Category Archives: Phil Thomas

Senior Tory councillor quits Town Hall but keeps it all quiet

Posted on November 25, 2017 by

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 →

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

Speakman speaks truth to the council’s powers-that-be

Posted on November 2, 2017 by

WALTER CRONXITE, our political editor, on a rare outburst of straight talking among our Town Hall elected representatives “Thank goodness someone finally had the courage to say it,” one very senior Labour councillor confided after Monday night’s full council meeting … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, Croydon Council, Donald Speakman, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, Maria Gatland, Mario Creatura, Oliver Lewis, Patsy Cummings, Phil Thomas, Purley, South Croydon, South Norwood, Stuart Collins, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Croydon’s leadership may be resigned to change at the top

Posted on September 19, 2017 by

WALTER CRONXITE, our political editor, on last night’s potentially defining meeting of the council The body language spoke volumes. There, sitting behind council leader Tony Newman, the Labour councillors’ heads were down, the arms folded. Facing unremitting questioning after Ofsted … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Barbara Peacock, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Maria Gatland, Mario Creatura, Mike Fisher, Phil Thomas, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

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

Posted on September 15, 2017 by

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

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, Sue Winborn, Tim Pollard | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Balancing the books allows Labour to invest in Croydon

Posted on March 1, 2017 by

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, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Let there be light: Skanska finish the job, only four months late

Posted on December 3, 2016 by

Under the council’s newly embossed letter-headings of “Delivering for Croydon”, this probably counts as a Pyrrhic victory: Skanska has finally finished installing street lights across the borough – only four months behind schedule. Given that, as recently as May 2014 … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Minster, Environment, Phil Thomas, Skanska, Street lighting, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Company behind council’s crap app faces winding up order

Posted on November 28, 2016 by

Croydon Council’s crap app – MyCroydon – could be about to crash, as the company which operates it, Sensemble, was facing winding up proceedings in the High Court today over around £100,000 in unpaid tax bills. The winding up order … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Fly tipping, Phil Thomas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Newman snubbed as Labour group gives backing to Collins

Posted on May 10, 2016 by

After spending a couple of hours sitting in the shadow of the Clocktower nursing a half-finished pint of lukewarm Stella, WALTER CRONXITE reports on last night’s meeting which, if it wasn’t the end of the beginning, might be remembered as … Continue reading →

Posted in 2016 London elections, 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, John Wentworth, Mark Watson, Pat Clouder, Patricia Hay-Justice, Paul Scott, Phil Thomas, Sean Fitzsimons, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Never mind the bollocks, here’s the Croydon Conservatives

Posted on March 5, 2016 by

It’s been Anarchy in the Town Hall this week, as our Tory councillors have been channelling their inner Johnny Rottens. WALTER CRONXITE suggests that such cunning stunts fail to serve their residents So who lost out from the decision of … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Croydon Council, Gavin Barwell, Mike Fisher, Patricia Hay-Justice, Phil Thomas, Sara Bashford, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Parking the tow trucks is another sign that cuts don’t work

Posted on November 26, 2015 by

WALTER CRONXITE on another cut in council services which seems to offer irresponsible drivers free rein to park their cars wherever they like What follows is a sentence that has never before appeared on Inside Croydon: We agree with Phil … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Kathy Bee, Parking, Phil Thomas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Could do better: council chief gets low marks and no Marx

Posted on November 12, 2015 by

Tony Newman has got his bucket and spade ready for a weekend break at the seaside. As WALTER CRONXITE delivers his mid-term report on Croydon’s Labour council, he’s not expecting the Town Hall leader to bring him back a stick … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, Boris Johnson, Croydon Council, CVA, Fairness Commission, Fly tipping, Housing, Mark Watson, Mayor of London, Nathan Elvery, New Addington, Paul Scott, Phil Thomas, Policing, Refuse collection, Steve Reed MP, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted on October 21, 2015 by

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

Tory councillor aids roads lobbyist expelled from UKIP

Posted on September 1, 2015 by

JEREMY CLACKSON, Inside Croydon’s Motoring Correspondent, has uncovered evidence that one of the borough’s most senior Tory councillors has been busily assisting a roads lobbyist to undermine efforts to make the borough’s streets safer for all When the Labour group … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, Community associations, Commuting, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Cycling, Environment, Gavin Barwell, Mario Creatura, Parking, Peter Staveley, Phil Thomas, Planning, Selsdon & Ballards, Tramlink, Transport, Winston McKenzie | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Un-Appy ‘Arry gets all wound-up in court action over debt

Posted on July 24, 2015 by

Red-faces all-round in Fisher’s Folly, the council’s over-expensive offices, after the company which was set up to provide a smart phone app to help keep rubbish off the borough’s streets has been dragged through the courts after just 18 months … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Fly tipping, Nathan Elvery, Phil Thomas, Refuse collection, Stuart Collins, Tech City | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Costs mount on council’s rubbish MyCroydon app

Posted on July 8, 2015 by

A tech worker who carried out work on the MyCroydon app has told Inside Croydon that the company which was given the contract by the council, “is not really an ‘app developer’ or ‘software developer’. All it has done is … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Capita, Croydon Council, Fly tipping, Graham Cadle, Phil Thomas, Refuse collection | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Council meeting goes through the motions as a costly joke

Posted on January 27, 2015 by

WALTER CRONXITE, our man watching the webcast with a Yorkie bar and  a cup of strong black coffee, calls for another reform of Croydon Council: scrap meetings of the full council. They’re a complete waste of time and public money, … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon West, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Gavin Barwell, Julie Belvir, Kenley, Lynne Hale, Mario Creatura, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Phil Thomas, Purley, Purley Pool, Richard Ottaway MP, Sanderstead, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Foundation, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Own goals galore scored on Croydon’s school playing fields

Posted on December 4, 2014 by

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

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

Posted on September 11, 2014 by

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

And they’re off! Betting hots up on Croydon’s Tory leadership

Posted on September 2, 2014 by

Sources on Katharine Street have told Inside Croydon that bets are already being laid as to who will be the next leader of the Conservative group on Croydon Council. It seems odds-on that Mike Fisher will stand down as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Gavin Barwell, Maria Gatland, Mario Creatura, Mike Fisher, Phil Thomas, Sara Bashford, Tim Pollard | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Councillors are not ‘Appy with MyCroydon’s performance

Posted on August 27, 2014 by

The MyCroydon smartphone app, a vital part of Labour’s new council administration’s “Don’t Mess With Croydon” T-shirt and slogans campaign, doesn’t work properly. Who says so? A group of Labour councillors, including the deputy cabinet member for T-shirts and slogans. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Croydon Council, Environment, Fly tipping, Graham Cadle, Phil Thomas, Refuse collection, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Aimless opposition could make for an extended honeymoon

Posted on July 1, 2014 by

THE VIEW FROM THE BACK BENCHES: Last night’s first council cabinet meeting of the new Labour administration was full of interesting announcements for Waddon councillor ANDREW PELLING So that’s what my Labour colleagues have been up to over the last … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Bernard Weatherill House, Bishop of Croydon, Boris Johnson, Croydon Council, Dudley Mead, Environment, Fly tipping, Housing, Mike Fisher, Phil Thomas, Refuse collection, Steve Reed MP, Taberner House, Tony Newman, URV, Vidhi Mohan, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Punch-drunk Tories struggling to get up off the canvas

Posted on June 26, 2014 by

WALTER CRONXITE has put down his copy of Boxing News to assess the ringcraft of Croydon’s defeated Tories as they warm up for their next big bout Like a boxer who has taken one heavy blow to the chin too many, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Addiscombe West, Ashburton, Clare Hilley, Coulsdon West, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Dudley Mead, Gavin Barwell, Mario Creatura, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, New Addington, Phil Thomas, Steve O'Connell, Tony Pearson, Vidhi Mohan, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Does Croydon’s new council have much to rave about?

Posted on June 21, 2014 by

One month on, WALTER CRONXITE, our local elections pollster who was first to call correctly the result of the Croydon Town Hall vote, takes a look behind the scenes in Fisher’s Folly to see what changes might be in store … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, Bernard Weatherill House, Capita, Coulsdon West, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon Radio, Fly tipping, Gavin Barwell, Jon Rouse, Mario Creatura, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Oliver Lewis, Phil Thomas, Planning, Refuse collection, Richard Ottaway MP, Steve Reed MP, Stuart Collins, Taberner House, Tony Newman, URV, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Spot the difference: Crapita sponsors Labour Mayor’s banquet

Posted on June 20, 2014 by

STEVEN DOWNES, editor of Inside Croydon, suggests that the borough’s new council has allowed itself to be compromised by the council’s senior staff, developers and big business even before it has been in office for a month Spot the difference. … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2014 council elections, Bernard Weatherill House, Business, Capita, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Environment, Fairfield Halls, Fly tipping, Julie Belvir, Manju Shahul Hameed, Mike Fisher, Nathan Elvery, Phil Thomas, Planning, Refuse collection, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, URV, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment