed MP
Tagged 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Cllr Rowenna Davis, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Tory, Waddon
7 Comments
Exits and pay-offs: our news panel goes behind the headlines
The latest golden goodbye for a departing council CEO, the terrible state of even new flats around central Croydon, Westfield and the Allders kiosks, and what looks like the hot ticket for Christmas entertainment – all get discussed on our … Continue reading
Posted in "Hammersfield", 2017 General Election, Allders, Business, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Insider, Inside Croydon, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Under The Flyover, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre
Tagged Allders, Allders kiosks, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Insider, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Mayor Jason Perry, Patreon, Podcast, Spotify, Steve Reed OBE, The Fold, Tory, Westfield, Whitgift Centre
7 Comments
Auditors issue Perry with warning over ‘unsustainable’ finances
The council’s emergency borrowing since 2019 will top £1billion within three years, according to a highly critical report from auditors Grant Thornton, as they show Croydon’s Mayor the local authority equivalent of a yellow card. By our Town Hall reporter, … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, EFS, Exceptional financial support, External auditors, Grant Thornton, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Pay-off, Perry's pay-off, RIPI, Statutory warning, Steve Reed OBE, Tony Newman, Tory
6 Comments
#BINMAGEDDON: Perry sneaks out charges for wheelie bins
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Having dumped his secret plan to charge a £5 admin fee for new bins, now the borough’s Tory Mayor is charging residents up to £39 for replacement wheelies. By our Town Hall reporter, SANDRA STEAD Jason Perry, … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Refuse collection, Veolia
Tagged #Binmageddon, 15% Council Tax hike, Biggest Dump In Britain, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Litter Free Norbury, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Tony Hooker, Tory, Veolia
14 Comments
Kerswell gets ‘vote of confidence’ in email from Commissioner
Two months since the government sent in Commissioners to run Croydon’s cash-strapped and chaotic council, a round-robin message to staff today suggests that the team has already ‘gone native’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Staff working in Fisher’s Folly, cash-strapped Croydon … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', Abi Brown, Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Ged Curran, Improvement Board, Jackie Belton, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stabilisation Plan
Tagged Abi Brown, Alison McGovern MP, Commissioner, Council Tax, Council transformation, Croydon, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Ged Curran, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Improvement Panel, Jackie Belton, Jim McMahon, Katherine Kerswell, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Section 114 Notice, Steve Reed OBE, Transformation plan
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