Recent Comments
Category Archives: John Laing Integrated Services
Laings give up on URV schemes due to lack of interest
Croydon Council’s “innovative” £450 million urban regeneration vehicle will not be copied by any other local authority any time soon, as their partners in the scheme, John Laing, have announced that they will not be bidding for any more such … Continue reading
Twelve hours to try to save what’s left of Croydon culture
Today sees the deadline for submissions to a Croydon Council consultation on spending cuts over the next two years. What do you mean, you were not aware of Croydon Council running such a consultation? After all, our council – motto: … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Education, Environment, History, John Laing Integrated Services, Libraries, Margaret Mead, Parking, Tim Pollard
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Integrated services, London, London Borough of Croydon, Margaret Mead, Seat of local government, Taberner House
6 Comments
Council’s “secret” consultation over plans to erase our history
Another flaw in the omnishambles of Croydon’s library privatisation process emerges, with a £105,000 cut to the budget of the borough’s local studies and archives service proposed by the culture-free-zone that is our council. The proposal is, in effect, a … Continue reading
Pick of posts of 2012: Allders, comics and sinking ships
Yesterday, we listed our 20 most-read posts of 2012. We also asked some of our readers and contributors for a more subjective selection and to choose their favourite articles from the past 12 months. Here’s some of their answers: If … Continue reading
Posted in Activities, Allders, Andrew Pelling, Art, CODA, Comedy, Croydon Council, Housing, John Laing Integrated Services, Libraries, Mike Fisher, Phil Thomas, Planning, URV
Tagged Allders, Andrew Pelling, Croydon, Edinburgh Festival, London, Seat of local government, Surrey Opera, Town Hall
6 Comments
UKIP joins forces with Labour for library judicial review
Croydon’s Conservative-run council is forcing through policies that are so unpopular that the local Labour group is joining forces with UKIP to oppose them. This unlikely political alliance has come about to seek a judicial review of Croydon Council’s decision … Continue reading
Council forced to report monthly on Laing library performance
It took a special meeting at the Town Hall last week to insist that the management of Croydon’s public libraries should be monitored monthly, rather than the annual reporting period proposed by the Conservative-run council as its privatises the service … Continue reading
“Never knowingly understood”? Realities of a co-op council
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Last Wednesday, while Croydon Council was handing over its libraries to Laings, up the A23 at Brixton Town Hall, Lambeth Council was making an equally significant decision. SEAN CREIGHTON looks at the work done over the borough boundary … Continue reading
Posted in 2012 by-election, Boris Johnson, Charity, Church and religions, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Greenwich Leisure, Housing, John Laing Integrated Services, Lambeth Council, Libraries, London-wide issues, Steve Reed MP
Tagged Croydon, Croydon North, Labour, Lambeth, Lambeth London Borough Council, Malcolm Wicks, Steve Reed MP, Upper Norwood Library
1 Comment
Secrets and libraries: Croydon adds to shabby reputation
And so a decision to spend £30 million of public money was taken at Croydon Town Hall last night by the Conservatives who control the council. But because of council leader Mike Fisher’s group’s aversion to openness and transparency, the … Continue reading
£30m libraries privatisation could be sent for judicial review
The opposition Labour group on Croydon Council is considering seeking a judicial review of the decision to hand a £30-million, eight-year library contract to John Laing Integrated Services. According to sources familiar with the competitive tendering process, which Croydon’s Conservative-run … Continue reading
Croydon awards £30m library deal to most expensive bidder
Croydon’s Conservative-run council will announce next week that it has decided to award an eight year contract, estimated to be worth £30 million, to run the borough’s libraries to the company which finished bottom in a competitive tendering process. It … Continue reading
