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Category Archives: Commissioners
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
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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
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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
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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
Commissioners switch email in effort to protect whistleblowers
CROYDON IN CRISIS: After complaints that staff could not trust that their messages to the government-appointed Commissioners would be secure from their council bosses, a MHCLG official has set up an independent channel. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Three months after … Continue reading
Posted in Abi Brown, Commissioners, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Improvement Board, Jackie Belton, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Nathan Elvery, Section 114 notice
Tagged 000 pay-off, Abi Brown, £50, Commissioners, Croydon, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Fisher's Folly, Ged Curran, Jackie Belton, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lindsey Lewis, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Nathan Elvery
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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
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More churn at the top as interim directors leave the council
The rapid turnover among senior staff at Fisher’s Folly suggests that the ‘leadership issues’ which were in-part responsible for Commissioners being sent in to run Croydon Council may continue to be a problem for those left behind after Katherine Kerswell’s … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Heather Cheesbrough, Karen Agbabiaka, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Nazeya Hussain, Nick Hibberd, Section 114 notice, Venetia Reid-Baptiste
Tagged Chris Wortley, Commissioner, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Nazeya Hussain, S151 Officer, Section 114 Notice, Tony Ralph, Tory, Venetia Reid-Baptiste
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Jackson agrees to stand-in after Kerswell’s abrupt departure
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council’s assistant CEO forced to cancel retirement plans in order to fill in for her former boss, who is being given a £50,000 pay-off for not working her notice period. By STEVEN DOWNES Elaine Jackson has been … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stabilisation Plan
Tagged Commissioner, Conservative, Council Tax, Council transformation, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jane West, 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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Kerswell quits! But what happens next at crisis-hit council?
Mayor Jason Perry’s political rivals call for his resignation after a week when auditors have warned over ‘unsustainable’ finances and his CEO has left Croydon with a generous £50,000 pay-off. By STEVEN DOWNES Katherine Kerswell may not be replaced as … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Jane West, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Paul Ainscough, Richard Howard, Section 114 notice
Tagged Commissioner, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Ged Curran, Grant Thornton, Green Party, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Paul Ainscough, Richard Howard, The Honourable Mr Justice Nicklin, Tony Newman, Tory
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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
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When’s a pay-off not a pay-off? When it’s 50 grand in Croydon
CROYDON IN CRISIS: At public expense (again), Mayor Perry deploys the council’s top lawyer to try to shut down reporting of his £50,000 pay-off to departing chief executive Katherine Kerswell. By STEVEN DOWNES “When’s a pay-off not a pay-off?” a … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Croydon Council, Ged Curran, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense
Tagged Commissioner, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Ged Curran, Grant Thornton, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, S114 notice, Section 114 Notice, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, The Honourable Mr Justice Nicklin, Tory, Transformation plan
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‘I’ll miss heartfelt moments we have shared in our Tea Talks’
In her final message to staff, council CEO describes a pay-off of possibly as much as £95,000 as ‘just my contractual notice period’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES In typical Croydon Council style under Katherine Kerswell’s leadership, it was the borough’s … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Croydon Council, Ged Curran, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice
Tagged Commissioner, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Ged Curran, Golden handshake, Grant Thornton, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Nazyeya Hussain, Pay-off, S114 notice, Section 114 Notice, Tory, Transformation plan
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Mayor Perry tells councillors Kerswell ‘will be much missed’
Rushed email to the borough’s elected officials confirms pay-out to departing chief executive will be at least £50,000 – in lieu of notice. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES In a hastily drafted memo rushed out in the minutes after Inside Croydon … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Croydon Council, Ged Curran, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice
Tagged Commissioner, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Ged Curran, Grant Thornton, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Nazyeya Hussain, S114 notice, Section 114 Notice, Tory, Transformation plan
20 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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Podcast: Why diversity and inclusion should matter to us all
Our Croydon Insider podcast is exclusive premium content for our paying subscribers. On our panel this month are Anna Arthur, director of The Croydonites Festival, now in its 10th year, Darryl Chamberlain, the Editor of the Greenwich Wire news website, … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Athletics, Commissioners, Cricket, Croydon Council, Croydon Insider, Croydonites Festival, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, CYTO, Debbie Warren, Donna Fraser, Inside Croydon, Sport, Theatre
Tagged Anna Arthur, Commissioners, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydonites Festival, Darryl Chamberlain, DEI, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Donna Fraser, Hammersfield, Labour, Patreon, Podcast, Spotify, The Croydon Insider, The Greenwich Wire, Westfield, Whitgift Centre, Yusuf Osman
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HR director’s suspension at Sutton raises serious questions
EXCLUSIVE: The six-figure-salaried council director ultimately responsible for hiring and firing staff arrived at Fisher’s Folly only after his own run-in over a disciplinary matter with another local authority, where he walked away with a pay-off of at least £90,000. … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Croydon Council, Dean Shoesmith, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Stuart King
Tagged Cllr Stuart King, Commissioners, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Dean Shoesmith, Government Commissioners, HR, Human Resources, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Merton Council, Misconduct, Suspension, Sutton Council, Tory
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Now Kerswell’s deputy CEO joins the rush for council exits
EXCLUSIVE: To lose one of her trusted inner circle might be unfortunate for Croydon chief exec Katherine Kerswell, but to lose two is beginning to look like an exodus. By STEVEN DOWNES Elaine Jackson, the senior council executive who Croydon … Continue reading
Posted in Abi Brown, Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Improvement Board, Jackie Belton, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stabilisation Plan
Tagged Abi Brown, Bexley, Commissioner, Conservative, Council Tax, Council transformation, Croydon, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Elaine Jackson, Ged Curran, Greenwich, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Improvement Panel, Jackie Belton, James Blythe, Jane West, Jim McMahon, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Merton, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, S151 Officer, Section 114 Notice, Tory, Transformation plan
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Go West! Cash-strapped council’s finance chief is set to quit
EXCLUSIVE: Councillors were kept in the dark about departure of council’s S151 officer, as her exit is linked to the government’s appointment of Commissioners. By STEVEN DOWNES Jane West, Croydon’s finance director since 2022, is to stand down from her … Continue reading
Posted in Abi Brown, Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Ged Curran, Improvement Board, Jackie Belton, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stabilisation Plan
Tagged Abi Brown, Bexley, Commissioner, Conservative, Council Tax, Council transformation, Croydon, Croydon Council, Debbie Warren, Ged Curran, Greenwich, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Improvement Panel, Jackie Belton, James Blythe, Jane West, Jim McMahon, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Merton, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, S151 Officer, Section 114 Notice, Tory, Transformation plan
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