Category Archives: Simon Hall

Developers in multi-million-pound gamble over playing fields

Croydon College has sold off disused playing fields near the Purley Way to a private firm of housing developers, while the land does not have planning permission for housing. None of the parties to the secretive deal are willing to … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon College, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Housing, Planning, Schools, Simon Hall, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Balancing the books allows Labour to invest in Croydon

BUDGET COMMENTARY: With the council’s books balanced, a government-approved increase in Council Tax and front-line services being maintained by the Labour council, it is little wonder that the local Tories have so little to offer, writes Councillor ANDREW PELLING Croydon … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Bernard Weatherill House, Council Tax, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Fly tipping, Gavin Barwell, Housing, Mike Fisher, Phil Thomas, Shirley North, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council sells Taberner site in secretive multi-million pound deal

Croydon Council has agreed to sell the Taberner House site. The deal has been done within the first month of Jo Negrini being installed as the council’s chief executive, but neither she nor Tony Newman, the leader of the Labour-run … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Housing, Jo Negrini, Paul Scott, Planning, Property, RIF, Simon Hall, Taberner House, Tony Newman, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Alas Smith and Jones: Labour members get behind Corbyn

WALTER CRONXITE reports on the latest embarrassing set-back for the Croydon clique which yearns for a return to the “good old days” of Tony Bliar The ordinary members of a Croydon Constituency Labour Party, when given a chance last night … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Rendle, Carole Bonner, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Maddie Henson, Mark Watson, Paul Scott, Sarah Jones MP, Sean Fitzsimons, Simon Hall, Stephen Mann, Steve Reed MP, Stuart Collins, Toni Letts, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council spends £20m on agency cover for social workers

Croydon Council still has a long way to go if it is to make the £100 million austerity cuts required by the Conservative Government, after it was reported this week that it will make savings of £3.3 million from making … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult Social Care, Croydon Council, Health, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Newman hands Tories another gift over Council Tax

WALTER CRONXITE examines the budget options likely to be laid out before Monday’s cabinet meeting and at the full council meeting the following week It’s all over bar the shouting, and there’s sure to be some of that in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Bernard Weatherill House, Chris Philp MP, Council Tax, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Gavin Barwell, New Addington South, Simon Hall, Surrey, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Having a ‘mare: Newman could use chance for a reshuffle

Punch and Judy’s back on at the Town Hall tomorrow night, with the latest full meeting of the council. Nothing of note is likely to be decided. Little of real interest will be announced. That’s transparent and accountable democracy in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Bernadette Khan, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, John Wentworth, Louisa Woodley, Manju Shahul Hameed, Mike Selva, New Addington South, Patricia Hay-Justice, Simon Hall, Stuart Collins, Tim Pollard, Timothy Godfrey, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Wayne Lawlor, West Thornton | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Tory Chancellor cuts £45m from Croydon Council’s funding

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The Tory Government sneaked out some bad news for local authorities just before Christmas, and it is leaving Croydon Council seriously short-changed, says Councillor SIMON HALL The draft local government financial settlement was announced a week before Christmas, … Continue reading →

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Fieldway, Gavin Barwell, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

House on King Henry’s Drive lights up New Addington

A house on King Henry’s Drive has been declared the winner of the 2015 New Addington best Christmas lights display.

Posted in Carole Bonner, Fieldway, Louisa Woodley, New Addington South, Oliver Lewis, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Council Tax increase ‘inevitable’, by as much as 3.9%

STEVEN DOWNES reports on the 2016-2017 Croydon Council budget, which sees more services cut, more jobs at risk, and charges rising It is “inevitable” that Council Tax in Croydon will rise in 2016, possibly by as much as 3.9 per … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Bernard Weatherill House, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Libraries, Nathan Elvery, Refuse collection, Simon Hall, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

£4m Home Office cut is unfair to refugees and to Croydon

COUNCILLOR SIMON HALL on how the government has cut funding from Croydon towards looking after some of the most vulnerable new arrivals The refugee crisis across Europe has been making international headlines, with footage of human misery being shown nightly … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Fieldway, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Night of the short knives as Newman sacks chief whip Ryan

WALTER CRONXITE, our man in the public gallery with a Twix bar and a copy of the Racing Post, offers the inside information on what passes for a reshuffle at the Town Hall It was the sort of “hit” that … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Hamida Ali, Humayun Kabir, Manju Shahul Hameed, Oliver Lewis, Pat Ryan, Patricia Hay-Justice, Sherwan Chowdhury, Simon Hall, Stephen Mann, Tony Newman, Waddon, Wayne Lawlor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Poster propaganda prompts Barwell into another costly error

The Croydon Labour brains trust (ha!) that is running the Town Hall has managed to score yet another political own-goal, handing a gilt-edged opportunity for Gavin Barwell, the MP for the Whitgift Foundation, to boost his flagging credibility. From the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015 General Election, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Emily Benn, Gavin Barwell, Nathan Elvery, Sarah Jones MP, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

In £100m black hole, Labour’s opted not to dig their way out

WALTER CRONXITE reports on Croydon Labour’s first council Budget for eight years, and finds them deferring much of the pain of dealing with the Town Hall’s “financial black hole” Croydon’s Labour council yesterday revealed its 2015-2016 Budget, which falls well … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Council Tax, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Gavin Barwell, Leisure services, Libraries, Nathan Elvery, Refuse collection, Sarah Jones MP, Simon Hall, Street lighting, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Own goals galore scored on Croydon’s school playing fields

WALTER CRONXITE recounts the unedifying clusterfuck that has engulfed the Labour-run council over its development plans. Which they say that they don’t have Croydon’s Conservative councillors are predicting that Simon Hall’s days as a member of Labour’s front-bench team are … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Alisa Flemming, Croydon Council, Environment, Heathfield, Jason Cummings, Julie Belvir, Maria Gatland, Nathan Elvery, Phil Thomas, Planning, Sara Bashford, Schools, Shasha Khan, Simon Hall, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Foundation, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Council sells Addington Palace but fails to say for how much

The Labour Council was elected in May on a platform that promised greater transparency and accountability from our Town Hall. Those good intentions didn’t last long. A report to tonight’s council cabinet of 10 leading councillors shows what just one … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Golf, Nathan Elvery, Property, Simon Hall, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Council gambles millions with “Son of CCURV” scheme

Given recent experience, Croydon councillors more than most should realise that using public money to gamble rarely ends happily. But like a losing punter chasing after his losses, Croydon Council, now under a Labour administration, is going back to the … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Alison Butler, Bernard Weatherill House, Business, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Jo Negrini, Nathan Elvery, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, URV, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Fisher’s “black hole” of debt could see 500 job cuts at council

One hundred days in, and the honeymoon could be over for Croydon’s Labour council, as confronted with a £92.8 million “funding gap” over the next four years, they face having to cut up to 500 jobs at the local authority. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bernard Weatherill House, Business, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jason Cummings, Nathan Elvery, Sean Fitzsimons, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Fewer than 30 attend BNP’s shabby charade on Central Parade

It seems that the widespread support being claimed by the bigots of the BNP for a campaign they are running in New Addington is as non-existent as the plans to build a mosque on which it is based. Fewer than … Continue reading →

Posted in Carole Bonner, Croydon Central, Fieldway, Gavin Barwell, Louisa Woodley, New Addington South, Oliver Lewis, Simon Hall, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Labour and Tories condemn ‘hate-driven’ BNP campaign

In a rare demonstration of cross-party unity in Croydon for the benefit of the locals, four Labour councillors have today come together with a local Tory MP and Conservative London Assembly Member to condemn a “hate-driven” anti-Muslim campaign in New … Continue reading →

Posted in Carole Bonner, Croydon Central, Fieldway, Gavin Barwell, London Assembly, Louisa Woodley, New Addington South, Oliver Lewis, Simon Hall, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tory candidate Mohan gets lost again over Croydon North

Making Croydon a London Living Wage borough? Tick. Announcing free swimming in the council’s pools this summer for all Croydon’s children? Tick. Introduce a £1 million scheme to make good use of the borough’s empty homes? Tick. Making the Tory … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015 General Election, Alison Butler, Boris Johnson, Broad Green, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Dudley Mead, Fairfield, Housing, Jason Perry, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Mike Fisher, Property, Simon Hall, Steve O'Connell, Stuart Collins, Tim Pollard, Vidhi Mohan, West Thornton | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

At £220m, is Fisher’s Folly the most costly council HQ ever?

According to figures presented at last night’s Croydon Council cabinet meeting, Fisher’s Folly, the new council office building which some people insist on calling Bernard Weatherill House, will cost Council Tax-payers a scandalous £85 million more than even the gloomiest multi-million-pound … Continue reading →

Posted in Bernard Weatherill House, Business, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jon Rouse, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Planning, Simon Hall, Taberner House, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Newman’s front-bench team has Collins in charge of clean-up

Tony Newman, the new leader of Croydon Council, has announced his front-bench team following last Thursday’s Labour local election victory, with a line-up of mainly familiar faces after eight years in opposition. The positions were determined by Newman following a … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2014 council elections, Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Business, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Environment, Gerry Ryan, Jane Avis, Kathy Bee, Louisa Woodley, Planning, Simon Hall, Stuart Collins, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, URV, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Budget-busting 25 quid bribe ignores Croydon’s £1bn debt

Have you received your Council Tax bill this week? Wonder how Croydon Council can afford to pay out £25 to residents? With the Town Hall having accumulated £1 billion debt in the last eight years, SIMON HALL, pictured, says that, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, Bernard Weatherill House, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Fieldway, Fly tipping, Housing, Mike Fisher, Refuse collection, Simon Hall, Steve O'Connell, Street lighting, URV, Youth Services | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Labour facing selection showdown in New Addington

Two of Croydon Labour’s front bench councillors get what is realistically their last chance to be selected to stand at next May’s Town Hall elections at a meeting being staged in New Addington tomorrow lunchtime. Paul Smith, the spokesman on … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Bensham Manor, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Fairfield, Fieldway, Gavin Barwell, George Ayres, Janet Marshall, Mike Fisher, New Addington South, Richard Chatterjee, Sarah Jones MP, Shirley North, Simon Hall, Steve Reed MP, Tony Pearson | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments