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Category Archives: Leila Ben-Hassel
Perry dodges scrutiny as council delays refunds of LTN fines
CROYDON IN CRISIS: What do you mean, you can’t easily find how to claim a refund of the unlawful low traffic neighbourhood fine you were forced to pay? Do you expect the council to make the repayments system simple and … Continue reading
Posted in Alasdair Stewart, Broad Green, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Environment, Leila Ben-Hassel, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, Venetia Reid-Baptiste
Tagged Alasdair Stewart, Conrad Hall, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Fine refunds, High Court, Judge Edward Pepperall, Leila Ben-Hassel, London, London Borough of Croydon, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, LTN fine refunds, LTNs, Mayor Jason Perry, Royal Courts of Justice, South Norwood, Tory, Upper Norwood
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Local Labour members angry at ‘travesty’ of selection process
Uncharacteristic ‘openness’ from the Labour Party exposes their latest sham selection process, with candidates for next year’s local elections being named without grassroots members in most wards getting any say at all. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The fix is in. … Continue reading
Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Addiscombe East, Alisa Flemming, Amy Foster, Appu Srinivasan, Bensham Manor, Brigitte Graham, Catherine Wilson, Chrishni Reshekaron, Christopher Herman, Croydon East, Croydon West, Enid Mollyneaux, Eunice O'Dame, Fairfield, Janet Campbell, Jeet Bains, Jess Hammersley-Rich, John Wentworth, Karen Jewitt, Leila Ben-Hassel, Louis Carserides, Maddie Henson, Matt Griffiths, Mohammed Islam, Natasha Irons, Norbury, Norbury Park, Patsy Cummings, Rowenna Davis, Sarah Jones MP, Selhurst, South Norwood, Stella Nabukeera, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North, Stuart King, Thornton Heath, Waddon, West Thornton, Woodside
Tagged 2026 Croydon mayoral election, 2026 local elections, Addiscombe, Addiscombe East, Amy Foster, Bensham Manor, Chrisni Reshekaron, Cllr Rowenna Davis, Cllr Stuart King, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield, John Wentworth, Julie Setchfield, Labour, Labour National Executive Council, Labour NEC, Maddie Henson, Melanie Felten, Mrs Anonyvoter, Norbury and Pollards Hill, Norbury Park, Patsy Cummings, Sam Attwater, Selhurst, South Norwood, STUART KING, Thornton Heath, Waddon, West Thornton, Woodside
14 Comments
Poor Perry shuffles his papers but can’t find any answers
TOWN HALL SKETCH: At the first council cabinet meeting for three months, Croydon’s Tory Mayor stamped his feet and screamed in self-pity, and then admitted that he can’t fix the finances. By WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor Jason Perry stood up, … Continue reading
Posted in Commissioners, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Leila Ben-Hassel, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Stabilisation Plan
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Angela Rayner, Commissioners, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Government, Government Commissioners, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Improvement Board, Jim McMahon, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Section 114, Section 114 Notice, Tory
15 Comments
Perry ducks scrutiny over council financials that don’t add up
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Elected Mayor didn’t hang around to face the music from councillors as the £42m overspend was discussed at the Town Hall this week. By STEVEN DOWNES The council’s projected £42million overspend this financial year is “unprecedented”, and … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Leila Ben-Hassel, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Leila Ben-Hassel, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Scrutiny committee, Section 114, Section 114 Notice, Tory
15 Comments
Greens and LibDems to be given seats at scrutiny committees
Tonight’s scrutiny committee meeting will also see significant changes in approach, and a small crack appearing in the granite-like control of power held by Croydon’s political duopoly, reports WALTER CRONXITE More than two years after the slum-like conditions in Croydon … Continue reading
Posted in Claire Bonham, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Environment, Housing, Leila Ben-Hassel, Ria Patel, Rowenna Davis
Tagged Claire Bonham, Conservative, Green Party, Housing, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, Liberal Democrats, Regina Road, Ria Patel, Rowenna Davis, Scrutiny and Overview Committee, Scrutiny committee, Tory
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Jewitt sacked while Newman Numpties scramble back to power
CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘Lazy’ Clive Fraser and Sean Fitzsimons, long-time loyal supporters of the Labour leadership which crashed the council’s finances, did not have to wait too long before being handed jobs under new(ish) leader Stuart King. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN … Continue reading
Posted in Alisa Flemming, Amy Foster, Brigitte Graham, Christopher Herman, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Karen Jewitt, Leila Ben-Hassel, Louis Carserides, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Bonello, Patsy Cummings, Sean Fitzsimons, Simon Hall, Steve Reed MP, Stuart King, Tony Newman, Tony Pearson
Tagged Brigitte Graham, Christopher Herman, Clive Fraser, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Karen Jewitt, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Mike Bonello, Sean Fitzsimons, Simon Hall, South Norwood, Steve Reed OBE, STUART KING, Thornton Heath, Tony Newman, Tory
2 Comments
Demolition shows how council’s planners have no ‘red lines’
STEVE WHITESIDE on the developing (geddit?) saga of a house-builder who manages to ignore planning conditions laid down by elected councillors, thanks to some considerable assistance being provided by council staff The sad saga of 158 Purley Downs Road, where … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Community associations, Croydon Council, Environment, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Leila Ben-Hassel, Lynne Hale, Nicola Townsend, Planning, Property, Sanderstead, South Croydon, Yvette Hopley
Tagged 158 Purley Downs Road, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Demetri Prevatt, Heather Cheesbrough, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, London Borough of Croydon, Lynne Hale, Nicola Townsend, Richard Freeman, Sanderstead, Sanderstead Residents' Association, South Croydon, Steve Whiteside, Tory, Yvette Hopley
17 Comments
And here are the Labour councillors who broke their word over the 15% tax hike and abandoned the people of Croydon
STUART KING. Leader of the opposition Councillor King took over as Labour group leader in May 2022. Had spent previous eight years mostly holding senior positions, including cabinet posts, in the Labour council administration of Tony Newman, Alison Butler and … Continue reading
Posted in Alisa Flemming, Amy Foster, Brigitte Graham, Callton Young, Catherine Wilson, Chris Clark, Chrishni Reshekaron, Christopher Herman, Clive Fraser, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Enid Mollyneaux, Humayun Kabir, Humayun Kabir, Janet Campbell, Karen Jewitt, Kola Agboola, Leila Ben-Hassel, Louis Carserides, Maddie Henson, Manju Shahul Hameed, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Bonello, Mohammed Islam, Nina Degrads, Patricia Hay-Justice, Patsy Cummings, Sean Fitzsimons, Sherwan Chowdhury, Stella Nabukeera, Stuart Collins, Stuart King, Tamar Barrett (was Nwafor), Tony Newman
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Paul Scott, STUART KING, Tony Newman
11 Comments
Palace granted permission (again) for £100m stand at Selhurst
Back of the net! The result of last night’s planning committee meeting was never in doubt. But now Crystal Palace and their chairman Steve Parish have to seal a deal with Sainsbury’s. By our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE It … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Christopher Herman, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace FC, Football, Leila Ben-Hassel, Planning, Selhurst, South Norwood, Steve Parish
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace FC, Labour, Planning, South Norwood, Steve Parish, Wooderson Close
3 Comments
MP joins objectors as Heathfield House plans get called in
A council official-backed proposal to convert Heathfield House into a special school, surrounding it with 9ft-high prison-style fencing, has been “called in” for consideration by the planning committee. Today is the final day for residents and interested bodies to lodge … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Heathfield House, Leila Ben-Hassel, Planning, Sarah Jones MP, Schools
Tagged Cressey College, Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Heathfield House, Horizon Care and Education Group, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, Sarah Jones MP
2 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 2022 Local Elections, 2022 Mayoral election, Addiscombe West, Alison Butler, Bensham Manor, Brick by Brick, Broad Green, Conservative, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Mayor, Croydon Mayoral election 2022, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Democratically Elected Mayor of Croydon, Fairfield Halls, Forestdale, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Mayor, New Addington, Paul Scott, Purley, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale, South Croydon, South Norwood, Steve Reed OBE, Thornton Heath, Tony Newman, Tory, Waddon
4 Comments
Veteran councillor Ryan is deselected while in hospital bed
WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on the latest casualties of the council’s financial collapse Pat Ryan, a Croydon councillor for nearly 30 years, was last night deselected by members at a Labour Party meeting in his home ward of Crystal Palace … Continue reading
Posted in 2022 council elections, Addiscombe East, Addiscombe West, Amy Foster, Bensham Manor, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Felicity Flynn, Hamida Ali, Humayun Kabir, Jerry Fitzpatrick, John Wentworth, Kola Agboola, Leila Ben-Hassel, Mike Bonello, New Addington North, New Addington South, Nina Degrads, Norbury, Pat Ryan, Patsy Cummings, Shafi Khan, South Norwood, Steve Reed MP, Woodside
Tagged Addiscombe West, Amy Foster, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Felicity Flynn, Hamida Ali, John Wentworth, Kola Agboola, Labour, New Addington, Pat Ryan, Rowenna Davis, Tony Newman
2 Comments
Labour to pick their Mayor candidate just in time for Christmas
EXCLUSIVE: Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reveals how Labour is giving potential mayoral candidates barely a week to put themselves forward for a selection process which appears to have Steve Reed’s fingerprints all over it Anyone wanting to be considered as … Continue reading
Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Alisa Flemming, Carole Bonner, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Hamida Ali, Jamie Audsley, Jason Perry, Leila Ben-Hassel, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Donna Murray-Turner, Hamida Ali, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed OBE, Tory, Valerie Shawcross
2 Comments
Referendum offers us a chance for consensus in Croydon
REFERENDUM COUNTDOWN: Last week, Labour’s Leila Ben-Hassel offered her reasons for opposing a change in the way the council is governed. With the borough-wide referendum being staged tomorrow, resident – and voter – IAN KIERANS questions the councillor’s arguments Councillor … Continue reading
#Binmageddon: 1,000 street bins have vanished from borough
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council agreed to pay its rubbish contractor an extra £20.7m while it reduced the services they are expected to deliver, leaving the borough’s streets ever dirtier. EXCLUSIVE by SANJANA IDNANI Around 1,000 bins have been vanished from … Continue reading
Councillor’s alarm call helps save lives in Thornton Heath fire
A Croydon councillor has spoken of how she called 999 in the early hours of this morning after she was woken up by “horrible screams” and “saw loads of black smoke coming out of neighbour’s house”. Leila Ben-Hassel is a … Continue reading
Posted in Leila Ben-Hassel, London Fire Brigade, Thornton Heath
Tagged Leila Ben-Hassel, LFB, London Fire Brigade, Thornton Heath
2 Comments
Lacey still spinning as he hangs on to his job at Brick by Brick
It is not only the former council chief exec who has shown unconcealed contempt for the borough’s residents. Now, as our housing correspondent BARRATT HOLMES reports, the discredited head of the council-owned builders is pushing his luck, too Colm Lacey … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Callton Young, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Housing, Jane Avis, Leila Ben-Hassel, Section 114 notice, Stuart King
Tagged Brick by Brick, Callton Young, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, London Borough of Croydon, S114, Section 114, STUART KING, Tory
17 Comments
King’s peers crown him Croydon Labour’s new deputy leader
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The alarm signals over the electoral fate of the Town Hall, and perhaps even the Croydon Central marginal parliamentary seat, saw the borough’s Labour councillors given a stern lecture last night. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Stuart … Continue reading
Posted in Alisa Flemming, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Leila Ben-Hassel, Manju Shahul Hameed, Paul Scott, Sarah Jones MP, Stuart King, Tony Newman
Tagged Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, Manju Shahul Hameed, Paul Scott, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed OBE, STUART KING, Tony Newman
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Ben-Hassel joins contest to become council deputy leader
‘We can’t do business as usual’ says rookie councillor looking to make an impression, writes KEN LEE, our Town Hall reporter Leila Ben-Hassel, a Croydon councillor only since March 2019, last night announced herself as a fourth contender to become … Continue reading
Newman hand-picks ‘Secret Seven’ to check on finance panel
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
Brick by Brick CEO says company has sold 6 houses. Or is it 5?
Our overdevelopment correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, reports on the latest admission of incompetence from Croydon Council’s loss-making house-builders Five. Or it might be six. Colm Lacey, the former council employee who has been promoted way beyond his skills and abilities to … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Housing, Jo Negrini, Leila Ben-Hassel, Vidhi Mohan
Tagged Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, London Borough of Croydon, Tory, Waddon
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