Category Archives: Dudley Mead

Objections? What objections? Opposition? What opposition?

Posted on May 30, 2020 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Has the council granted planning permission to a slew of sub-standard developments because the local Tories have allowed them to do so? STEVE WHITESIDE on the questions that Croydon Conservatives refuse to answer Have you ever wondered how … Continue reading →

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Dudley Mead, Jason Perry, Lynne Hale, Paul Scott, Pete Smith, Planning, Purley, Sanderstead, Tim Pollard | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Council contempt for public in Orwellian Town Hall meeting

Posted on March 28, 2018 by insidecroydon

Political editor WALTER CRONXITE watched the latest travesty of a council meeting, so you wouldn’t have to Will they never learn? Monday night saw the Town Hall chamber holding the last full meeting of the council before the local elections … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Chris Wright, Community associations, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Donald Speakman, Dudley Mead, Housing, Jo Negrini, Paul Scott, Planning, Purley, Queens Gardens, Shirley North, South Norwood, Tim Pollard, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Senior Tory councillor quits Town Hall but keeps it all quiet

Posted on November 25, 2017 by insidecroydon

KEN LEE, our Town Hall reporter, on the disappearing act performed by one of the local Tories’ former leading lights Unannounced at the Town Hall, and unmentioned to the people of Selsdon and Ballards ward she was supposed to be … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Dudley Mead, Phil Thomas, Sara Bashford, Selsdon & Ballards | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Vast majority of Croydon Tories (about a dozen) vote Perry

Posted on September 15, 2017 by insidecroydon

Jason Perry has been elected overwhelmingly to be the new deputy leader of Croydon Conservatives. When we say “elected overwhelmingly”, we mean just by Tory councillors. A maximum of 29 of them. That’s because Sara Bashford has now got a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Dudley Mead, Fairfield, Jason Perry, Mike Fisher, Phil Thomas, Sara Bashford, South Croydon, Sue Winborn, Tim Pollard, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Croydon Tories take their revenge on Fisher over #WadGate

Posted on September 13, 2017 by insidecroydon

There was blood on the shag pile at Croydon Tory HQ over selections for next May’s local elections. Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports on the high casualty rate among some of the council’s one-time big beasts Mike Fisher, until 2014 … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Chris Wright, Coulsdon East, Croydon Council, Donald Speakman, Dudley Mead, Gavin Barwell, Heathfield, James Thompson, Margaret Mead, Mike Fisher, Phil Thomas, Purley, Sara Bashford, Selsdon & Ballards, Shirley North, Sue Winborn, Tim Pollard | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Coulsdon councillor Bains gets bumped in Tory selections

Posted on September 7, 2017 by insidecroydon

WALTER CRONXITE, our political editor, reports that in the latest Croydon game of musical chairs, the music hasn’t stopped yet Jeet Bains, the subterraneanly low-profile Conservative councillor for Coulsdon West, looks to be the first casualty of the enforced re-selections … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Ashburton, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon West, Croydon Council, Donald Speakman, Dudley Mead, Fairfield, Heathfield, Helen Pollard, James Thompson, Jeet Bains, Luke Clancy, Margaret Mead, Mario Creatura, Purley, Selsdon & Ballards, Sue Winborn, Tony Newman, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted on April 19, 2017 by insidecroydon

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

Posted on March 1, 2017 by insidecroydon

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

Pollard’s Tories too timid in their call to axe 10 councillors

Posted on July 15, 2016 by insidecroydon

Croydon Council Tax-payers are subsidising the local Conservative and Labour parties to the tune of nearly £100,000 per year. No wonder the duopoly at the Town Hall don’t want to make any serious reductions to the number of councillors, reports … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Broad Green, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Gavin Barwell, John Wentworth, Sanderstead, Selsdon & Ballards, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Down with this sort of thing: Tory petitioners get it wrong, again

Posted on July 7, 2016 by insidecroydon

After last month’s debacle, it should be clear to most reasonable people that “government by referendum” is full of unintended consequences. Closer to home, here in Croydon, it appears that opposition through petition is a bit crap, too. Mario Creatura, … Continue reading →

