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Category Archives: Katherine Kerswell
Outsourcing children’s home has proved costly and high risk
CROYDON COMMENTARY: The collapse of a multi-million-pound contract to manage a children’s home in the borough has exposed the flaws in the procurement process and sunk Mayor Perry’s claims of running a ‘more efficient’ council. Green Party councillor NATALIE VESTY, … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Natalie Vesty, Sanderstead, Stabilisation Plan, Stuart Collins
Tagged Care Homes, Children's homes, Children's Services, Cllr Natalie Vesty, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, St Christopher's Fellowship, Tory
5 Comments
‘Appalled’ Labour call for inquiry into children’s home contract
Council opposition makes call for investigation into the collapse of multi-million-pound contract, as charity placed in charge of home says council report does not ‘accurately reflect’ events. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The Labour opposition group at Croydon Town Hall has … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Sanderstead, Stabilisation Plan, Stuart Collins, Stuart King
Tagged Care Homes, Children's homes, Children's Services, Cllr Stuart King, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, St Christopher's Fellowship, Tory
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Charity ‘strongly disputes’ council report on children’s home
Inside Croydon broke the news of how a £8.6m contract to run a children’s home was cancelled by the council in less than six months. Here is the response of the St Christopher’s Fellowship in full: St Christopher’s Fellowship strongly … Continue reading
Council cancels £8.6m children’s home contract after 6 months
‘Hospital admissions’ of children in care are among serious concerns over the management of a home which was only registered in March. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Council has served notice on a contract for managing a children’s home less … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Sanderstead, Stabilisation Plan, Stuart Collins
Tagged Children's home, Children's Services, Cllr Andy Stranack, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Debbie Jones, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, St Christopher's Fellowship, Stuart Collins, Tory
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Borough’s motorists will be forced to pay for Perry’s mistakes
CROYDON IN CRISIS: An above-inflation hike for resident parking permits, parking fees and penalties is being lined up to help plug the hole in the council budgets caused by the Mayor opening his big mouth. By our transport correspondent, JEREMY … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Environment, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense
Tagged Conrad Hall, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fine refunds, High Court, Judge Edward Pepperall, London, London Borough of Croydon, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, LTN fine refunds, LTNs, Mayor Jason Perry, PCNs, Penalty Charge Notices, Resident Parking Permits, Royal Courts of Justice, Tory
5 Comments
Council bosses critical of Perry’s costly ‘transformation’ plan
Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on how even insiders have been forced to admit that the Mayor’s plan to ‘fix the finances’ has flopped The council and the government-appointed Commissioners are “concerned with transformation pace, focus and outcomes” related to … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stabilisation Plan
Tagged Boston Consulting Group, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Council transformation, Croydon, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Jackson, Newton, The Municipal Journal, Tory, Transformation director, Transformation plan
7 Comments
That’s ACE! Gaskell the latest to join council’s growing 200 club
Cash-strapped Croydon now has at least three execs, two of them interims, being paid at rates of £200,000 per year or more. But someone in Mayor Jason Perry’s council is trying to keep the latest appointment a secret. EXCLUSIVE by … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Jenny Rowlands, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Jackson, Section 114 notice, Stephen Gaskell
Tagged Camden Council, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Interim assistant chief executive, Interims, Jenny Rowlands, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Jackson, Tory
3 Comments
Perry’s ‘comedy’ video claims are leaving the joke on Croydon
The borough’s Conservative Mayor, rendered impotent by the presence of government Commissioners, has spent much of the summer conducting some personal political campaigning, all paid for by tax-payers, that is often deliberately misleading, that sometimes gaslights residents and, very often, … Continue reading
Posted in "Hammersfield", Andrew Fisher, BH Group, Business, Commissioners, Council Tax, Crime, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Fly tipping, Live Facial Recognition cameras, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Planning, Policing, Refuse collection, Sadiq Khan, Selsdon Park Hotel, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
Tagged Andrew Fisher, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hammersfield, Labour, Live Facial Recognition, London, London Assembly, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor, Mayor Jason Perry, Metropolitan Police, Shop lifter tagging, Tory, URW, Westfield
8 Comments
Exposed: New CEO’s role in Norfolk’s £30m incinerator scandal
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Did Mayor Perry’s appointments committee bother to conduct a full background check into the employment record of the man they have just handed the council’s top job and £1,500 per day pay? A big Croydon welcome to … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Jackson, Section 114 notice
Tagged Bernard Weatherill House, Chief executive officer, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Fisher's Folly, incinerator, Interiim chief executive, Katherine Kerswell, Kings Lynn, Kings Lynn incinerator, London Borough of Croydon, Mike Jackson, Norfolk, Norfolk County Council, Tory
8 Comments
Complaints against Perry’s council soar by 51% in two years
Croydon, under its Tory Mayor, is getting worse, not better, judging by the number of complaints upheld by the Local Government Ombudsman in the last year. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon continues to be among the country’s most rotten boroughs, … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Bromley Council, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Lambeth Council, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, SEND, Surrey, Sutton Council
Tagged Bromley, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Lambeth, League tables, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Local Government Ombudsman, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Rotten Boroughs, Rotten boroughs league tables 2025-2026, Sutton, Tory
6 Comments
£1,500 per day for bankrupt council’s third CEO in 10 months
EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The propaganda department at cash-strapped Croydon Council waited until just before 6pm to sneak out the announcement of its latest interim chief exec. What they failed to mention is that Mike Jackson, who is to be … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Katherine Kerswell, Mike Jackson, Section 114 notice
Tagged Chief executive officer, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Interiim chief executive, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mike Jackson, Tory
5 Comments
Perry’s plan: More borrowing. More debt. And £58m more cuts
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Reports sneaked out ahead of next Wednesday’s council cabinet meeting talk of ‘difficult decisions’, after residents have already suffered six years of the consequences of ‘difficult decisions’. By STEVEN DOWNES Less than six months since he pushed … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Claire Bonham, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Paul Ainscough, SEND, Stabilisation Plan, Stuart King
Tagged Cllr Claire Bonham, Cllr Paul Ainscough, Cllr Stuart King, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Council debt, Croydon, Croydon Council, EFS, Exceptional financial support, HM Treasury, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Section 114 Notice, The Green Party, Tory
8 Comments
Perry’s council to face Judicial Review over Access Croydon
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Failed Mayor Jason Perry probably ought to get a season ticket for the High Court, as his council is facing yet another legal challenge over his decision to close the public access service inside Fisher’s Folly. By … Continue reading
Posted in Bernard Weatherill House, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry
Tagged Access Croydon, Bernard Weatherill House, BWH, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon BME Forum, Croydon Council, Fisher's Folly, Homelessness, Katherine Kerswell, London Renters' Union, Mayor Jason Perry, PILC, Public Interest Law Centre, Public Services Delivery Hub, Tory
3 Comments
£275,000: Loadsamoney Perry breaks the bank for new CEO
CROYDON IN CRISIS: As the council faces having to replace its interim CEO with an interim interim CEO, the Mayor splashes the cash to try to find someone for what he calls ‘London’s most important leadership role’ Recruitment ads for … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Dean Shoesmith, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jenny Rowlands, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Nathan Elvery, Section 114 notice
Tagged CEO, Chief executive officer, Commisssioners, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Dean Shoesmith, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Nathan Elvery, Tory
7 Comments
Do you recognise your council as described in the CEO job ad?
CROYDON IN CRISIS In the recruitment ad, are the Commissioners seeking a competent and experienced civic administrator with more than the charisma of a dead fish for the role of council chief executive? Or are they looking for a knight … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Dean Shoesmith, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jenny Rowlands, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Nathan Elvery, Section 114 notice
Tagged CEO, Chief executive officer, Commisssioners, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Dean Shoesmith, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Nathan Elvery, Tory
7 Comments
Perry tries to hide homelessness service with South End move
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Just hours before his council was due at the High Court to face a possible Judicial Review over its closure of Access Croydon, the Mayor announced that he was moving the housing service. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES … Continue reading
Posted in Bernard Weatherill House, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry
Tagged Access Croydon, Bernard Weatherill House, BWH, Cavendish House, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon BME Forum, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Emma Gardiner, Fisher's Folly, Homelessness, Katherine Kerswell, London Renters' Union, Mayor Jason Perry, PILC, Public Interest Law Centre, Public Services Delivery Hub, South End, South Norwood Community Kitchen, South West London Law Centre, Tory
9 Comments
Perry’s council facing High Court threat over Access Croydon
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council is being dragged into the High Court next week to face claims that it is failing to meet its statutory responsibilities on housing as a consequence of making its offices open only on an appointment … Continue reading
Posted in Bernard Weatherill House, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry
Tagged Access Croydon, Bernard Weatherill House, BWH, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon BME Forum, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Emma Gardiner, Fisher's Folly, Homelessness, Katherine Kerswell, London Renters' Union, Mayor Jason Perry, PILC, Public Interest Law Centre, Public Services Delivery Hub, South Norwood Community Kitchen, South West London Law Centre, Tory
7 Comments
From cabaret to the World Cup, from Sea Cadets to LTN refunds
PODCAST: The Croydon Insider returns with a new panel of readers to discuss the latest Croydon news, in a Croydonites Fringe special that picks some of the must-see shows at the festival from July 1 to 5. There’s even a … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Comedy, Commissioners, Croydon Council, Croydon Insider, Croydonites Festival, Elaine Jackson, Inside Croydon, Johnny Dobbyn, Music, Poetry, Sea Cadets, Stanley Halls, The Front Room, The Front Room, The Oval Tavern, Theatre, Under The Flyover
Tagged Anna Arthur, Cheryl Fergus-Ferrell, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Sea Cadets, Croydonites, Croydonites Fringe, Crystal Palace, heatwave, Johnny Dobbyn, LTN, LTN fine refunds, Mark Windsor, Sea Cadets, World Cup
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Jackson fires starting pistol in the race for council’s top job
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The omnishambles council is looking for its third chief exec in the space of nine months, with the challenge for the borough’s failed Mayor of finding anyone willing to work with him. By STEVEN DOWNES Elaine Jackson, … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stabilisation Plan
Tagged Commissioner, Conservative, Council Tax, Council transformation, Croydon, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jane West, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, S151 Officer, Section 114 Notice, Tory, Transformation plan
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Perry’s go-slow council could take 5 years to pay LTN refunds
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Figures from the council show that it has issued refunds to fewer than 1-in-10 of the motorists who were fined for driving through Low Traffic Neighbourhoods which the High Court ruled as ‘unlawful’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES … Continue reading
Posted in Broad Green, Conrad Hall, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Leila Ben-Hassel, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry
Tagged Conrad Hall, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Fine refunds, High Court, Judge Edward Pepperall, London, London Borough of Croydon, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, LTN fine refunds, LTNs, Mayor Jason Perry, Royal Courts of Justice, South Norwood, Tory, Upper Norwood
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Add poor time management to Mayor’s long list of failings
TOWN HALL SKETCH: Jason Perry missed the kick-off of the big match in Leipzig, and managed to deliver his annual ‘state of the borough’ speech without a single mention of the cash-strapped council’s finances. By WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor Jason … Continue reading
Posted in Adam Kellett, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, New Addington South, Scott Roche, Stuart King
Tagged 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Adam Kellett, Cllr Scott Holman, Conservative, Council constitution, Croydon, Croydon Council, Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Reform Ltd, Reform UK, Scott Roche, The Green Party, Tory
5 Comments
Croydon’s GIGO ‘economy’ stops people paying Council Tax
Our cash-strapped council has squandered millions on its failed Croydon Digital department, and then wasted millions more on outside consultants who pressed on with the ‘Digital First’ policy. Yet we now have a council website which makes it more difficult … Continue reading
Council Commissioner Warren set to retire from Greenwich job
Debbie Warren, one of the £1,000 per day Commissioners appointed by the government last year to oversee the financial management of crisis-hit Croydon Council, has announced that she is to step down from her “day job” as chief executive at … Continue reading
Just the job! Council hands £200,000 finance chief role to Hall
Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on the rushed recruitment of a Commissioner-approved appointee to a permanent role in Fisher’s Folly, helped with £30,000 in ‘danger money’ Croydon’s cash-strapped council under Tory Mayor Jason Perry is still able to find enough … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Dean Shoesmith, Elaine Jackson, Jane West, Jenny Rowlands
Tagged Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Corporate Director of Resources, Croydon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace FC, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jane West, Jenny Rowlands, Labour, Leipzig, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 151 officer
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