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Category Archives: Esther Sutton
Perry’s anti-democratic council has created constitution crisis
For the first time since it was created in 1965, Croydon Council has councillors from five political parties. WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, looks at whether they will make any difference – or even be allowed to try While other councils … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Adam Kellett, Claire Bonham, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Gill Hickson, Mark Adderley, New Addington South, Old Coulsdon, Paul Ainscough, Ria Patel, Scott Holman
Tagged 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Adam Kellett, Cllr Claire Bonham, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Gill Hickson, Cllr Scott Holman, Conservative, Council constitution, Croydon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Fairfield, Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mark Adderley, Mayor Jason Perry, New Addington South, Old Coulsdon, Reform Ltd, Reform UK, Ria Patel, The Green Party, Tory
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43 days to go and desperation is appearing in election leaflets
After all the calamities inflicted on Croydon by Tory Mayor Jason Perry, from his 33% Council Tax hikes to his unlawful LTN fines, has Labour fallen into their old trap of over-promising before under-delivering? WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, sifts through … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Addiscombe East, Chris Clark, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Greens, Croydon South, Croydon West, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Jeet Bains, London-wide issues, New Addington North, New Addington South, Old Coulsdon, Paul Scott, Ria Patel, Richard Howard, Shirley North, Shirley South, Tony Newman
Tagged 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Brick by Brick, Claire Bonham, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Cllr Rowenna Davis, Conservative, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London, Mayor Jason Perry, New Addington, Peter Underwood, Rowenna Davis, Tory
3 Comments
‘Red v Blue’ at Town Hall elections could suffer a Green-wash
Polling day in Croydon’s local elections, including its second mayoral vote, is on May 7. WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, sifts through recent opinion polls and by-election results, but has a warning from history of how ‘challenger parties’ can be swept … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Addiscombe East, Chris Clark, Chris Philp MP, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Greens, Croydon South, Croydon West, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Jeet Bains, London-wide issues, New Addington North, New Addington South, Old Coulsdon, Paul Scott, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel, Sarah Jones MP, Shirley North, Shirley South, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North, Tony Newman
Tagged 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Alison Butler, Boris Johnson, Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, Claire Bonham, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Cllr Rowenna Davis, Conservative, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Green Party, Hannah Spencer, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London, Mayor Jason Perry, New Addington, Peter Underwood, Rowenna Davis, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed OBE, Tony Newman, Tory, Zack Polanski
7 Comments
Labour refuse to respond to Cummings’s budget challenge
WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, on a sham challenge issued to rival political parties by a borrowing-dependent Conservative administration that is trying to con the public that they have ‘fixed the finances’ As Tory Mayor Jason Perry prepares to deliver what … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Claire Bonham, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel, Section 114 notice, Stuart King
Tagged 2026 council budget, 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Cllr Stuart King, Commissioners, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Green Party, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Lollipop patrols, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Tory
9 Comments
Private developers and landlords won’t fix our housing crisis
CROYDON COMMENTARY: ‘Abolish Landlords’ was a catchphrase at the recent Green Party conference, where it was recognised that correcting decades of failed housing policy will need a raft of solutions. PAUL AINSCOUGH explains At the Green Party annual conference, a … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Environment, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Housing, Paul Ainscough, Peter Underwood, Planning, Ria Patel
Tagged Abolish Landlords, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Croydon, Croydon Council, Green Party, Labour, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Paul Ainscough, Peter Underwood, Prof Abi O'Connor, Right-to-buy, Steve Reed OBE, Thatcher, Thatcherite
7 Comments
Fear on the streets – our latest podcast looks at crime and ASB
The Croydon Insider is the only news podcast for London’s most populous borough, and in our latest episode our panel discusses a range of news stories and the issues that matter to them – including difficulties encountered in reducing the … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Boxpark, Business, Council Tax, Crime, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Croydon Insider, CYTO, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Inside Croydon, Local media, London-wide issues, Theatre, Under The Flyover
Tagged Cllr Esther Sutton, Conservative, Council Tax, Crime, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Youth Theatre Organisation, CYTO, East Croydon station, Fairfield, Green Party, Johnny Dobbyn, Lee Townsend, London Borough of Croydon, Our Croydon, PSPO, Rebecca Clarke-Irons, Street drinking, Tory, Town centre Task Force, Yusuf Osman
4 Comments
‘Hypocrite’ Tory voted for proposal to destroy heritage home
Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on a planning committee meeting where Conservative councillors backed a private developer’s bid to drastically alter a listed family home in a conservation area So much for Tory Mayor Jason Perry protecting family homes in … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Chris Clark, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Ian Parker, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, Ria Patel
Tagged Chris Clark, Chris Philp MP, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Conservative, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Ian Parker, Labour, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Morgan, Planning, Ross Gentry, Tory
12 Comments
Oval Tavern’s Sutton to take on little pub under the Flyover
Esther Sutton, one of Croydon’s most respected business-owners, will next week be taking the keys to The Royal Standard pub, one of Croydon’s hidden gems and which boasts the “most Croydon of beer gardens”. “The Standard will still be The … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Pubs
Tagged Addiscombe, Admiral Taverns, Croydon, Croydon Flyover, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Fuller's, The Oval Tavern, The Royal Standard
2 Comments
Ex-Labour councillor to stand for Greens in Fairfield in 2026
Paul Ainscough, once a Labour parliamentary election candidate and a former councillor for the party, has been selected to stand for the Green Party at next year’s council elections in Fairfield ward. He says he “feels let down by Labour”. … Continue reading
They voted to raise your Council Tax, then to increase their pay
TOWN HALL SKETCH: Things don’t sound too good in the Chamber these days, and it is not just because the council has hired a cheaper contractor for its audio system. As tempers frayed at the most important meeting of the … Continue reading
Posted in 'Future Croydon', Amy Foster, Avril Slipper, Callton Young, Christopher Herman, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Carers, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Esther Sutton, Ian Parker, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Kola Agboola, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Rowenna Davis, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Stuart King
Tagged 2025 Council budget, Claire Bonham, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jason Cummings, Kola Agboola, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Rowenna Davis, STUART KING, Tory
5 Comments
Hastings councillor offers a way through the political brambles
How should we counter the rise of the far-right? As KEN TOWL found out when he arrived on time at the Croydon School of Philosophy, by offering some truth and understanding In the School of Philosophy on Addiscombe Grove, not … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon East, Croydon Greens, Croydon South, Croydon West, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Ken Towl, Natasha Irons, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel, Sarah Jones MP
Tagged Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Esther Sutton, Green Party, Greens, Hastings and Rye, Hastings Council, Ken Towl, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Nigel Farage, Peter Underwood, Reform UK, Ria Patel, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed OBE, Tory, Yunis Smith
8 Comments
Cut Mayor’s special allowances by 50%, say Croydon’s Greens
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Ahead of the council’s more-heat-than-light annual Budget meetings that begin this week, PETER UNDERWOOD highlights how the councillors of one party at the Town Hall are presenting some realistic proposals Honesty and fairness. They are the themes of … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel, Youth Services
Tagged 2025 Council budget, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Esther Sutton, Green Party, Labour, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel
13 Comments
Very interesting: councillors often slow to update their registers
EXCLUSIVE: Our Town Hall number-cruncher, SANDRA STEAD, has checked out the updates to the register of interests of all 70 Croydon councillors and Mayor Perry – from 50p passion fruits to hundreds of pounds’ worth of free tickets to Selhurst … Continue reading
Posted in Alisa Flemming, Birch (Selsdon), Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Margaret Bird, Mayor Jason Perry, Norbury Park, Ria Patel, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, Surrey Street
Tagged Alisa Flemming, Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon Council, Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Margaret Bird, Mayor Jason Perry, Norbury Park, Old Coulsdon, Tory
4 Comments
Labour back Conservatives on fossil fuel and arms investments
KEN LEE reports from the final full meeting of the council this year Ethics and morals are just too expensive for Croydon’s Conservative and Labour councillors. Two petitions were submitted to Wednesday night’s council meeting calling on the Mayor to … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Callton Young, Climate Crisis Commission, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Environment, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Ria Patel
Tagged Callton Young, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Conservative, Council pension fund, Croydon, Croydon Council, fossil fuels, Gaza, Green Party, Israel, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Petitions, Ria Patel, Tory
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Greens look to halt council’s investment in global arms trade
Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on a move to bring a more ethical approach to the council’s massive pension fund As global tensions increase over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with permission being given by the United States for American … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Ria Patel
Tagged apartheid, Cllr Esther Sutton, Cllr Ria Patel, Croydon, Croydon Council, Esther Sutton, Gaza, Genocide, Global Arms Trade, Green Party, Israel, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Palestine, Ria Patel, Russia, Tory, Ukraine
11 Comments
Three years on and council is using old rules to gag opposition
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Three years since residents in the borough voted to change the system at the council, and staff have still not managed to update the Town Hall constitution, leaving some councillors gagged, unable to ask questions or propose motions … Continue reading
Controversial Brick by Brick site to be auctioned for £550k
BARRATT HOLMES, housing correspondent, reports on the latest planning mystery at the cash-strapped council The scrap of open space at the junction of Edridge Road and Coombe Road, next to heritage-listed building Ruskin House, is set to be auctioned off … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Chris Clark, Croydon Council, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, Planning, Property, Ria Patel
Tagged Brick by Brick, Chris Clark, Conservative, Coombe Road, Croydon, Edridge Road, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Grade II, Labour, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, Planning Committee, Ria Patel, Ruskin House, Tory
2 Comments
Another Croydon scandal: the £3k per month high-rise slums
Activist exposes serious issues with town centre ‘luxury apartments’ which were only built three years ago The housing crisis takes on a whole new meaning when you are a private tenant, living in a building completed just three years ago … Continue reading
Mystery as Fuller’s exit three Croydon pubs in unseemly hurry
In the second part of his review of the hospitality trade in the borough (yes, dear reader, we sent him on a month-long pub crawl), KEN TOWL explores the reasons for one of London’s biggest and best-loved brewers’ sudden departure … Continue reading
Posted in Addiscombe West, Business, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Ken Towl, Property, Pubs, South Croydon
Tagged Addiscombe, Admiral Taverns, Croydon Flyover, Fuller's, Fullers Brewery, Ken Towl, London, South Croydon, The Builders Arms, The Claret and Ale, The Crown & Sceptre, The Oval Tavern, The Royal Standard, The Spread Eagle, Whelans
5 Comments
Making our roads safer for pedestrians makes sense for us all
CROYDON COMMENTARY: City Hall and our borough Town Hall are being petitioned over a busy junction that lacks a safe crossing place for pedestrians, as PETER UNDERWOOD explains In my lifetime there have been major advances in road safety. From … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel
Tagged Caroline Russell, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon High Street, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, London, London Assembly, Lower Coombe Street, Marley King, Mayor, Mayor Sadiq Khan, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel, South Croydon
11 Comments
Under The Flyover: interview with Green Party’s Zack Polanski
With the London elections less than a month away, as part of its Under The Flyover series of podcasts, Inside Croydon interviews Zack Polanski, a London Assembly Member since 2021 and the deputy leader of the Green Party. During the … Continue reading
Posted in 2024 London elections, Croydon Greens, Environment, Esther Sutton, Fairfield, Inside Croydon, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Peter Underwood, Ria Patel, Sadiq Khan, Susan Hall, ULEZ expansion, Under The Flyover, Woodside, Zack Polanski
Tagged 2024 London elections, Croydon, Green Party, Green Party of England and Wales, Labour, London, London Assembly, London elections 2024, Mayor Sadiq Khan, Podcast, Sadiq Khan, Spotify, Susan Hall, ULEZ, Under The Flyover, Woodside, Zack Polanski
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King gets his bluff called over Tory cuts and Council Tax hike
CROYDON IN CRISIS: It was déjà vu all over again at last night’s budget meeting, where ‘steadfast’ opposition melted as soon as the borough’s opposition councillors were given a stern talking to. TOWN HALL SKETCH by STEVEN DOWNES Anyone out … Continue reading
Posted in Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Esther Sutton, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Stuart King
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Claire Bonham, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Esther Sutton, Fund Croydon Fairly, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Pay More Get Less, Ria Patel, STUART KING, Tory
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