Category Archives: Yvette Hopley

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Here’s the Mayor and 33 Croydon Tory councillors who THREE times voted in favour of hitting you with a 15% Council Tax hike

JASON PERRY. Mayor of Croydon Elected in May 2022 with a margin of fewer than 600 votes. Is paid £82,000 per year by the council. His office answers the phone just 20 hours per week. Stood on a election promise … Continue reading

Posted in Adele Benson, Andrew Stranack, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Fatima Zaman, Helen Redfern, Ian Parker, Jade Appleton, Jason Cummings, Jeet Bains, Joseph Lee, Lynne Hale, Margaret Bird, Maria Gatland, Mario Creatura, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, Ola Kolade, Richard Chatterjee, Robert Ward, Scott Roche, Simon Brew, Simon Fox, Sue Bennett, Tony Pearson, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Council’s planners lose multiple cases at appeal and in court

Independent inspectors and judges at the High Court continue to rule against decisions made by Croydon’s planning department. Yet those making these dubious, developer-friendly decisions remain in place Research for Inside Croydon has found at least another 11 planning cases … Continue reading

Posted in Aventier, Business, Community associations, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Lynne Hale, Maria Gatland, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, Nicola Townsend, Paul Scott, Planning, Sanderstead, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

MPs’ gofers and failed businesses: new cabinet’s back-stories

Top team, or top chumps? Town Hall reporter KEN LEE runs the rule over the backgrounds of the new Mayor and his Tory colleagues in charge of delivering £68m-worth of budget cuts over the next two financial years We know … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe East, Andrew Stranack, Business, Chris Philp MP, Croydon South, Gavin Barwell, Jason Cummings, Jeet Bains, Lynne Hale, Maria Gatland, Mayor Jason Perry, Ola Kolade, Scott Roche, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

£100,000 Mayor Perry unveils his old team as the new team

WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on the completely predictable make-up of the borough’s executive Mayor’s first cabinet, and the wheeling and dealing over who will chair the Town Hall’s most influential committees Given that it took nearly five days to count … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Croydon Council, Jason Cummings, Jeet Bains, Katherine Kerswell, Lynne Hale, Maria Gatland, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, Scott Roche, Sean Fitzsimons, South Croydon, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 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

Only five Croydon Tory councillors listed as ‘Backing Boris’

Croydon Town Hall’s Conservatives are not backing Boris. That’s according to a listing published today by the Boris Johnson leadership campaign which includes just five of Croydon’s 29 Tory councillors, from among 1,000 Conservative elected representatives at local authorities around … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Boris Johnson, Jason Cummings, Mario Creatura, Neil Garratt, Steve O'Connell, Tim Crowley, Tim Pollard, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

£180m Fairfield operator contract is called-in for scrutiny

Fifteen Conservative councillors signed official forms to call-in the decision to award the operator contract for the Fairfield Halls, a move which some fear might delay the appointment process, and others have described as petty political point-scoring. The matter will … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Chris Philp MP, Chris Wright, Donald Speakman, Dudley Mead, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Gavin Barwell, Helen Pollard, James Thompson, Jan Buttinger, Jason Cummings, Jeet Bains, Lynne Hale, Margaret Mead, Maria Gatland, Mario Creatura, Sean Fitzsimons, Tim Pollard, Timothy Godfrey, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 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

Councillor objects to borough-wide ban on ice cream vans

Labour councillors were indignant at last night’s Town Hall meeting when it was suggested that they want to ban “Stop Me And Buy One” ice cream vans from the borough. Tory councillor Yvette Hopley – “I do enjoy a 99” … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Coulsdon West, Mario Creatura, Sanderstead, Tony Newman, Yvette Hopley | 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

Mayor has to apologise as Crapita draws a blank for public

Virtually the first thing which Croydon’s new mayor, Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed, was forced to do on taking office last night was to apologise to around two dozen members of the public because of the latest embarrassing council technology short-coming caused … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 council elections, Addiscombe West, Bernard Weatherill House, Broad Green, Capita, Charity, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Gavin Barwell, Libraries, Manju Shahul Hameed, Margaret Mead, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Patricia Hay-Justice, Sara Bashford, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman, URV, Waste incinerator, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Tories dump councillor No3 as Barwell strengthens his hand

Andy Stranack was duly selected on Saturday night as a Tory candidate for Heathfield ward in May’s local elections. Stranack’s selection saw a third sitting Conservative councillor dumped in the selection process so far and provided the latest sign that … Continue reading

Posted in 2012 by-election, 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Croydon Central, Dudley Mead, Eddy Arram, Gavin Barwell, Heathfield, Helen Pollard, Ian Parker, Jason Cummings, Justin Cromie, Lynne Hale, Margaret Mead, Phil Thomas, Sanderstead, Sara Bashford, Selsdon & Ballards, Steve Reed MP, Tim Pollard, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Which councillors attended Town Hall Christmas banquet?

Many thanks to all those who have already expressed support, and donated or offered other help, to Croydon Nightwatch as a result of Inside Croydon’s Christmas appeal. We have noted before the proximity, and stark contrast, between the grinding poverty … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon College, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Double trouble with council mailshot for Mayor’s charity

Inside Croydon Towers has been inundated with mail. Well, two pieces of mail. Both had been sent first class. Both were sent by Croydon Council. And both to try to promote the very same event. The event in question is … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Charity, Croydon Council, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

MP Reed’s on his bike – have a heart and sponsor him

Croydon North’s MP Steve Reed appears to be taking Norman Tebbit’s most famous adage to heart. But Reed is getting on his bike to help his and other people’s hearts, as he is joining the London to Brighton bike ride … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, British Heart Foundation, Charity, Croydon North, Cycling, Health, Steve Reed MP, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Store at beating centre of making Croydon a Heart Town

Croydon is to become a “Heart Town”, with the borough’s new mayor, Yvette Hopley, choosing the British Heart Foundation as one of her official charities for the coming year and endorsing the campaign to reduce the amount of heart disease … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, British Heart Foundation, Business, Charity, East Croydon, Health, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Countdown to council elections begins in Toy Town gowns

CROYDON COMMENTARY: It is one year until the council elections, and for some, they have everything to lose, writes STEVEN DOWNES Last night’s instalment of a new Mayor of Croydon, Sanderstead councillor Yvette Hopley, marked the firing of the starter’s … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2012 by-election, 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Addiscombe West, Alison Butler, Badsha Quadir, Boris Johnson, Centrale, Clare Hilley, Coulsdon East, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Croydon South, Dudley Mead, Eddy Arram, Environment, Gavin Barwell, Health, Louisa Woodley, Margaret Mead, Mike Fisher, New Addington, Policing, Purley, Richard Ottaway MP, Sanderstead, Selsdon & Ballards, Simon Hoar, Tony Harris, Tony Newman, Waddon, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Red Deer locals look north for help to rebuff Morrisons

Another landmark Croydon pub is under threat of takeover from a supermarket chain. And our local councillors’ response – where they have bothered to respond – is effectively to shrug their shoulders and say there’s nothing that they can, or … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Community associations, Maria Gatland, Planning, Property, Pubs, Sanderstead, South Croydon, South Croydon Community Association, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Hamsey Green shops and schools under threat from Lidl plans

To absolutely no one’s surprise – largely because they have paid top-dollar for the landmark site and need to make the £2 million investment work for them commercially – Lidl has submitted a renewed planning application for a supermarket where … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Community associations, Parking, Planning, Pubs, Sanderstead, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lidl drops planning application for Hamsey Green site

Lidl, the German supermarket chain, has dropped its planning application for what amounted to a vast steel shed to be built on a gateway site into Croydon from Surrey on the Limpsfield Road, to the south of Sanderstead. The Lidl … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Community associations, Environment, Planning, Property, Pubs, Sanderstead, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sanderstead’s Hopley expected to be Croydon’s next mayor

Yvette Hopley, a councillor for Sanderstead, is to be the borough’s next Mayoress, Inside Croydon understands. Hopley, a Purley Oaks resident, has a background in public relations and antiques – some reckon the perfect training for working with Croydon’s Conservatives. … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Eddy Arram, Sanderstead, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Council helps Lidl defeat batman over pub demolition

Croydon Council has given the all-clear to Lidl to demolish the Good Companions pub at Hamsey Green, leaving local residents and some Sanderstead councillors to pin their hopes on objections to the planned supermarket because it is unsuitable for a … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Environment, Fairfield, Lynne Hale, Maria Gatland, Planning, Property, Pubs, Richard Ottaway MP, Sanderstead, South Croydon, Tim Pollard, Whitgift Foundation, Wildlife, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Lidl encounters strong opposition after paying £2m for pub site

Lidl could have paid three times the market rate to purchase the Good Companions pub site on Limpsfield Road, Sanderstead, and look like they could be left with a £2.2 million real estate bill for a store that few locals … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Crime, Croydon South, Environment, Fairfield, Lynne Hale, Outside Croydon, Planning, Property, Pubs, Richard Ottaway MP, Sanderstead, Schools, South Croydon, Tim Pollard, Waddon, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments