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Category Archives: Report in the Public Interest
Leader says she has no idea who approved BxB loans
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The £224m in loans and unpaid interest owed to the council by Brick by Brick may have broken EU and British state aid and competition laws. But after nearly six months in her job, Hamida Ali claims … Continue reading
‘This must end now’: Jenrick issues final warning to Croydon
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council has been issued a final warning today, with the threat of commissioners being sent in to take over the running of the borough Robert Jenrick, the Local Government Secretary, has today announced measures to address … Continue reading
Ex-leader Newman wants to seek election again in 2022
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A former supporter of the discredited councillor has described it as ‘a disgrace’ that no one has ‘been held accountable for bringing the council to its knees’. WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on growing concerns among local Labour … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, New Addington North, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Woodside
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, David Evans, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, New Addington, Paul Scott, Tony Newman, Woodside
8 Comments
Council set to lend more money to failing Brick by Brick
CROYDON IN CRISIS: When in a hole, stop digging? Not Croydon’s bankrupt council, which is ‘damned if it does, damned if it doesn’t’ according to a senior Tory councillor over plans to throw more cash at its loss-making house-builder. KEN … Continue reading
Labour councillor asks colleagues: ‘Is it time for me to go?’
WALTER CRONXITE, our political editor, on a local politician who, some might suggest, doth protest too much A Labour councillor in Croydon has asked party members in the ward he represents whether he should carry on as their elected representative … Continue reading
Council refuses to name interviewees in finance investigation
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A Local Government Association-backed inquest into possible wrong-doing at Fisher’s Folly is expected to be delivered in the next few days, but official secrecy and untruths raise further suspicions that it will end up being just a … Continue reading
Leader of crisis-hit council has kept her job at City Hall
EXCLUSIVE: While others in the council’s leadership have left employment to better focus on the crises at the Town Hall, Hamida Ali has opted for a spot of unpaid leave from her role at the GLA. By STEVEN DOWNES If … Continue reading
Clues to Whitehall plan in leaked report from Nottingham
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Might there be clues into what Whitehall has planned for this borough from a ‘rapid review’ conducted on another cash-strapped local authority? By our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE A “rapid review” by government inspectors into a … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Nottingham, Nottingham City Council, Robert Jenrick, S114, Section 114
1 Comment
Council survey on cuts tries to pass the buck to residents
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The people running the borough, whether executive staff on sky-high salaries or elected councillors, have a well-earned reputation for failing to listen to the people they are supposed to serve. So why should residents expect any difference … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Brick by Brick, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Katherine Kerswell, Libraries, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, SEND
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, S114, Section 114
17 Comments
Now Scott tries to play the blame game over Brick by Brick
Our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE, on how the chief architect of the council’s disastrous housing policy is trying to salvage his reputation Paul Scott, part of the clique which led Croydon Council to bankruptcy, broke cover at a virtual Town … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Housing, Jo Negrini, Lisa Taylor, Martyn Evans, Paul Scott, Planning, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Labour, Lisa Taylor, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, S114, Section 114, Tony Newman
9 Comments
Investigation gets under way but left waiting for Negrini
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The terms of reference for an independent investigation into the disastrous decisions and mismanagement which led to the council going broke have been leaked to Inside Croydon. STEVEN DOWNES reports It might be seen as appropriate, given … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, Robert Henderson, Section 114 notice
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Penn, Richard Simpson, RIPI, Robert Henderson, S114, Section 114
4 Comments
Row after Labour councillor calls for scrutiny chair to resign
Backbench councillors who have been marginalised for years under Tony Newman and his cronies are beginning to ask some awkward questions. KEN LEE reports Jamie Audsley, a councillor consigned to almost permanent backbench status under the rule of former leader … Continue reading
The late, late show: scrutiny sees anger and hears of bullying
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council is ‘on a journey’, according to the interim chief executive, who clung firmly to platitudes and clichés at her first scrutiny committee this week. But will it all be just ‘words, words, words’, as a … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Jo Negrini, Joy Prince, Katherine Kerswell, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman, Uncategorized
Tagged Alison Butler, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Jo Negrini, Joy Prince, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, S114, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
10 Comments
Officials to investigate possible wrong-doing at council
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Selflessness. Integrity. Objectivity. Accountability. Openness. Honesty. Truthfulness. Leadership. The Nolan Principles in public office are at last to be used as a test of the council’s leaders. By STEVEN DOWNES An investigation into whether disciplinary action should … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Local Government Association, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, S114, Section 114, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Tory
12 Comments
‘An accountant could have foreseen this more than a year ago’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A report into the workings of the council’s subsidiary businesses – including Brick by Brick – is expected to be released this week. Here, TIM DEE, an accountant of more than 20 years’ experience, shares his thoughts … Continue reading
Croydon in Crisis: The questions the council refuses to answer
Frontline council staff, having already this year been put through one “reorganisation” – meaning more than 400 job cuts – now believe that there are more jobs to be axed. Seeking reassurance, these are just some of the questions which … Continue reading
Unison warns Kerswell not to play blame game with workers
‘Our members did not cause this mess… our members did not approach the council’s finances with “corporate blindness”.’ Unions are gearing up for a battle to protect frontline jobs, WALTER CRONXITE reports Katherine Kerswell, Croydon’s interim CEO, has been put … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Laura O'Hara, London Borough of Croydon, S114, Section 114, Unison, Unite the Union
10 Comments
The cuts: Fisher’s Folly to be sold and 3-weekly bin collections
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The problem facing Croydon Council as it seeks to balance its books is that, after a decade of Tory austerity, there’s precious little left to cut. STEVEN DOWNES reports The frustration with the slow pace of progress … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Alisa Flemming, Andrew Fisher, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Libraries, Lisa Taylor, Refuse collection, Report in the Public Interest, Schools, Section 114 notice, Timothy Godfrey
Tagged Alisa Flemming, Andrew Fisher, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Lisa Taylor, London Borough of Croydon, S114, Section 114, Timothy Godfrey, Tory
11 Comments
£36m Brick by Brick ‘risk’ helped to trigger Croydon’s S114
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council finance director says that the loss-making house-builder’s failure to pay dividends was a primary cause of her issuing the Section 114 notice. By STEVEN DOWNES More than half of the council’s forecast £66million overspend in this … Continue reading
Costs of covid-19 not the cause of financial collapse, says Ali
CROYDON IN CRISIS: After three weeks in the job, Hamida Ali admits that it was the Labour administration’s own errors, and not extra spending on coronavirus, that has led to the issue of the Section 114 notice. By KEN LEE, … Continue reading
Croydon In Crisis: Council forced to declare itself bankrupt
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Devastating blow’ for the borough as it has issued a Section 114 notice, making it the first local authority in London for two decades to admit it has gone bust. By STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Council’s finance director, Lisa Taylor, … Continue reading
The Audit Report: Council company struck-off over admin error
CROYDON IN CRISIS: One of the criticisms of councils using public money in risky business ventures is that Town Hall staff have little experience or ability operating in private business. And Croydon’s bungling council has provided a perfect illustration of … Continue reading
Lacey could lose job over latest pitch to sell Brick by Brick
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A publicity campaign – effectively funded by Council Tax-payers – on behalf of the council-owned housing firm in an effort to salvage the managing director’s job has enraged councillors. By STEVEN DOWNES Labour councillors were furious today, … Continue reading
Kerswell considering cost-cutting 4-day week for council staff
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The cash-strapped council could reduce staff’s working hours on top of job cuts, under some of the latest solutions being offered to save money, reports KEN LEE Croydon staff could be placed on four-day weeks under one … Continue reading
CEO Kerswell: council staff ‘are angry, upset and want answers’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: They say confession is good for the soul, though apologies issued yesterday by several council executives read more like pleas to keep their jobs. By WALTER CRONXITE There were several council staff members who half-expected Katherine Kerswell, … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Hamida Ali, Hazel Simmonds, Heather Cheesbrough, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, Shifa Mustafa
Tagged Chris Wood, Croydon, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Lisa Taylor, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Shifa Mustafa
15 Comments
