Category Archives: Peter Underwood

£540m debt write-off shows Perry has failed on finances

CROYDON IN CRISIS: His political opponents say the elected Mayor ‘has sold Croydon down the river for his own political reasons’, and his 15% tax hike is ‘punishment’ for residents. By STEVEN DOWNES Croydon’s council has been so “spectacularly useless” … Continue reading

Posted in Callton Young, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

It cannot be fair to hike Council Tax and not deliver services

CROYDON COMMENTARY: They say that the true test of leadership is how well you function in a crisis. But in imposing a 15% Council Tax hike, Mayor Jason Perry could have made the cost-of-living crisis much worse for thousands of … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Public’s furious reaction to Perry’s Premium Council Tax hike

CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘Go climb in a skip. No one’s paying that’. Residents’ outrage at Council Tax hike sees demos and petitions planned In the 24 hours since Inside Croydon broke the news of Croydon Mayor Jason Perry’s request to … Continue reading

Posted in Claire Bonham, Community associations, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Ignore ULEZ scare stories – it will reduce traffic and save lives

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Some 80% of vehicles in Croydon are compliant with requirements of the Ultra Low Emission Zone and so will not incur charges. If we want to improve London’s toxic air quality, doing nothing is not an option, says … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Environment, Health, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Peter Underwood, Sadiq Khan, ULEZ expansion, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Make today the time we change to stand up for what’s right

On Holocaust Memorial Day, PETER UNDERWOOD considers how just trying to help others is a less-than-ordinary act of humanity Today is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. Since 2000, January 27 has also been … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Church and religions, Education, Peter Underwood | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Voters looking for third parties’ assurance over reds and blues

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Opinion polls suggest that the Tories should have no chance of electoral success in this borough. But as WALTER CRONXITE outlines in this second part of a special report, ‘the Croydon effect’ of the Newman years has … Continue reading

Posted in Ben Taylor, Claire Bonham, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Croydon North, Croydon South, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Esther Sutton, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel, Sarah Jones MP, Section 114 notice, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Our world will be a sadder, lesser place without Grace Onions

PETER UNDERWOOD, who campaigned with her on a range of environmental and political issues, offers his personal tribute to iC reader Grace Onions, who has died, aged 56 Grace Onions touched the lives of so many people in so many … Continue reading

Posted in Community associations, Croydon Friends of the Earth, Croydon Greens, Environment, Peter Underwood | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Who do you think you are? Census data offers many insights

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The latest release of data from the 2021 national census has given PETER UNDERWOOD, pictured right, much to consider I have always been fascinated by the sort of data contained within the latest release from the 2021 census, … Continue reading

Posted in Church and religions, Peter Underwood | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

For COP27 not to be a cop-out, we need action by our leaders

PETER UNDERWOOD says that Croydon has its own Nero figure, fiddling while the planet burns They say that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. In July 64AD, a great fire ravaged Rome, destroying three-quarters of the city, killing many and leaving … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Crisis Commission, Croydon Council, Croydon Friends of the Earth, Environment, Esther Sutton, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Non-local mum wins Selsdon by-election with Greens second

WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, sifts through the runes from the Selsdon Vale and Forestdale ward by-election Fatima Zaman retained the Selsdon Vale and Forestdale council seat for the Conservatives in yesterday’s by-election, as the reputational damage done to Labour locally … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Andrew Pelling, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Croydon South, Fatima Zaman, Peter Underwood, Sarah Jones MP, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Part-time Perry’s Halloween howler on Tory investment zones

Our political correspondent, WALTER CRONXITE, on an extraordinary turn in the local by-election campaign over Conservative proposals to make it even easier for their developer chums to concrete over the Green Belt Tory sleaze is in full flow in the … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Environment, Fatima Zaman, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Tories pose real threat to Selsdon Vale with ‘attack on nature’

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The Prime Minister may have sacked her Chancellor and his replacement might have scrapped almost all of the Trussonomic financial policies announced just three weeks ago. But, says PETER UNDERWOOD, pictured right, there’s no sign that the Tories … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Friends of the Earth, Croydon Greens, Environment, Fracking, Peter Underwood, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Underwood gets Green light to stand in Selsdon by-election

The Greens have begun their campaign in Selsdon Vale and Forestdale by attacking ‘Conservative plans to allow building all over our green spaces’ Peter Underwood is to try again to become Croydon Council’s third Green Party councillor, after he was … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Greens, Peter Underwood, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Denton elected in by-election as Labour loses even more votes

WALTER CRONXITE on the South Croydon ward by-election result It was all so predictable. A by-election in South Croydon ward that should never have needed to be staged (except for Jason Perry wanting to cover his own arse in case … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Andrew Pelling, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Tiverton. Wakefield. Can South Croydon be an election shock?

CROYDON IN CRISIS: With the two major parties in turmoil in Croydon, alternative candidates, seeking the ‘none of the above’ vote, are hopeful ahead of next week’s council by-election, reports WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Having broken the borough’s political duopoly … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Andrew Pelling, Claire Bonham, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, Peter Underwood, Richard Howard, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Council gardeners are now an endangered species in Croydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: While the new Mayor announces the restoration of some services, such as the graffiti-cleaning team, other parts of the fabric of the borough are still vanishing, like red-list endangered species, in this year’s £38m round of cut-backs. PETER … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Heathfield House, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Election results leave Labour supporters angry and dismayed

With the final declaration in, WALTER CRONXITE reports on the state of the council after the 2022 elections By the end, the emotions on show at the Croydon Council election count at Trinity School were less those of shock, disappointment … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Broad Green, Chris Clark, Claire Bonham, Coulsdon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Jade Appleton, Jason Perry, Katherine Kerswell, Kola Agboola, Louisa Woodley, New Addington, New Addington North, Oliver Lewis, Park Hill and Whitgift, Paul Scott, Peter Underwood, Planning, Robert Canning, Sanderstead, Selhurst, South Croydon, Steve Reed MP, Tony Pearson, Val Shawcross, Waddon, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Tory Perry wins historic Mayor election by less than 600 votes

Democracy was kept waiting while council officials struggled with their abacuses. By our sleep-deprived political editor, WALTER CRONXITE Jason Perry has been declared the first elected Mayor of Croydon, after a borough-wide vote sent a message to the local Labour … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Croydon Greens, Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Richard Howard, Trinity School, Val Shawcross, Winston McKenzie | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 36 Comments

Not for the first time, questions were better than the answers

And with a week to election day, the last of the set-piece hustings was staged at The Wreck at the Fairfield Halls last night. KEN TOWL, pictured right, went along, so that you wouldn’t have to… So what did we … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Fairfield Halls, Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Richard Howard, The Wreck, Val Shawcross, Winston McKenzie | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Stumped on the stump: candidates caught out over 2nd choice

It has been said that politics is a form of performance art… so using a stage in The Wreck for election hustings last night was quite appropriate. But it was one question that stole the show It was the first … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Richard Howard, Val Shawcross, Winston McKenzie | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mayor will have little say over borough’s rubbish contractors

CROYDON COMMENTARY: It is one of the biggest and most important services provided by any local council. But the manner in which the borough has outsourced the management of bin collections, street cleaning and waste disposal and recycling has become … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Business, Croydon Council, Fly tipping, idVerde, Kingston, London-wide issues, Merton, Peter Underwood, Refuse collection, Stuart Collins, Sutton Council, Val Shawcross, Veolia, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Take your pick: our ward-by-ward guide to council elections

With a complete listing of all the candidates in Croydon’s May 5 councillor vote, political editor WALTER CRONXITE provides a guide to where the contest for the Town Hall might be won or lost The introduction of Croydon’s first democratically-elected, … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Addiscombe East, Addiscombe West, Alisa Flemming, Andrew Pelling, Badsha Quadir, Bensham Manor, Broad Green, Caragh Skipper, Chris Clark, Clive Fraser, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Felicity Flynn, Gareth Streeter, Hamida Ali, Helen Redfern, Jade Appleton, Jan Buttinger, Janet Campbell, Jason Perry, Jose Joseph, Kenley, Leila Ben-Hassel, Mike Bonello, New Addington North, Norbury, Norbury Park, Ola Kolade, Old Coulsdon, Oliver Lewis, Oni Oviri, Park Hill and Whitgift, Paul Scott, Peter Underwood, Purley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Sanderstead, Scott Roche, Selhurst, Selsdon and Addington Village, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale, Shirley North, Shirley South, Simon Hall, Simon Hoar, South Croydon, South Norwood, Stella Nabukeera, Steve Hollands, Stuart King, Thornton Heath, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman, Tony Pearson, Waddon, West Thornton, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

‘Any would be better for Croydon than the old strong leader’

With a month until election day, hustings for the borough’s first-ever Mayoral contest are coming thick and fast. KEN TOWL went along to last night’s event held in Park Hill, so that you didn’t have to… Val Shawcross really ought … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Jason Perry, Ken Towl, Peter Underwood, Richard Howard, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Croydon’s less-than-magnificent 8: Winston’s back for more

There’s quirkiness and eccentricity among some of the candidates to become the borough’s first executive Mayor, as well as some who perhaps are not quite what they claim to be. Editor STEVEN DOWNES on the confirmed candidates list for May … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

It’s time to re-balance the Town Hall with a bit of honesty

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The Green Party’s mayoral candidate, PETER UNDERWOOD (pictured left), reacts to the news of a possible further postponement of the council’s budget-setting meeting When Labour announced on Twitter that they had “balanced Croydon Council’s budget”, I did ask … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Peter Underwood | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments