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 →

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