Posted in Coulsdon West, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Dudley Mead, Environment, Fly tipping, Gavin Barwell, Mario Creatura, Quadron, Refuse collection, Stuart Collins, Tim Pollard, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Newman’s time for change as he faces threat of ‘dead sheep’

Posted on April 17, 2016 by insidecroydon

WALTER CRONXITE on the ins and outs of the latest council “non-reshuffles”, and how the the spectre of #WadGate and others’ past crimes still stalk the Town Hall’s corridors of (not much) power “They used to say that being attacked … Continue reading →

Posted in 2016 London elections, 2018 council elections, Croydon South, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Dudley Mead, Hamida Ali, Heathfield, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, London Assembly, Margaret Mead, Mark Watson, Matthew Kyeremeh, Mike Fisher, Pat Ryan, Paul Scott, Planning, Sara Bashford, Selsdon & Ballards, Steve O'Connell, Stuart Collins, Thornton Heath, Tim Pollard, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Whitgift Foundation, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

100 jobs will be lost with two-year Fairfield Halls closure

Posted on October 21, 2015 by insidecroydon

The battle for Croydon’s cultural future took a twist at the Town Hall last night, with local Tories arguing against job cuts and wanting to spend more public money on the borough’s flagship arts facility, as STEVEN DOWNES reports Croydon’s … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon College, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Dudley Mead, Education, Environment, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Housing, Jo Negrini, London Mozart Players, Music, Nathan Elvery, Phil Thomas, Planning, Property, Riesco Collection, Stuart Collins, Theatre, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman, URV, Warehouse Theatre, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

High Court judge rejects legal challenge to landlord licensing

Posted on August 13, 2015 by insidecroydon

The legal challenge against Croydon Council’s landlord licensing scheme, a flagship manifesto policy which helped get Labour elected last year, has been rejected by a High Court judge, a decision greeted by one senior council figure as, “A great day … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Alison Butler, Business, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Environment, Housing, Jo Negrini, Planning, Property, Stiles Harold Williams, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Town Hall withdraws all councillors from Fairfield Halls board

Posted on May 29, 2015 by insidecroydon

Wonders will never cease. For the first time in its 50-plus-year history, the Fairfield Halls management board has no members imposed upon it by Croydon Council. The decision was announced by the Labour-run council last week, in among its various … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Emily Benn, Fairfield Halls, Property, Timothy Godfrey, Toni Letts | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Tory councillors warned over failure to pay party levy

Posted on February 3, 2015 by insidecroydon

Croydon’s Tory group on the council is feeling the financial pressure, and some elected councillors have been issued with warnings by local Conservative officials after failing to make payments from their council allowances into the campaign fund being used to … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Chris Wright, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon West, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Gavin Barwell, Mario Creatura, Mike Fisher, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

96 days to go and councillors’ self-interest is showing

Posted on January 31, 2015 by insidecroydon

Have you had someone with a rosette knock at your door yet? You will, says WALTER CRONXITE, you will. Though how the tax-payers of Croydon will benefit from one of the longest election campaigns in history is questionable Fed up … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015 General Election, Addiscombe West, Chris Wright, Croydon Central, Dudley Mead, Eddy Arram, Gavin Barwell, Helen Pollard, Jan Buttinger, Jason Cummings, Jason Perry, Louisa Woodley, Maggie Mansell, Malcolm Wicks MP, Margaret Mead, Maria Gatland, Mario Creatura, Mark Watson, Patricia Hay-Justice, Robert Canning, Sara Bashford, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Hollands, Tim Pollard, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman, Wayne Lawlor, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Terry & June, the sequel: His and Her MBEs

Posted on December 31, 2014 by insidecroydon

As it’s the pantomime season, Inside Croydon is proud to present a special Croydon-themed show, not featuring Gareth Gates and unlikely to be performed at the Fairfield Halls any time soon, but starring Croydon’s First Couple, Dudley and Margaret Mead … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Bernard Weatherill House, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Fairfield Halls, Gavin Barwell, Heathfield, London Mozart Players, Margaret Mead, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Planning, Theatre, Tony Newman, URV, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Newman goes missing at the making of piece of black history

