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Category Archives: Tony McArdle
Tory Perry tries to appoint £123,000 ‘transformation director’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Spend, spend, spend… the bad old habits of the dark days of the Negreedy era don’t seem to have been eradicated altogether, as CEO Kerswell looks to hire a new director to do her dirty work for … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Neil Williams, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Neil Williams, S114, S114 notice, Section 114 Notice, Tony McArdle, Tory, Transformation director
15 Comments
Call for Tory Mayor to resign after Government’s takeover
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Reaction to yesterday’s Government announcement that the Whitehall-appointed improvement panel will effectively take over the running of the cash-strapped council has met with near-universal criticism There have been calls for Jason Perry to resign as Mayor after … Continue reading
Posted in Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Esther Sutton, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Claire Bonham, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Esther Sutton, Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Tory
28 Comments
Slough, Thurrock, Sandwell, Liverpool: Croydon’s not alone
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government announcements of special measures yesterday covered four other local authorities, as councils across the country struggle with under-funding and massive debts built up over the last decade The party line, trotted out in the Town Hall … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Lee Rowley, Liverpool, Margaret Lee, Mayor Jason Perry, Sandwell, Slough, Thurrock, Tony McArdle, Tory
6 Comments
No Council Tax hike without seeing the assurance panel reports
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Michael Gove is not only permitting the borough’s Tory Mayor to hike Council Tax without a referendum, he is doing so while withholding reports from his own panel of inspectors. Which suggests the government has something to hide … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, The Penn Report, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Tory
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Government to write off £540m of council’s debts, as Croydon becomes the Northern Rock of England’s local authorities
Tory minister Michael Gove asked to agree deal that wipes half a billion pounds from council’s mountain of debt After spending months complaining about council’s ‘unsustainable’ debt, Mayor Jason Perry is seeking to borrow another £224m Perry’s 15% Council Tax … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Rowenna Davis, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, £540m debt write off, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Jane West, Jason Cummings, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Rowenna Davis, Tory
11 Comments
Kerswell warns staff: it’s 15% Council Tax hike or your jobs
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Katherine Kerswell, the £192,474 per year council chief exec who less than a year ago said that the borough ‘was not teetering on the edge of bankruptcy’, when clearly it was, has now told her staff that … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Improvement Panel, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Tory
25 Comments
Perry to preside over record-breaking 15% Council Tax hike
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The borough with one of the biggest Council Tax bills in London has just been given permission to make those bills even bigger. Much bigger. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon, under Tory Mayor Jason Perry, has been … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Brick by Brick, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Labour, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Slough Borough Council, Thurrock Council, Tory
15 Comments
Croydon is in a right Pickles and it is easy to work out why
Thurrock, Warrington, Nottingham, Slough, Liverpool, Sandwell… Croydon is far from alone among basket-case boroughs. ANDREW FISHER traces the common cause back to Whitehall Pay more, get less. That seems to have been the message from many councils across the country … Continue reading
Posted in Andrew Fisher, Croydon Council, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Tim Pollard, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Andrew Fisher, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Eric Pickles, Gideon Osborne, Jason Cummings, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Tony Newman, Tory
5 Comments
Croydon needs deal that could set precedent for all councils
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A government-appointed inspector, council directors and senior councillors all agree that throwing millions more at the cash-strapped council won’t fix its deep-seated problems. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The Tories who control Croydon Town Hall have already done … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Fisher, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Boris Johnson, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Improvement Panel, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, Labour, Liverpool City Council, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Thurrock Council, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman, Tory
8 Comments
Tories accuse Labour of ‘shocking mistakes’ over budgets
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Mayor Perry has made a political play with the Conservative government in an effort to re-set the council’s finances. Again. By our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE Croydon’s Conservatives were quick to play the blame game this morning … Continue reading
Posted in Callton Young, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Conservatives, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jason Cummings, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, LTNs, Mayor Jason Perry, S114, Section 114, Tony McArdle, Tory
3 Comments
After nearly a year, Gove is sitting on two ‘improvement’ reports
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Millions of pounds of public money are at stake, a matter not to be sniffed at, but government minister is staying schtum over state of cash-strapped council’s finances. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Michael Gove, re-installed as Secretary … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Tory
1 Comment
Tory government delays finance reports to help Mayor Perry
CROYDON IN CRISIS: It’s almost nine months since Whitehall released the last quarterly report from its Improvement Panel on the state of the cash-strapped council’s finances, prompting accusations of political favours for the Conservatives. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES It’s not … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Mayor, Department for Levelling Up, Green Party, Greg Clark, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Improvement Board, Jason Cummings, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of Croydon, Michael Gove, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Tory
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Perry in cover-up of £18m budget overspend in first 100 days
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The borough’s new Mayor has already overspent on an agreed budget by £20m – but won’t be producing financial reports until next year. EXCLUSIVE by WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Croydon Council is already £18million over its budget … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Dr Ola Olasode, General Purposes and Audit Committee, Improvement Board, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Mayor, Dr Ola Olasode, Improvement Board, Jason Cummings, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of Croydon, STUART KING, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman, Tory
10 Comments
Tory Mayor wants to keep finances under wraps for 9 months
Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on early signs of less accountability at the Town Hall under the Conservative administration Jason Perry, Croydon’s part-time Mayor, will tonight be accused of “closing down the books” by reducing the frequency of reports on the … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Mayor, Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Improvement Panel, Jason Cummings, Labour, Mayor, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, STUART KING, Tony McArdle, Tory
5 Comments
Things are about to get even harder, warns report to ministers
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government minister expresses concerns over the changes being made at council as it implements its ‘extremely challenging’ budget. By STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Council “are at a critical point of their recovery journey and there is more to … Continue reading
‘We’re not teetering on the brink of bankruptcy’ claims Kerswell
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council’s £192,000 CEO has told a local government magazine that she has a solution to fix the latest financial crisis: more borrowing. By STEVEN DOWNES An 11th-hour decision on a loan from the Department of Levelling … Continue reading
Council looks to second postponement of budget meeting
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Town Hall chiefs still trying to negotiate another multi-million-pound government bail-out, with time running out to issue 136,000 Council Tax notices. By STEVEN DOWNES The council is on the brink of crashing into bankruptcy, unable to set … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Business, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Richard Ennis, Tony McArdle
Tagged Council Tax, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Michael Gove, Tony McArdle
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Met Police confirm fraud review into £67.5m Fairfield fiasco
KEN LEE reports on the latest twist in the council’s headlong rush towards bankruptcy, and perhaps worse, with the Town Hall’s fate in the hands of Michael Gove The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that they have opened an investigation into … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Conservative, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Grant Thornton, Housing Revenue Account, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Michael Gove, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman, Tory
11 Comments
Brick by Brick ‘sweetheart’ sale could have cost another £45m
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The latest report from government-appointed inspectors assigned to check on the council finances reveals that a sweetheart deal to sell failed house-builders Brick by Brick to a Manchester developer could have cost the bankrupt borough another £45m. … Continue reading
Multi-million-pound loss on hotel ‘not ideal’ says panel
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Whitehall-appointed inspectors raise serious doubts over the council’s property sales. By STEVEN DOWNES The council’s sale of the Croydon Park Hotel at a loss of as much as £10million has been condemned by government-appointed officials. Such a … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Callton Young, Chris Buss, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Planning, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony McArdle
Tagged Callton Young, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Improvement Panel, Labour, Peter Bingle, S114, Section 114, STUART KING, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
13 Comments
Cash-strapped council still going over-budget, report finds
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government commissioners say that there’s been ‘an opportunity missed’ because of the slow pace of change under council CEO. By STEVEN DOWNES Katherine Kerswell, the chief executive of the cash-strapped council, has been subjected to overt criticism … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Ennis, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Hamida Ali, Improvement Panel, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, S114, Section 114, Tony McArdle
6 Comments
Jenrick ministry defends choice of all-white improvement panel
The government has been forced to defend its decision to appoint an all-white “improvement and assurance panel” to oversee Croydon Council’s efforts to recover from its financial collapse last year. In January, Robert Jenrick’s Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local … Continue reading
£700,000: Croydon counting the costs of council failures
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The Town Hall has been hit with ‘penalty fines’ of its own since its financial collapse 12 months ago. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES £697,300 And rising… That’s how much Croydon Council says it has paid so far, … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Report in the Public Interest, Robert Canning, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Grant Thornton, Hamida Ali, Improvement Panel, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Robert Canning, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
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Bankrupt borough could overspend by millions again this year
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Cash-strapped council is facing another busted budget, according to latest estimates. By STEVEN DOWNES Less than six months since Croydon was handed the biggest bail-out in history, following the authority declaring itself effectively bankrupt, and the council … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Buss, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Chris Buss, Croydon, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Tony McArdle
9 Comments
Government-appointed advisers pulled plug on BxB sale
CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘Improvement Panel’ ordered council to abandon its poor-value deal to sell Brick by Brick, and instead to pay Wates Construction £1.12m to oversee the loss-making builders’ work on 23 sites. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Hamida Ali, the … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Chris Buss, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Housing, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Planning, Tony McArdle
Tagged Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Panel, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Phil Brookes, Tony McArdle
11 Comments