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Category Archives: Carillion
Library closures: Lewis forced to issue statement on plans
The Labour cabinet member who told the scrutiny committee that he ‘absolutely’ has plans to build more flats on the borough’s public libraries now says the council ‘currently’ has no plans to close libraries. Our bookish gyms correspondent, GENE BRODIE, … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Carillion, GLL - Better, Libraries, Oliver Lewis, Sanderstead, Shirley North, South Norwood, Tony Newman
Tagged Bradmore Green, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Labour, Oliver Lewis, Sanderstead, Sanderstead Library, Sarah Jones MP, Shirley, Shirley Library, South Norwood, Tory
3 Comments
Shhh! Four libraries could be flogged off. Don’t tell anyone
Our bookish gyms correspondent, GENE BRODIE, on how the Labour-run council is clearing the way for more non-unionised volunteer-run libraries than the Town Hall’s Tories ever managed Croydon Council has been accused of secrecy again, this time after stopping most … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Broad Green, Carillion, Coulsdon, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Education, GLL - Better, Helen Pollard, Jo Negrini, Libraries, Norbury, Old Coulsdon, Planning, Property, Purley, Sanderstead, Shirley North, South Norwood, Tony Newman, Upper Norwood Library Trust
Tagged Bradmore Green, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon Council, Helen Pollard, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Norbury, Oliver Lewis, Purley, Sanderstead, South Norwood, Tony Newman, Tory
2 Comments
£300,000 new book fund just a start to revive public libraries
Our bookish gyms correspondent, GENE BRODIE, on how an announcement of a 9% increase on not very much leaves a long way to go to stock the borough’s library shelves The council’s somewhat dubious practice of telling only half of … Continue reading
Posted in Carillion, Croydon Council, Libraries, Oliver Lewis
Tagged Conservative, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Oliver Lewis, Tory
1 Comment
Council dumps disastrous idVerde outsourced parks contract
This was not what was meant when ‘taking back control’ was coined as a slogan, but this week in Croydon, our council has moved in to relieve a French firm of its responsibilities in our parks, as KEN LEE reports … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Carillion, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Duppas Hill Park, Environment, idVerde, Kingston, Libraries, Lloyd Park, Merton, Stuart Collins, Veolia, Wandle Park
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, idVerde, Kingston, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Merton, Phil Thomas, SLWP, South London Waste Partnership, Stuart Collins, Timothy Godfrey, Tory, Veolia
1 Comment
TUC calls for ‘Domesday Book’ to register outsourced deals
One year on from the collapse of outsourcing giant Carillion, and the TUC is calling for greater transparency in the way private firms are able to profit from and operate public services. The Carillion collapse had some knock-on effects in … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Carillion, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, GLL - Better, idVerde, Libraries, Refuse collection, Skanska, Veolia, Waste incinerator
Tagged Capita, Greenwich Leisure, idVerde, TUC, Veolia, Viridor
2 Comments
Cabinet member says Brick by Brick could build on libraries
GENE BRODIE, our bookish gyms correspondent, on the latest inadvertent slip by a council cabinet member which betrays the next possible target for the council’s ‘award-winning’ house-builders Brick by Brick’s insatiable appetite for turning public property into mainly private flats … Continue reading
Upper Norwood Library ‘hub’ applies for a booze licence
Cut-backs in council budgets have already seen Lambeth close two and turn one of its precious public libraries into a “bookish gym” (© Inside Croydon). Now, in an effort to “sweat its assets”, a library hitherto jointly run by Lambeth … Continue reading
Pollard’s manifesto makes election a question of honesty
ELECTION COUNTDOWN: Four years ago, the Conservatives in Croydon demonstrated their contempt for the electorate by not even bothering with a manifesto. This time round, as political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports, what they have produced is simply not very credible … Continue reading
Posted in "Hammersfield", 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, Bernard Weatherill House, Boxpark, Brick by Brick, Carillion, Chris Philp MP, Community associations, Croydon Council, Housing, Jason Perry, Libraries, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, Mike Fisher, Paul Scott, Planning, Purley, Shirley North, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Centre
Tagged Alison Butler, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Croydon, Hammersfield, Hammerson, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, North Shirley, Paul Scott, Purley, South Croydon, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman, Tory, Westfield, Whitgift Centre
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Carillion collapse has libraries and hospitals counting the cost
Croydon’s libraries have survived their brush with Carillion, although they had to endure a couple of days of IT outages and other issues as council staff worked and negotiated behind the scenes to replace services which had gone unpaid by … Continue reading
Council takes back public libraries as Carillion collapses
GENE BRODIE, our bookish gyms correspondent, on Croydon’s prompt response to the collapse of outsourcing giant Carillion Croydon Council moved quickly this morning to take back control of the borough’s libraries from contractor Carillion. Carillion went into liquidation this morning, … Continue reading
Posted in Carillion, Croydon Council, Libraries, Timothy Godfrey
Tagged Carillion, Conservative, Croydon Council, Labour, Timothy Godfrey, Tory
4 Comments
GLL lined up for libraries, as well as leisure and pools
GENE BRODIE, our bookish gyms correspondent, on an added twist to the tale of a 20-year leisure centre management contract GLL – Greenwich Leisure Ltd – could be lined up to take over the operation of Croydon’s library service. GLL … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Carillion, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Fusion, Greenwich Leisure, John Laing Integrated Services, Leisure services, Libraries, New Addington, Purley, Purley Pool, South Norwood, Sport, Thornton Heath, Waddon
Tagged Croydon Council, GLL, Greenwich Leisure, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, New Addington, Purley, South Norwood, Thornton Heath, Waddon
1 Comment
Now Carillion remove home library service from the disabled
GENE BRODIE, our libraries correspondent, on the latest shocker from a construction company which is running down our public libraries Carillion, the building company which runs Croydon’s public libraries, has been accused of “blatant discrimination” against the disabled over plans … Continue reading
Posted in Carillion, Libraries, Timothy Godfrey
Tagged Adrian Dennis, Carillion, Croydon Disability Forum, Timothy Godfrey
2 Comments
Cash-strapped Carillion can’t pay their library paper bills
Carillion, the building company which somehow landed the contract to run Croydon’s public libraries, is so strapped for cash that they have unpaid bills from their suppliers for use of photo-copiers and paper. The value of the company’s shares plunged … Continue reading
Councillor keen to kick Carillion out of borough’s libraries
Timothy Godfrey may have announced that he is to stand down as a councillor next May, but Labour’s cabinet member for arts and culture continues to rail against the frequent poor service provided by contractors responsible for the borough’s parks, … Continue reading
Posted in Carillion, Libraries, Thornton Heath, Timothy Godfrey
Tagged Carillion, Thornton Heath, Thornton Heath Library, Timothy Godfrey
2 Comments
Council on standby to take back control of public libraries
KEN LEE, our Town Hall reporter, on how a corporate crisis at construction company Carillion could provide the chance to end a long-loathed outsourcing deal Croydon Council is readying itself to take back the running of the borough’s public libraries, … Continue reading
Council lists just 30 events in Croydon for Black History Month
Singer Faith Child and Crystal Palace footballer Wilfried Zaha are the special guests at tomorrow night’s launch of Black History Month in Croydon, being staged at the council’s office building, Fisher’s Folly. But anyone thinking that the local council in … Continue reading
Only 700 respond to survey that excludes library users
GENE BRODIE, our libraries and bookish gyms correspondent, on the council’s latest crass move over another bogus-looking consultation Croydon’s Labour-run council is being accused of trying to “fix” the borough’s latest consultation on the running of its public libraries, by … Continue reading
Posted in Carillion, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, John Wentworth, Libraries, Timothy Godfrey, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Upper Norwood Library Trust
Tagged Conservative, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, John Wentworth, Labour, Timothy Godfrey, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Tory
2 Comments
Croydon looks for volunteer-run libraries and ‘bookish gyms’
GENE BRODIE on the announcement of a council consultation which puts the future of the borough’s libraries in doubt yet again A fortnight ago, Inside Croydon reported the startling news that some of Croydon’s Labour councillors are prepared to abandon … Continue reading
Posted in 2016 London elections, Carillion, Croydon Council, Education, Greenwich Leisure, Libraries, Norbury, Sanderstead, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman, Upper Norwood Library Trust
Tagged Conservative, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Labour, Libraries, Purley, Sanderstead, Selsdon, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman, Tory
2 Comments
Newman and Labour cabinet contemplate library closures
GENE BRODIE, our education, libraries and bookish gyms correspondent, reports on private meetings held by the council leadership to consider breaking an election pledge to Croydon’s voters Croydon’s ruling Labour group is split over whether to break its manifesto commitment … Continue reading
Posted in Carillion, Croydon Council, Education, Greenwich Leisure, Hamida Ali, Libraries, Norbury, Paul Scott, Sanderstead, Sean Fitzsimons, Thornton Heath, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman, Woodside
Tagged Hamida Ali, Labour, Libraries, Norbury, Paul Scott, Sanderstead, Thornton Heath, Tony Newman
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Local libraries under threat of closure as cuts bite deep
GENE BRODIE has seen confidential council documents which show that the borough’s most expensive-to-run libraries, in Sanderstead and Norbury, are vulnerable to cost-cutting closure Croydon Council has just cottoned on that this Saturday is National Libraries Day. The council’s press … Continue reading
Posted in Activities, Carillion, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Education, Libraries, Norbury, Sanderstead, Selsdon & Ballards, South Norwood, Thornton Heath, Timothy Godfrey
Tagged Bradmore Green, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Labour, Norbury, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Sara Bashford, Selhurst, Selsdon, South Norwood, Thornton Heath, Timothy Godfrey, Tory
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Upper Norwood Library Trust chairman in shock resignation
Community groups in Crystal Palace were stunned this afternoon by the shock announcement from Robert Gibson that he has resigned as the co-chair of the Upper Norwood Library Trust. Gibson has worked tirelessly, often in rear-guard actions, to keep the … Continue reading
Posted in Carillion, Charity, Community associations, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace Community Association, Libraries, Norwood Society, Upper Norwood Library Trust
Tagged Conservative, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Labour, Lambeth, Robert Gibson, Steve Reed OBE, Tory, Upper Norwood Joint Library, Upper Norwood Library Trust
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Libraries are bricking it over introduction of Lego clubs
They call it “building on the lessons learned in the classroom”. Geddit??! Over the summer holidays, Croydon’s libraries will be trying to attract local children by offering them the chance to play with Lego. Given that the management of Croydon’s … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Carillion, Croydon Council, Education, Libraries, New Addington, Norbury, Purley, Shirley North, Thornton Heath
Tagged Carillion, Croydon Libraries, New Addington, Purley, Shirley, Thornton Heath, Timothy Godfrey
3 Comments
Reed calls for proper funding for Upper Norwood Library
The chairman of the Upper Norwood Library Trust yesterday told how he wept when the doors to the library were closed for the first time as a result of funding cuts imposed by Croydon Council. Robert Gibson was speaking to … Continue reading
Posted in 2015 General Election, Alisa Flemming, Carillion, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace Community Association, John Laing Integrated Services, John Wentworth, Lambeth Council, Libraries, Matthew Bennett, Pat Ryan, Steve Reed MP, Transition Town, Upper Norwood Library Trust
Tagged Conservative, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, London Borough of Croydon, Pat Ryan, Steve Reed OBE, Tory
3 Comments
Council set to bring pools, parks and library service in-house
Croydon school pupils denied desks to study in the borough’s public libraries, free swimming sessions going under-publicised, and our parks being locked up because of a lack of contractor staff could all be things of the past if outsourced services … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Carillion, Community associations, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Environment, Fusion, John Laing Integrated Services, Leisure services, Libraries, Refuse collection, Timothy Godfrey, Wandle Park, Waste incinerator
Tagged Carillion, Conservative, Croydon, Fusion, incinerator, Labour, Libraries, Quadron, Sara Bashford, Tim Pollard, Timoth Godfrey, Tory, Viridor
2 Comments
Shedding light on council multi-million contracts overdue
This website has, more than once, made the point that public services when outsourced to private companies rarely deliver equivalent service for the public, but they almost always ensure rich pickings for private profit. The shambolic hand-over of Croydon Council’s … Continue reading
Posted in Capita, Carillion, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Libraries, Skanska, Street lighting
Tagged Carillion, Council Tax, Crapita, Croydon, Croydon Council, Skanska, Waddon
7 Comments