Posted on October 8, 2014 by insidecroydon

WALTER CRONXITE, our man in the Town Hall chamber with a Yorkie bar and half-finished crossword from that day’s Metro sticking out of his jacket pocket, reports on Monday’s council meeting, where all promises of doing civic business in a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015 General Election, Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, David Osland, Dudley Mead, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Gavin Barwell, Hamida Ali, John Wentworth, Lynne Hale, Mike Fisher, Pat Ryan, Planning, Taberner House, Tim Pollard, Timothy Godfrey, Tony Newman, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Book Token” promoted as Pollard completes Tory takeover

Posted on September 21, 2014 by insidecroydon

Croydon’s Tory councillors yesterday duly anointed Tim Pollard, the “loyal deputy” who did just enough to cause the downfall of Mike Fisher over #WadGate, as their new leader. With no one else from the 30-strong group of Conservative councillors prepared … Continue reading →

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, David Osland, Dudley Mead, Gavin Barwell, Libraries, Mike Fisher, Richard Ottaway MP, Sara Bashford, Tim Pollard | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mead speaks out at cabinet on behalf of his “inner circle”

Posted on September 16, 2014 by insidecroydon

In an extraordinary outburst of arrogance, entitlement and pomposity, Dudley Mead, the deputy leader of the Conservative group on Croydon Council, last night underlined exactly why neither he, nor any other councillor with vested interests outside the Town Hall chamber, … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Dudley Mead, Education, Emily Benn, Jo Negrini, Mike Fisher, Planning, Property, Selsdon & Ballards, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Secret meeting to dole out council’s Trumpton-esque honours

Posted on September 15, 2014 by insidecroydon

There’s another example of just how “open and transparent” the business of the council has become since Labour took control of the Town Hall after the local elections. Tonight, before the main business of the cabinet meeting, there is another … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Eddy Arram, Mike Fisher, Pat Ryan, Tim Pollard, Toni Letts, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ruskin Square could include theatre if council refunds £3m

Posted on September 14, 2014 by insidecroydon

Croydon could get a purpose-built, modern 200-seat studio theatre to replace the much-lamented Warehouse Theatre, provided that the council re-allocates a £3 million grant originally intended for the purpose by private developers Stanhope. The news comes as the now Labour-run … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Business, Cinema, Comedy, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Dudley Mead, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Music, Planning, Property, Riesco Collection, Ruskin Square, Theatre, Timothy Godfrey, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Education spokeswoman joins Letts on Whitgift board

Posted on September 12, 2014 by insidecroydon

An overwhelming 81 per cent of respondents in Inside Croydon’s latest online poll believe that veteran Labour councillor Tony Letts should resign her position on the board of governors of the Whitgift Foundation to avoid conflicts of interest in her … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Alisa Flemming, Allders, Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Education, Emily Benn, Gavin Barwell, Margaret Mead, Old Palace, Property, Sarah Jones MP, Schools, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Trinity School, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation, Whitgift School | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Exclusive: John Loony wins Tory election (sort of). At last

Posted on September 11, 2014 by insidecroydon

After a political career that started in failure (to misquote Enoch Powell), John Cartwright has at last won a public vote. Cartwright, after spending 20 years contesting every possible election in Croydon as John Loony, the Official Monster Raving Loony … Continue reading →

Posted in Dudley Mead, Fairfield, Gavin Barwell, Heathfield, Helen Pollard, Maria Gatland, Mike Fisher, Phil Thomas, Riesco Collection, Sanderstead, South Croydon, Tim Pollard | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

#WadGate: The questions that Barwell has failed to answer

Posted on September 7, 2014 by insidecroydon

STEVEN DOWNES, editor of Inside Croydon, on how a local MP has been working furiously to save his own political skin So, the Tory narrative on #WadGate has been set. “It’s all Mike Fisher’s fault. He is terribly sorry. And … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015 General Election, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Gavin Barwell, Julie Belvir, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Sara Bashford, Shirley North, Simon Hoar, Steve Hollands, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments