Category Archives: Sutton Council

1,606: Croydon among worst in London for empty homes

London has £20billion-worth of homes sitting vacant, according to official figures, a situation which has been described as a “scandal”. And Croydon is among the boroughs with the most vacant properties, according to analysis conducted by City Hall on data … Continue reading

Posted in Bromley Council, Croydon Council, Housing, Lambeth Council, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Property, Sadiq Khan, Southwark Council, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Council chief execs reject their £6,000+ pay offer as ‘pettiness’

Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on an outbreak of militancy among local authority workers who are paid upwards of £180,000 per year Could cash-strapped Croydon Council be about to be hit by a strike over pay and conditions by its … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Helen Bailey, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Investigators apologise after sending reports to wrong person

CARL SHILTON, our Sutton investigations editor, on the latest self-inflicted crisis to hit LibDem council leader Ruth Dombey and her increasingly rattled sidekick Jayne McCoy A director at a company specialising in investigating complaints over the conduct of local authority … Continue reading

Posted in Barry Lewis, Environment, Jayne McCoy, Marian James, Nick Mattey, Planning, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Tim Crowley, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Charity offers youngsters chance to be Junior River Rangers

An environmental charity is giving primary school-aged children the chance to become Junior River Rangers in Carshalton and along the Wandle during London Rivers Week. The South East Rivers Trust is staging nature scavenger hunts, craft activities and river dipping … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Charity, Education, Environment, London-wide issues, Sutton Council, Wandsworth Council, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Khan warned: axing travelcard will damage London’s reputation

‘The One Day Travelcard is a perfect example of integrated ticketing across all forms of transport in London’, according to a passengers committee from Croydon and Surrey. So why is Mayor Khan planning to scrap it? An influential travel group … Continue reading

Posted in Commuting, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Surrey, Sutton Council, TfL, Tramlink, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Wildlife under fire in more cruel shootings at Beddington Park

There are extra community safety officer and police patrols in Beddington Park, following the shooting of at least two wildfowl in the last week by a spiteful vandal with an air rifle. Residents report finding other wildlife, including foxes, as … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Sutton Council, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Lick of paint and a new logo won’t get our axed bus routes back

Is it a bird, is it a plane… no, it’s Superloop! Our transport correspondent JEREMY CLACKSON takes a look at the London Mayor’s latest wheeze and finds he’s going round in circles… There’s been nothing like it since Jeffrey Archer’s … Continue reading

Posted in Bromley Council, Commuting, East Croydon, Kingston, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Purley Way, Sadiq Khan, Sutton Council, TfL, Transport, ULEZ, ULEZ expansion, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Community farmers dig for victory with crowdfunder appeal

The organisers and volunteers at Sutton Community Farm, off Woodmansterne Lane in Wallington, have given themselves six weeks to raise £50,000 to secure the enterprise’s longer term future. Their crowdfunder opened last week, offering rewards to contributors ranging from engaging … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Environment, Gardening, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Council error sees £250,000 in benefits overpaid since 2016

Incompetence from Sutton Housing Partnership and their law department has seen bailiffs pay a visit to Sutton Council offices over an unpaid bill. By our Sutton investigations reporter, CARL SHILTON Sutton’s usually sedate council budget-setting meeting took place on Monday, … Continue reading

Posted in Sutton Council, Tim Crowley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Council heat network hits customers with 25% price increase

A councillor in Hackbridge has said he is “shocked and concerned” after a Sutton Council-owned heating network increased its prices to residents by 25per cent. Sheldon Vestey, a Labour councillor, told Inside Croydon, “This jump in pricing is completely unwarranted … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Sheldon Vestey, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

DWP’s £6m ‘poor relief’ highlights deprivation in Croydon

Jason Perry, Croydon’s part-time Mayor and  part-time business director, who wants to increase everyone’s Council Tax in the borough by a whopping 15per cent, has said today, “I know many families in Croydon are struggling to make ends meet in … Continue reading

Posted in Bromley Council, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Lambeth Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Southwark Council, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Pro-pollution Dombey re-states Sutton opposition to ULEZ

Environment correspondent PAUL LUSHION on the cynical games being played with people’s lives by some of the capital’s third-rate politicians Ruth Dombey, the leader of LibDem-controlled Sutton, today declared war on ULEZ, warning Mayor of London Sadiq Khan that she … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Environment, Health, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Ruth Dombey, Sadiq Khan, Surrey, Sutton Council, ULEZ expansion, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Perry left pot-less after failed bid for £20m levelling up money

Our Town Hall staff reporter, PEARL LEE, on the latest disappointing set-back for the Conservative Mayor Despite growing social deprivation in the borough and its failing town centre economy, Croydon has failed in its bid for £20million of Levelling Up … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, Neil Garratt, Paul Scully MP, Section 114 notice, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Sutton’s 40-page emissions report fails to mention incinerator

Our environment correspondent, PAUL LUSHION, on the most ridiculous claims made yet by the Liberal Democrat-controlled council There is a meeting tonight in Sutton of the council’s environment and sustainable transport committee. And, along with Ruth Dombey, the LibDem-controlled council … Continue reading

Posted in Barry Lewis, Elliot Colburn, Environment, Helen Bailey, Nick Mattey, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Trinity School goes to top of the class in post-pandemic exams

Single-sex selective schools shine in the annual Sunday Times schools rankings, in which the highest Croydon state school is rated only 186th Trinity, the £20,000 per year boys’ school at Shirley Park, has been rated the top school in Croydon, … Continue reading

Posted in Coloma, Education, Kingston, London-wide issues, Old Palace, Schools, Southwark Council, Sutton Council, Trinity School, Whitgift School | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Viridor turns polluting Beddington incinerator into a sick joke

Incinerator operators Viridor have failed to instal any metal detectors to locate large batteries and other devices which are believed to have caused explosions inside the furnace at the Beddington Lane plant, leading to many of the 40 polluting breaches … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Environment, Kingston, Merton, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Environment Agency makes incinerator ‘site of high interest’

The Environment Agency has agreed to a request from UKWIN – United Kingdom Without Incineration Network – to declare the Beddington incinerator as a “Site of High Public Interest”. As a result, the EA has agreed to run a second … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Environment, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Client councils are failing to hold polluting Viridor in check

Our environment correspondent, PAUL LUSHION, on the feeble opposition from south London boroughs to the Beddington incinerator creating even more toxic pollution The South London Waste Partnership, the arm’s-length, unelected and unaccountable quango formed by Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton … Continue reading

Posted in Barry Lewis, Business, Croydon Council, Elliot Colburn, Environment, Mayor Jason Perry, Refuse collection, Ruth Dombey, Sheldon Vestey, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Bailey holds urgent talks seeking Viridor bail-out for SDEN

Our environment correspondent, PAUL LUSHION, on the backroom deals that have been going on to try to salvage Sutton Council’s struggling heat network business Helen Bailey, the chief exec at Liberal Democrat-controlled Sutton, has been holding emergency talks with incinerator … Continue reading

Posted in Bobby Dean, Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Helen Bailey, Kingston, London-wide issues, Merton, Refuse collection, Ruth Dombey, Shasha Khan, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Viridor incinerator breaks its toxic VOC permit for 40th time

MARK GALE reports on how the Environment Agency’s ‘strict limits’ on polluting emissions are not so strict after all The latest emission data for the polluting incinerator on Beddington Lane has just been released and yet again, operators Viridor have … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Health, Kingston, Merton, Old Palace, Sutton Council, Wandle Park, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Waitrose makes a move to Dobbies’ Woodcote garden centre

The latest straw in the wind to signal the changes in high street retailing blew through this morning, with the announcement that Waitrose groceries are to be available on the shelves of one of the larger local garden centres. Part … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Outside Croydon, Sutton Council | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Careful what you wish for as we bin rubbish contractor Veolia

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The news that Veolia won’t have their four-borough deal extended once it expires in 2025 has prompted loyal reader LEWIS WHITE, pictured right, to question our councils’ roles in the service decline From the comments made in response … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Fly tipping, Kingston, Merton, Refuse collection, Sutton Council, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Croydon and three other boroughs to bin Veolia rubbish deal

Veolia, who have swept Croydon’s streets and emptied its residents’ bins sporadically since 2003, are to be dropped as the council’s rubbish contractor. The decision has been reached following “significant and ongoing concerns” with Veolia’s performance, which saw three of … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Fly tipping, Kingston, Merton, Refuse collection, Sutton Council, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

LibDems refuse council debate on £44m Beech Tree money pit

Ruth Dombey’s LibDems in Sutton are refusing to discuss a council development project which has already gone £14million over budget before a single brick has been laid. Sutton wants to bulldoze 25 council homes on Beech Tree Place in the … Continue reading

Posted in Housing, Richard Simpson, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More rail cuts coming down the line thanks to Tory Treasury

Funding formula for the country’s biggest railway operator represents  ‘levelling down’ for London, according to a member of one of the largest passenger user groups More Southern and Thameslink railway timetable changes were slipped out last week, just ahead of … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Commuting, Coulsdon, Croydon North, Croydon South, East Croydon, London-wide issues, Norbury, Norwood Junction, Purley, Selhurst, South Croydon, South Norwood, Surrey, Sutton Council, Thornton Heath, Transport, West Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments