Category Archives: Stephen Mann

#TheLabourFiles: MP Reed, Evans and the Croydon connection

Posted on October 1, 2022 by insidecroydon

By STEVEN DOWNES, Editor, Inside Croydon More than six months in the making, Al Jazeera’s investigations unit last night released the fourth part of their documentary series The Labour Files, this episode called “The Spying Game”, a detailed report on … Continue reading →

Posted in Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Clive Fraser, Crime, Croydon Council, Croydon North, David White, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Pat Ryan, Paul Scott, Robert Canning, Stephen Mann, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Great North Wood under threat from holy order’s £3.5m scheme

Posted on May 18, 2022 by insidecroydon

A holy order of Catholic nuns wants to hack down mature and healthy trees in a specially protected site, part of the ancient Great North Wood, and then use the timber to build a “visitor attraction” to commemorate… the Great … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Church and religions, Croydon parks, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Environment, Housing, Pat Ryan, Planning, Schools, Stephen Mann, Steve Reed MP, Virgo Fidelis, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pat Ryan’s excess: veteran’s generous grants left unquestioned

Posted on April 14, 2022 by insidecroydon

The culture of secrecy and cover-ups in Croydon Labour meant that one councillor never did face any scrutiny over his misuse of thousands of pounds of public money to resurface a private road and to pay for equipment in a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022 council elections, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Nina Degrads, Pat Ryan, Stephen Mann, Steve Reed MP, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Even the Town Hall meetings don’t work at bankrupt council

Posted on April 14, 2022 by insidecroydon

In the time-honoured words of EJ Thribb, ‘And so farewell then…’. As many as 35 of the borough’s 70 councillors who were elected in 2018 won’t be Town Hall regulars after the May 5 elections. Political Editor WALTER CONXITE bids … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022 council elections, Andrew Pelling, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Hamida Ali, Stephen Mann, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Boycotts and resignations in rows over Labour selections

Posted on October 30, 2021 by insidecroydon

‘The conduct of Labour Party affairs locally does seem to be almost tailored to create continuing unease and disaffection’. WALTER CRONXITE,  political editor, with the latest round-up of shenanigans “Croydon North’s in meltdown” was how one angry Labour member put … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022 council elections, Addiscombe West, Callton Young, Catherine Wilson, Clive Fraser, Croydon North, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Elliott-Jay Munroop, Felicity Flynn, John Wentworth, Karen Jewitt, Louis Carserides, Mohammed Islam, New Addington, New Addington North, Nina Degrads, Norbury, Norbury Park, Pat Ryan, Patsy Cummings, Selhurst, South Norwood, Stella Nabukeera, Stephen Mann, Steve Reed MP, Tamar Nwafor, Thornton Heath, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Butler and Scott among those not facing the voters again

Posted on October 7, 2021 by insidecroydon

WALTER CRONXITE, our political editor, on the high drop-out rate among Croydon’s Labour councillors, bruised and deflated after nearly eight years in charge at the Town Hall Paul Scott and Alison Butler, the husband and wife duo who made up … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022 council elections, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Caragh Skipper, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Housing, Jamie Audsley, Jose Joseph, Joy Prince, Louisa Woodley, Mary Croos, Paul Scott, Robert Canning, Selhurst, Stephen Mann, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Waddon, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Fitzsimons stays on to scrutinise his scrutiny committee

Posted on March 30, 2021 by insidecroydon

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Council rebrands low traffic streets scheme in latest U-turn

Posted on February 24, 2021 by insidecroydon

As traffic U-turns goes, Croydon’s latest has the look of a screeching handbrake turn. The Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in Crystal Palace and South Norwood are no more. In their place is a not-too-subtly rebranded “healthy streets scheme”. Gone are the … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Muhammad Ali, South Norwood, Stephen Mann, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Veteran councillor Ryan under investigation over ‘outburst’

Posted on February 4, 2021 by insidecroydon

Our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE, on the latest allegations of rule-breaking by a veteran Labour councillor “Pat has lost it.” That’s the view of a senior member of the Labour Party in Crystal Palace after a month in which their … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, John Wentworth, Nina Degrads, Pat Ryan, Stephen Mann, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Let’s give Crystal Palace’s streets a chance to breathe again

Posted on August 5, 2020 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Even ward councillors need to check what petitions they are signing, and what their party policies are. AUSTEN COOPER sifts through some of the contradictory opposition to road closures in Upper Norwood Let’s get one thing straight. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Cycling Campaign, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Cycling, Pat Ryan, Stephen Mann, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Council planning decisions ‘open to corruption’, says research

Posted on July 31, 2020 by insidecroydon

Recommendations from an independent think tank, if they were applied in Croydon, could force cabinet member Paul Scott to stand down from all planning responsibilities. KEN LEE reports Planning decisions are open to corruption from secretive lobbying, council officials’ conflicts … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Croydon Council, Paul Scott, Planning, Simon Hoar, Stephen Mann | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

‘Green Labour’ letter throws down challenge to leader Newman

Posted on June 24, 2020 by insidecroydon

KEN LEE, our Town Hall reporter, on the first signs of revolt against the leadership among unhappy Labour councillors In what appears to be a barely-disguised challenge to the authority of the council leader, five Labour councillors have today signed … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022 council elections, Croydon parks, Environment, Jamie Audsley, Janet Campbell, Muhammad Ali, Nina Degrads, Stephen Mann, Tony Newman, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Newman hand-picks ‘Secret Seven’ to check on finance panel

Posted on June 11, 2020 by insidecroydon

EXCLUSIVE: The beleaguered council leader has moved to avoid  being held responsible for the borough’s massive £1.5bn debt and huge over-spend, reports KEN LEE A group of councillors, secretly hand-picked by Tony Newman, will meet tonight to discuss the council’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Caragh Skipper, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, David Wood, Leila Ben-Hassel, Patsy Cummings, Simon Hall, Stephen Mann | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Police investigate ‘heritage crime’ on park’s Victorian dinosaurs

Posted on May 24, 2020 by insidecroydon

Police are investigating damage to one of the 170-year-old, Grade I-listed dinosaur statues in Crystal Palace Park, believed to have been caused by acts of criminal vandalism, and which has been described as “shameful behaviour”. The Friends of Crystal Palace … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Croydon parks, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace Park, Environment, Friends of Crystal Palace Park, History, Stephen Mann | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Pavements to be widened in South Norwood and Crystal Palace

Posted on May 24, 2020 by insidecroydon

Seven more Croydon roads, in Crystal Palace, South Norwood and Thornton Heath, are to undergo pavement widening measures next week as part of the council’s Streetspace scheme that aims to make it easier to walk or cycle during the coronavirus … Continue reading →

Posted in Commuting, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Environment, Fairfield, Parking, South Norwood, Stephen Mann, Thornton Heath, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Town Team puts Crystal Palace Triangle on the (digital) map

Posted on April 17, 2020 by insidecroydon

The new Crystal Palace Town Team has launched an interactive map of the Crystal Palace Triangle and surrounding areas, allowing the community to find which businesses have marked themselves as “open” during the pandemic lockdown. The CP Town Team is … Continue reading →

Posted in Angela Wilkins, Business, Community associations, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace Park, Crystal Palace Town Team, Nina Degrads, Pat Ryan, Stephen Mann | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Community housing trust awards pupils prizes for new logo

Posted on March 23, 2020 by insidecroydon

Back in the good old days – you may remember them when kids went to school, adults went down the pub, and you could buy an almost inexhaustible supply of bog roll in the shops – some people were making … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Community associations, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Environment, Housing, Schools, Stephen Mann | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Councillors seek compensation for BxB housing scheme

Posted on February 8, 2020 by insidecroydon

BARRATT HOLMES on demands for apologies and compensation for Upper Norwood residents who have endured nearly three years of living on a building site for a scheme which Labour councillors have criticised for its ‘poor project management and delivery’ Another … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Community associations, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Nina Degrads, Pat Ryan, Planning, Stephen Mann | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New McDonald’s could ‘give rise to gangs’ say police

Posted on October 10, 2019 by insidecroydon

Our Town Hall correspondent KEN LEE on a council planning decision that backs the interests of residents against big business Croydon Council’s planning department is capable of saying “no” to inappropriate developments after all, if a decision handed down over … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace Community Association, Planning, Stephen Mann | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council tries to hide BxB’s latest flats for sale scheme

Posted on August 27, 2019 by insidecroydon

A Town Hall planning meeting this week is seeking to cover-up the council-owned developer’s role, with residents saying that they were misled over the intention to exclude completely any social housing for rent. Our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, reports Profit-hungry … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Planning, Stephen Mann | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rent hikes force closure of Crystal Palace independent shops

Posted on August 21, 2019 by insidecroydon

It is not only in Croydon town centre that big business is contriving to destroy the fabric of the high street. As our retail correspondent MT WALLETTE reports, in Crystal Palace a precious corner of independent stores and old-style character … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Pat Ryan, Planning, Schools, Stephen Mann, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council’s latest land grab sees short-notice garage evictions

Posted on August 4, 2019 by insidecroydon

The council’s moved in for yet another land grab. Notices went up last week on the garages behind homes on College Green in Crystal Palace, giving residents just one month’s notice to remove all their possessions. This land grab is … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Stephen Mann | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Creatura’s Town Hall promotion could signal early end of May

Posted on May 14, 2019 by insidecroydon

The next full meeting of our council is Monday’s anachronistic annual ‘mayor-making’ ceremony in the Town Hall chamber. Ahead of it, the council’s two political groups have been tinkering with their line-ups. Our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE, reports that one … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Chris Clark, Crime, Croydon Council, Helen Redfern, Knife crime, Leila Ben-Hassel, Mario Creatura, Oni Oviri, Purley, Stephen Mann, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Council’s secret deal on Queen’s Hotel sways inspector’s ruling

Posted on May 1, 2019 by insidecroydon

Our Crystal Palace correspondent, JOE PAXTON, on a predictable, if disappointing, outcome to a three-year planning battle Having twice won the arguments at the council’s planning committees, residents, councillors and even the local MP were today trumped by the developer-friendly … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Pat Ryan, Paul Scott, Pete Smith, Planning, Stephen Mann, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Planning inspector expected to rule on Queen’s Hotel this week

Posted on April 27, 2019 by insidecroydon

A decision on the expansion plans for the Queen’s Hotel at Crystal Palace is expected this week. Croydon Council’s planning committee has twice refused planning permission for the owners Euro Hotels’ £10million expansion scheme, which prompted the appeal to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Pat Ryan, Paul Scott, Planning, Stephen Mann, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment