Category Archives: Council Tax

92% of readers disagree with Kerswell’s Peer Review findings

Croydon Mayor Jason Perry and the council CEO who tells him what to do, Katherine Kerswell, had better be very worried, as a series of public opinion questions have had responses in which more than 90% of iC readers have … Continue reading →

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, The Penn Report | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Council Tax proposal to hit Sutton’s disabled and unemployed

Sutton Council is set to introduce measures which will force some of the poorest in the borough, including the disabled and unemployed, to pay Council Tax for the first time. It is an effort by the Liberal Democrat-controlled council under … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult Social Care, Barry Lewis, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, London Fire Brigade, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Outside Croydon, Policing, Sadiq Khan, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Cash-strapped council’s Mayor wants to give himself a pay rise

Our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE, on the latest piece of self-serving nonsense from the borough’s under-achieving Mayor Jason Perry, Croydon’s part-time Mayor, wants to increase his annual salary to almost £84,000. And he expects Croydon residents to pay for … Continue reading →

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, General Purposes and Audit Committee, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Lynne Hale, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Kafkaesque world of contractors clearing 98% of fly-tips

Rubbish contractors Veolia have been handed a very generous, £40million reprieve to remain Croydon’s domestic waste and street cleaning gig for another seven years, but there’s been little sign of any improvement in the service they provide. In fact, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Bensham Manor, Business, Community associations, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Fly tipping, Love Norbury, Mayor Jason Perry, Norbury, Norbury Park, Refuse collection, Thornton Heath, Thornton Heath Community Action Team, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Here’s our wish-list for a better Croydon and Sutton in 2025

What do you want for Croydon, and Sutton, in 2025? We approached a wide range of figures, including loyal readers, religious leaders, educators and business people for their thoughts – and hopes – for the New Year Ken Towl Addiscombe … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Andrew Fisher, Claire Bonham, Climate Crisis Commission, Council Tax, Crime, Croydon Council, Croydon Harriers, Croydon Insider, Croydon parks, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace FC, David Morgan, Environment, Housing, Inside Croydon, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Ken Towl, Knife crime, Lloyd Park, Mayor Jason Perry, Nick Mattey, North End Quarter, Peter Underwood, South Bank Poly, Sutton Council, The Andrew Fisher Interview, Under The Flyover, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

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 →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Callton Young, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon North, David Evans, Environment, Fairfield Halls, Lambeth Council, Manju Shahul Hameed, Mayor Jason Perry, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North, Stuart Collins, Stuart King, The Penn Report, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Rayner warned Croydon’s ‘budget gap’ will balloon to £83m

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The south London council ‘remains one of the most financially distressed in the country’, according to the local government minister. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Cash-strapped Croydon Council is going to need an even bigger government bail-out … Continue reading →

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Norbury and Norwood Junction council car parks to be sold off

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on how 157 Brick by Brick flats in Coulsdon were sold below the market rate, as the council continues to overspend on Mayor Perry’s unbalanced budget Anything that is not nailed down … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jane West, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cash-strapped council recruits £80,000 head of press office

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council spend by its communications department has increased by 50% since Jason Perry became Mayor of Croydon, official figures confirm. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Mayor Jason Perry knows where his priorities are: despite presiding over a … Continue reading →

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Manchester Mayor can’t provide answers to Croydon problems

WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on the early start to the 2026 local election campaign Croydon’s 2026 mayoral election campaign is well and truly underway – and the Labour Party has not even started its candidate selection process yet. In a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Brick by Brick, Callton Young, Council Tax, Croydon Council, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Rowenna Davis, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Tories back Perry to have another go as £82,000 per year Mayor

Remember, remember, the fifth of November… There might be an election going on elsewhere today, but in Croydon the selection results are already in, and local Conservatives are standing full-square behind part-time Perry in his bid to remain as Mayor. … Continue reading →

Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Neil Garratt, Rowenna Davis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

They’re back! Cash-strapped council is staging its own awards

Katherine Kerswell’s council is spending money on a ‘special’ awards event, while at the same time preparing to close libraries and children’s nursery schools, and looking at another round of redundancies. By KEN LEE, Town Hall reporter Echoing the terrified … Continue reading →

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

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 , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Mayor Perry will hike Council Tax by more than 5% if allowed

CROYDON IN CRISIS: In a trick of political deviousness, Chancellor Rachel Reeves might be able to claim she has not broken a manifesto commitment while Croydon’s Mayor will keep to his ‘pledge’. But ordinary residents will all end up paying … Continue reading →

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jane West, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Kerswell’s recruitment drive splits highways and parking jobs

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Our overspending council is still out there recruiting for non-jobs, like an ‘Urban Room Coordinator’ on 50 grand a year, or another assistant for Mayor Perry. By our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE Hundreds of staff were … Continue reading →

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jayne Rusbatch, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Parking, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council consultants take six months to discover the obvious

CROYDON IN CRISIS: It has taken external consultants almost six months to discover that the council’s website is ‘jargon-heavy’, ‘corporate’ and ‘difficult’ to use. Those findings have cost the cash-strapped council at least £1m. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES After being … Continue reading →

Posted in 'Future Croydon', Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Council is reported to government for library report failures

Libraries correspondent GENE BRODIE on the latest twist in the long-running saga The cobbled-together, evidence-lite and contradictory report recommending the closure of four of the borough’s public libraries now faces a legal challenge – even before Croydon’s Mayor, Jason Perry, … Continue reading →

Posted in Broad Green, Charity, Community associations, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Education, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Minister McMahon snubs Croydon Mayor over ‘urgent’ meeting

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Keir Starmer’s new government seems in no rush to deal with the deep-seated problems caused by 14 years of austerity inflicted on local councils, as Jason Perry’s plea for an urgent meeting is given a cold shoulder … Continue reading →

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments