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Category Archives: Jo Negrini
Younger people have had their futures sold down the river
CROYDON ELECTION QUESTIONS For this General Election, Inside Croydon has been offering a platform to candidates from across the political spectrum, from across the borough’s four constituencies. Much the same questions, their answers published at length. Our first interview is … Continue reading
Posted in 2024 General Election, Brick by Brick, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon parks, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Housing, London-wide issues
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, 2024 General Election, Brick by Brick, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon, Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, David Cameron, General Election, General Election 2024, Liberal Democrats, London, Nick Clegg, Say No To 15%, Sir Ed Davey, Streatham and Croydon North
2 Comments
Coulsdon flats deal was rushed through as massive tax dodge
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Professional financial analyst RICHARD HOWARD, pictured left, has been concerned for some time about the multi-million-pound sale-and-leaseback arrangement that the council has carved out with an Essex property firm for Red Clover Gardens in Coulsdon. Here, he goes … Continue reading
Posted in 2024 General Election, Brick by Brick, Business, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Housing, Jason Cummings, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Rick Howard
Tagged Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Jason Cummings, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Mears, Red Clover Gardens, Regen Capital, Richard Howard, Tory
14 Comments
Coulsdon’s new flats with ‘parking option’ for £100 per month
Residents have started to take occupancy in the long-vacant Red Clover Gardens. But as housing correspondent BARRATT HOLMES reports, anyone owning a car is likely to get hit with extra bills Private tenants looking to live in new blocks of … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon Town, Croydon Council, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry
Tagged Brick by Brick, BxB, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon Council, Lion Green Road car park, London Borough of Croydon, Mears Group Plc, Red Clover Gardens, Regen Capital, Tory
3 Comments
Perry’s ‘sale’ of Coulsdon flats will cost Croydon £60million!
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The borough’s Tory Mayor is accused of ‘doing a Tony Newman’ over a multi-million-pound property deal, one which will cost future generations tens of millions. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Meet the new boss. Same as the old … Continue reading
Posted in Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Business, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Croydon East, Croydon South, Housing, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Mears, Property, Rick Howard, Susmita Sen
Tagged Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon Affordable Homes, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Lion Green Road car park, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Mears, Red Clover Gardens, Regen Capital, Richard Howard, Tony Newman, Tory
6 Comments
Brick by Brick’s final flats put up for rent at £2,400 per month
In Coulsdon, 157 flats have been standing empty for almost two years, in the middle of a housing crisis. But now, with the council silent on the multi-million sale of the properties, some are being made available for eye-watering rents. … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon Town, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, BxB, Chris Philp MP, Colm Lacey, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mary Duggan, Mears Group Plc, Notting Hill Genesis, Paul Scott, Red Clover Gardens, Regen Capital, Tony Newman, Tory
4 Comments
Auckland Rise residents suffer the ‘curse’ of Brick by Brick
Our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, reports on how some of the warnings about the council house-builders’ ‘affordable’ homes are becoming an costly reality in Crystal Palace Residents in supposedly “affordable” shared ownership homes built in Crystal Palace by the council-owned … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Claire Bonham, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning
Tagged Alison Butler, Auckland Rise, Brick by Brick, Claire Bonham, Colm Lacey, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Jo Negrini, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London, London Borough of Croydon, Tory
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Council chief Kerswell has doubled up on £140,000+ executives
CROYDON IN CRISIS: While more than 400 frontline jobs have been axed since 2020, the executive suite in Fisher’s Folly has barely been touched. But the council CEO is spending even more on ‘cost-cutting’ consultants. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Katherine … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Conservative, Corporate directors, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Executive directors, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Regina Road, Tony Newman, Tory
6 Comments
Farewell but no thanks: troubleshooters leave BxB’s board
Step by tiny step, the winding up of failed developer Brick by Brick is coming to an end, reports BARRATT HOLMES, housing correspondent The deckchairs are being re-arranged on the deck of Brick by Brick, seemingly for one final time. … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, David Courcoux, Jo Negrini, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, The Penn Report, Tony Newman
Tagged affordable housing, Andrew Percival, Brick by Brick, Companies House, Croydon, Croydon Council, David Corcoux, Duncan Whitfield, Griff Marshalsay, Griffith McCallum Marshalsay, Homes for Lambeth, Housing, Ian O'Donnell, Jo Negrini, Labour, Lambeth, London Borough of Croydon, Southwark Council, Stephen Hopkins, Tony Newman
8 Comments
How myth of shared ownership has made housing crisis worse
Six years ago, one of Inside Croydon’s loyal readers reported on the sheer unaffordability of the shared ownership homes being built in the borough by Brick by Brick. Now, as ANDREW FISHER explains, a parliamentary select committee has published a … Continue reading
Wanted: ‘storyteller’ to spin CEO Kerswell’s recruitment binge
CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘History,’ said Marx (Karl, not Groucho), ‘repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.’ At our cash-strapped council, we appear to have arrived at the farcical stage. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES How good is your “story-telling”? £50,000 … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Conservative, Corporate directors, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Executive directors, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Regina Road, Tony Newman, Tory
8 Comments
£68m: final cost of Brick by Brick, as agreed by Mayor Perry
£68m This is what a “solvent liquidation” looks like, according to Croydon’s elected Mayor Jason Perry. That’s the latest final estimate of the exit costs of winding down and closing Brick by Brick, the failed housing company set up by … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Paul Scott, Planning, Simon Hall, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Conservative, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Paul Scott, Tony Newman, Tory
13 Comments
Brick by Brick posts £7.6m loss in latest annual trading report
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Yet more bad news finally emerging into the public record. By BARRATT HOLMES, our house building correspondent Even when it is no longer paying above the odds to build new homes, Brick by Brick continues to lose … Continue reading
Council failed in legal duty to publish accounts for three years
CROYDON COMMENTARY: While the narrative from the Government-appointed improvement panel, the council and the levelling up department is upbeat about an ‘increased pace’ of change at the bankrupt borough, a more realistic picture, as NICHOLAS PANES points out, is of … Continue reading
Kerswell keeps councillors waiting for her tribunal feedback
CROYDON IN CRISIS: How will the borough’s £192,474 per year chief executive explain the suggestion that she lied under oath when defending herself against allegations of racism? By KEN LEE, Town Hall reporter Almost a month has passed since the … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Richard Simpson, The Penn Report, Tony McArdle
Tagged #PennReport, Appointments and disciplinary committee, Croydon, Croydon Council, Employment Tribunal, Hazel Simmonds, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Penn Report, Richard Penn, Section 114, The Penn Report
12 Comments
Accountancy body launches investigation of ex-finance chief
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Thurrock, in Essex, gave our own council a two-year head start in the bankruptcy stakes, but now they are taking the kind of action which was recommended here long ago. By our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Outside Croydon, Richard Simpson, Section 114 notice, Shifa Mustafa, The Penn Report
Tagged Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Essex, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Liam Kavanagh, Lisa Taylor, London Borough of Croydon, Richard Simpson, Sean Clark, Shifa Mustafa, Thurrock, Thurrock Council, Tory
7 Comments
Tribunal judge finds no evidence of racism or unfair dismissal
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A landmark judgement, handed down today, determined that the council did not act in a racist, prejudicial or harrassing manner towards one of its former senior staff members. By STEVEN DOWNES This was one battle that David … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Hazel Simmonds, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice, The Penn Report
Tagged Browne Jacobson, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Employment Tribunal, Hazel Simmonds, Jo Negrini, Judge Adam Leith, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Patricia Leonard, S114, S114 notice, Section 114, To encourage the others
2 Comments
Simpson and the Sutton similarities over £100m property loan
Sutton’s investments, developments and procurement come under scrutiny after the Beech Tree Place débâcle. CARL SHILTON reports Sutton Council continues its acquisitions and regeneration projects in the borough. But in a tough economic climate, some cracks are beginning to show. … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Housing, Property, Richard Simpson, Sutton Council
Tagged Beech Tree Place, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Elm Grove, Fairfield Halls, Liberal Democrats, Oru Space, Richard Simpson, Royal Marsden Cancer Hub, skate park, St Nicholas Centre, Sutton Council
1 Comment
Council risks being in the red over BxB’s Red Clover Gardens
Our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, on the growing disquiet over the fate of 157 flats in Coulsdon that have been standing empty for more than a year There’s a number of reasons that Croydon Council is boracic, and one of … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon Town, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jason Cummings, London Borough of Croydon, Mary Duggan, Mears Group Plc, Notting Hill Genesis, Red Clover Gardens, Regen Capital, Tory
3 Comments
CEO Kerswell could face crucial cross-examination at Tribunal
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A hearing for an employment dispute alleging unfair dismissal and racism brought by one of the council’s senior members of staff at the time of its financial collapse has done more to expose bullying and cover-ups at … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Hazel Simmonds, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice, The Penn Report
Tagged Admiral Byng, Browne Jacobson, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Employment Tribunal, Hazel Simmonds, Jo Negrini, Judge Adam Leith, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Lynne Hale, Patricia Leonard, S114, S114 notice, Section 114, To encourage the others, Voltaire
9 Comments
Kerswell’s 100-page tribunal defence against racism charges
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A three-week hearing at the Employment Tribunal could cost the cash-strapped council at least £150,000 – with tax-payers picking up the legal tab again. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Cash-strapped Croydon Council, the local authority that says it … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Mayor Jason Perry, Shifa Mustafa
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Employment Tribunal, Guy van Dichele, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, London Borough of Croydon, Shifa Mustafa
15 Comments
Investigation call over property deals for £220m flats scheme
Residents in Addiscombe are angry that the council has ignored hundreds of objections and granted planning permission for 36- and 33-storey towers – and demand a thorough police investigation into the tax-payers’ millions lost on successive Croydon Park Hotel property … Continue reading
Posted in Addiscombe West, Botanical House, Brick by Brick, Business, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Housing, Jo Negrini, Nicola Townsend, Planning, Property, Report in the Public Interest, Sean Fitzsimons
Tagged Addiscombe West, Altyre Road, Amro, Botanical House, Clive Fraser, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, East Croydon station, Labour, Sean Fitzsimons, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Tory
19 Comments
After two years, Simmonds legal case approaches its end-game
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A council committee is to meet in secret later this week, potentially to discuss whether the authority should settle out-of-court over allegations of race discrimination and victimisation brought by a former senior employee Croydon Council’s Employment Tribunal … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Mayor Jason Perry, Shifa Mustafa
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Employment Tribunal, Guy van Dichele, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, London Borough of Croydon, Shifa Mustafa
3 Comments
Mayor Perry: we’ve reported no one for bankrupting borough
Tory Mayor now blames police for slow investigation – after having submitted complaint over former council leaders more than two years after the council received recommendations that it should do so. By KEN LEE, Town Hall reporter In an extraordinary … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Mayor Jason Perry, Policing, Section 114 notice, Shifa Mustafa, Simon Hall, The Penn Report
Tagged #PennReport, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Mayor Jason Perry, Penn Report, Richard Penn, Simon Hall, The Penn Report, Tony Newman, Tory
4 Comments
Town Hall staff braced for £31m more cuts and job losses
CROYDON IN CRISIS: In an internal email to staff, the £192,000 per year chief executive has laid the groundwork for the next round of redundancies in departments including personnel and planning. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES While her council was congratulating … Continue reading
Tory Mayor Perry admits to another broken election promise
No more ‘rewards for failure’ was the Tory promise before last year’s local elections. Now the council’s executive Mayor has conceded that he cannot act against Newman, Negrini or others accused of bankrupting the borough. By our Town Hall reporter, … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, The Penn Report, Tony Newman
Tagged #PennReport, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Penn Report, Simon Hall, The Municipal Journal, The Penn Report, Tony Newman, Tory
4 Comments
