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Category Archives: Report in the Public Interest
Sorry saga when asking questions was called ‘troublemaking’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Those found responsible for the £67.5m shambles of a refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls should not be allowed to get away ‘scot-free’, says ANDREW PELLING Once they are elected on May 5, Croydon’s new executive Mayor needs … Continue reading
Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Tony Newman, Waddon
Tagged Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Labour, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross
18 Comments
Tories miss chance to call for police action over Fairfield fiasco
Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on the latest fall-out from the £37m overspend on the arts venue as the borough’s councillors – Tory as well as Labour – appear reluctant to turn their old mates over to the police The council … Continue reading
Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, College Green, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jason Perry, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Paul Scott, Planning, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Shifa Mustafa, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jason Perry, Jo Negrini, Labour, Lisa Taylor, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI, Shifa Mustafa, South Croydon, Tony Newman, Tory
1 Comment
My six-point plan to restore some pride in the Fairfield Halls
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The auditors’ Report In The Public Interest published this week reflects very badly on the way our council is run, says the Green Party’s mayoral candidate, PETER UNDERWOOD Fairfield Halls should be one of the crown jewels … Continue reading
Council got £70m Fairfield Halls refurb wrong from the start
CROYDON IN CRISIS: It was ‘insane’ to grant a licence to Brick by Brick for the refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls, and that led to the £70m ‘shitshow’. Mayoral candidate VAL SHAWCROSS responds to the auditors’ Report In The Public … Continue reading
Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Val Shawcross
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Grant Thornton, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Val Shawcross
4 Comments
Negrini and execs ‘failed to ensure council was acting lawfully’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: An auditors’ report into the ‘shoddy’ deal that handed the Fairfield Halls refurbishment to loss-making builders Brick by Brick hints at potential fraud and accuses senior officials of large-scale negligence. EXCLUSIVE by WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor Some … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, College Green, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Paul Scott, Planning, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Shifa Mustafa, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Grant Thornton, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Labour, Lisa Taylor, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI, Sarah Ironmonger, Shifa Mustafa, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
17 Comments
Local Labour party withholds campaign funds in Pelling dispute
CROYDON LABOUR IN CRISIS: There are just 99 days to go until the local elections, but after a members’ meeting last night the party in power at the Town Hall will be forced to campaign with much less cash than … Continue reading
Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Joy Prince, Report in the Public Interest, Robert Canning, Section 114 notice, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross, Waddon
Tagged 2022 Mayoral election, Andrew Pelling, Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon Mayor, Croydon Mayoral election 2022, Croydon North, Croydon South, Joel Bodmer, Labour, Steve Reed OBE, Waddon
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Brick by Brick calls in ex-Royal Navy officer to sort out the flak
Brick by Brick has announced the appointment of two directors to manage the wind-down of the loss-making council-owned house-builders. With the publication expected tomorrow of the long-anticipated Report In The Public Interest into the multi-million-pound disaster that was Brick by … Continue reading
Croydon 2021: a tale of lockdowns, let-downs and meltdowns
DID WE HAVE NEWS FOR YOU: Croydon entered 2021 as a bankrupt borough, yet there was worse still to come. Inside Croydon has been there, reporting on every twist and turn of events around the cash-strapped council as it entered … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Rachel Flowers, Regina Road Residents' Support Group, Report in the Public Interest, Simon Hall, South Norwood Community Kitchen, Stuart King, Tony Newman
Tagged #Binmageddon, Alison Butler, coronavirus, Covid-19, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Fransoy Hewitt, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Peter Bingle, Regina Road, Regina Road Residents' Support Group, South Norwood, STUART KING, Terrapin Group, Tony Newman
4 Comments
Auditors investigated four unlawful actions over Fairfield Halls
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Twelve months after Grant Thornton was asked to conduct an audit of the botched and budget-busting refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls, their report has yet to be published. The delay seems likely to be because the auditors … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Grant Thornton, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Report in the Public Interest, Sarah Ironmonger, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
8 Comments
Labour councillor’s 20-point plan to reduce service cuts
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Unions are tonight staging a protest outside the Town Hall against the council’s plan for another £38million-worth of cuts. Here, Labour councillor ANDREW PELLING, pictured left, outlines the ways he believes that the council can avoid causing harm … Continue reading
Posted in Andrew Pelling, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Planning, Refuse collection, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Veolia, Waddon
Tagged Andrew Pelling, Conservative, Council Tax, Council Tax Support, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Tory, Waddon
10 Comments
The Sound of Silence is not the song we need from Town Hall
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Since audit regulations were amended in 2015, only five other local councils have been the subject of Reports in the Public Interest, with findings from their auditors of mismanagement or wrong-doing*. Croydon joined that list last year and … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Ian Kierans, Jo Negrini, Labour, Nolan Principles, Report in the Public Interest, Tony Newman
1 Comment
Council to be rocked by second Report In The Public Interest
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The £70m ‘Fairfield fiasco’ has provoked serious concerns with auditors over the potential misuse of public money, with bungling developers Brick by Brick under scrutiny. EXCLUSIVE By STEVEN DOWNES External auditors are to issue a Report In … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Paula Murray, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Ennis, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Sean Fitzsimons, Shifa Mustafa, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Grant Thornton, Jo Negrini, London, Oliver Lewis, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Ennis, RIPI, Tony Newman
5 Comments
Croydon In Crisis: Council can no longer cope with basic tasks
It was on November 11, 2020, that Croydon issued a Section114 Notice, effectively admitting they were bankrupt. Twelve months on, and now the council struggles to fulfil even the most basic of administrative services. EXCLUSIVE By STEVEN DOWNES Resident endures … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Libraries, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice
Tagged Children's Services, coronavirus, Council Tax, Council Tax Support, Covid-19, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Libraries, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Purley Pool
8 Comments
Cash-strapped council still going over-budget, report finds
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government commissioners say that there’s been ‘an opportunity missed’ because of the slow pace of change under council CEO. By STEVEN DOWNES Katherine Kerswell, the chief executive of the cash-strapped council, has been subjected to overt criticism … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Ennis, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Hamida Ali, Improvement Panel, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, S114, Section 114, Tony McArdle
6 Comments
‘Dysfunctional’ council had ‘lost its way’, says CEO Kerswell
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council leadership acknowledges a need for significant change from the authority’s previous culture, in which bullying, cronyism and racism were alleged. But tens of millions of pounds of cuts in services cannot be avoided. By STEVEN DOWNES … Continue reading
Ali promises to release report into ‘collusive, unhealthy culture’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Has the council leader made another meaningless promise to the borough’s residents over ‘disciplinary action’ against those responsible for the Town Hall’s financial collapse? By STEVEN DOWNES The potentially dynamite but still unpublished Penn Report into possible … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Hamida Ali, Hazel Simmonds, Improvement Board, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Shifa Mustafa, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Tony Newman
2 Comments
£700,000: Croydon counting the costs of council failures
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The Town Hall has been hit with ‘penalty fines’ of its own since its financial collapse 12 months ago. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES £697,300 And rising… That’s how much Croydon Council says it has paid so far, … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Report in the Public Interest, Robert Canning, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Grant Thornton, Hamida Ali, Improvement Panel, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Robert Canning, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
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Labour leaders block Audsley over support for elected mayor
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The ghost of Tony Newman has come back to haunt one of his former councillors, as purges begin against those who dared to question the council leader who bankrupted the borough. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The “very … Continue reading
Posted in 2021 Mayor Referendum, 2022 council elections, Alison Butler, Bensham Manor, Clive Fraser, Hamida Ali, Jamie Audsley, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Clive Fraser, Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Directly Elected Mayor, Jamie Audsley, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Paul Scott, Rapid Review, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed OBE, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman
7 Comments
Councillors were warned of financial crisis months in advance
CROYDON IN CRISIS: All but one of the borough’s Labour councillors voted that they had ‘confidence’ in Tony Newman and Simon Hall last year – just weeks after they had received a briefing note that told of an £85m budget … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, David Evans, Jo Negrini, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, David Evans, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114, Steve Reed OBE, Tony Newman, Tory
14 Comments
Former health director suing council for constructive dismissal
CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘Kerswell’s cull’ of the council’s executive directors appointed or promoted by her predecessor, Jo Negrini, is not going as smoothly as might have been hoped. And it appears that most will escape any disciplinary action. By STEVEN … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Shifa Mustafa
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Hamida Ali, Hazel Simmonds, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Shifa Mustafa, Tony Newman
3 Comments
Commissioner says Croydon can recover – with another £30m
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A report from commissioners overseeing another local authority that went bankrupt offers troubling parallels closer to home. STEVEN DOWNES reports Croydon Council can get itself out of financial trouble – but only if Whitehall stumps up another … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Northamptonshire, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
6 Comments
Candidates’ tough task to shake off Labour reputation
Our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE, on how candidates standing in ward by-elections next month have to shake off the stigma of replacing discredited Tony Newman and Simon Hall Kola Agboola and Mike Bonello have been named by Labour as their … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Fieldway, Hamida Ali, Jane Avis, Kenley, New Addington North, Park Hill and Whitgift, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Simon Hall, South Norwood, Steve O'Connell, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, Vidhi Mohan, Woodside
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jack Buck, Kenley, Kola Agboola, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mike Bonello, New Addington, New Addington North, Park Hill and Whitgift, Paul Scott, South Norwood, Steve Reed OBE, Tony Newman, Tory, Woodside
2 Comments
Fitzsimons stays on to scrutinise his scrutiny committee
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The Town Hall’s theatre of the absurd continues tonight with a meeting chaired by a councillor criticised by auditors and government inspectors for failing to raise the alarm over finances and poor governance. STEVEN DOWNES reports Sean … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Clark, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, David Wood, Hamida Ali, Jane Avis, Nina Degrads, Oliver Lewis, Report in the Public Interest, Stephen Mann, Tony Newman
Tagged Clive Fraser, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Patricia Hay-Justice, Rapid Review, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Sean Fitzsimons, Tony Newman
4 Comments
Budget is approved but Labour council haunted by its past
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Back-to-back meetings yesterday pushed through the paperwork to balance the books and increase Council Tax. But Hamida Ali’s administration cannot shake off its part in the borough’s financial calamity. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor With the £120million … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Andrew Stranack, Brick by Brick, Chris Buss, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Ian Parker, Jason Cummings, Jeet Bains, Lynne Hale, Maddie Henson, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Stuart King, Tony Newman, Vidhi Mohan
Tagged Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jason Cummings, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, Rapid Review, S114, Section 114, Simon Hall, STUART KING, Tony Newman, Tory
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‘Not good enough’ chair of scrutiny could yet stay in post
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Despite his committee being accused of lacking an ‘understanding of the urgency of the financial position’, one key Labour councillor shows no intention of standing down. By political editor WALTER CRONXITE For many residents and front-line council … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Report in the Public Interest, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Rapid Review, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, S114, Scrutiny and Overview Committee, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114, Tony Newman
7 Comments
