Category Archives: Shirley South

Labour Party ends suspension of ex-council leader Newman

CROYDON IN CRISIS: After more than four years, the two men who presided over what at the time was the biggest financial collapse in the history of local authorities in England have been allowed back into their political party. EXCLUSIVE … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, David Evans, Fieldway, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, New Addington South, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Rowenna Davis, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Steve Reed MP, The Penn Report, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

What a load of old rubbish! And that’s just inside the Town Hall

There’s only a handful of opportunities each year for the public to question the way their council is being run, but as ANDREW FISHER, pictured right, discovered when watching last night’s full council meeting, it is increasingly obvious that the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Fisher, Callton Young, Christopher Herman, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Crime, Croydon Council, Fly tipping, Heathfield House, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Live Facial Recognition cameras, Mayor Jason Perry, Refuse collection, Ria Patel, Rowenna Davis, Simon Fox, Stuart King, Veolia, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

BINMAGEDDON 2: Clinical waste collections halved in new deal

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Residents and carers using a special service to dispose of  hygiene waste were given less than two weeks’ notice that the service was being discontinued – potentially creating ‘a health and safety issue of enormous proportions’. By … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Health, Mayor Jason Perry, Refuse collection, Scott Roche, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Mayor Perry lies to BBC over his closures of Croydon libraries

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Decision to close four libraries was based on dodgy data that failed to measure use of public amenities for a range of activities, from private study for school pupils to yoga classes for the elderly. By WALTER … Continue reading →

Posted in Broad Green, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Education, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Top Tory admits Fairfield Halls could be sold for the right deal

CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘Come on down! The price is right!’ The cabinet member for finance has said that the arts and conference centre could yet be sold if the cash-strapped council is ordered to do so. By STEVEN DOWNES Jason … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Music, Ria Patel, Section 114 notice, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

They voted to raise your Council Tax, then to increase their pay

TOWN HALL SKETCH: Things don’t sound too good in the Chamber these days, and it is not just because the council has hired a cheaper contractor for its audio system. As tempers frayed at the most important meeting of the … Continue reading →

Posted in 'Future Croydon', Amy Foster, Avril Slipper, Callton Young, Christopher Herman, Claire Bonham, Council Tax, Croydon Carers, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Esther Sutton, Ian Parker, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Kola Agboola, Mayor Jason Perry, Ria Patel, Rowenna Davis, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Councillor’s workplace issue: House of Fraser or Commons?

EXCLUSIVE: It’s not just Chancellor Rachel Reeves who struggles to get her CV right, as SANDRA STEAD, our in-house number-cruncher, uncovers a fifth case of an elected representative in Croydon failing to keep proper records in their register of interest … Continue reading →

Posted in Claire Holland, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, London Councils, London-wide issues, Louis Carserides, Mayor Jason Perry, Scott Roche, Shirley South, Simon Fox, South Norwood, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, Streatham and Croydon North, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Perry’s ‘nice little earner’ – Tory Mayor’s undeclared £10,000

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Elected figures across the capital are pocketing generous ‘bonuses’ – all paid for by Council Tax-payers, just for attending a few committee meetings for the London Councils organisation. EXCLUSIVE by WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Croydon’s Tory Mayor … Continue reading →

Posted in Claire Holland, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, London Councils, London-wide issues, Louis Carserides, Mayor Jason Perry, Scott Roche, Shirley South, South Norwood, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Ashburton and Coulsdon public libraries begin to open up

Having closed four public libraries last year – at Bradmore Green, Sanderstead, Shirley and Broad Green – Croydon’s Conservative Mayor Jason Perry is oh-so-gradually rolling out longer opening hours at what remains of the borough’s library network. Ashburton Library and … Continue reading →

Posted in Ashburton, Broad Green, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Libraries, New Addington South, Norbury, Old Coulsdon, Purley, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South, South Norwood, Thornton Heath | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Directors leave scrutiny short of answers over council job cuts

KEN LEE reports from the frontline of budget discussions at the cash-strapped council, after a meeting where everyone is working very, very hard, but no one in charge bothered to turn up equipped to provide any answers  Councillors from both … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair Stewart, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Karen Agbabiaka, Kristian Aspinall, Libraries, Louis Carserides, Scott Roche, Stella Nabukeera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

South Norwood councillor quits as special advisor at DEFRA

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Louis Carserides is a third councillor forced to alter their register of interests after questioning from Inside Croydon, as the long-time aide of MP Steve Reed quits his government job. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES An Inside Croydon … Continue reading →

Posted in Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Louis Carserides, Scott Roche, Shirley South, South Norwood, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Senior black police officer dismissed for racist messaging

Shirley resident Charles Ehikioya, a senior officer in the Metropolitan Police, has been dismissed for gross misconduct over a group chat with a former colleague in which racist, sexist and inappropriate messages were sent and received. Inspector Ehikioya has been … Continue reading →

Posted in London-wide issues, Policing, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Councillor complains over legal failings: ‘It feels morally wrong’

CROYDON IN CRISIS: No one will face legal action for their part in the council’s financial collapse, despite Town Hall bosses spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on special reports and advice from high-powered barristers. Yet one of Mayor Perry’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Shirley South, The Penn Report | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cabinet member Roche goes months without updating register

Another week, and another Croydon councillor has been found out as breaking the council’s code of conduct by failing to update their declarations of interest in a timely manner. This time it is Conservative council cabinet member Scott Roche, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Scott Roche, Shirley South, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Council puts the ‘sham’ into ‘shambolic’ over 4 closed libraries

It’s Friday 13th, so unlucky for some, as Croydon has designated this as the final day for applications to take over the four public libraries ordered closed by Tory Mayor Jason Perry. Bradmore Green, in Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley and … Continue reading →

Posted in Broad Green, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Labour minister Bryant rejects public’s pleas to save libraries

Parents, grandparents and youngsters gathered at Bradmore Green Library yesterday, the council-run facility’s final day of operation. Bradmore Green, in Old Coulsdon, together with three other public libraries in Croydon – Sanderstead, Shirley and Broad Green – are being closed … Continue reading →

Posted in Broad Green, Community associations, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Halloween tales: discovering Croydon’s most haunted places

From ‘The Green Lady’ of Old Palace, to highwayman Dick Turpin’s connection to a (now closed) Thornton Heath pub, to the nun and pilot who haunt the streets around the old aerodrome, there’s plenty of ghost stories to send a … Continue reading →

Posted in Old Palace, Pubs, Shirley North, Shirley South, Thornton Heath | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

No money, no plan, no honesty: Mayor still closing 4 libraries

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Residents, library campaigners and members of the council’s scrutiny committee have all seen through the council’s dodgy recommendations for reducing the borough’s library service. And with the council running at £42m over-budget for this year, further closures … Continue reading →

Posted in Broad Green, Community associations, Croydon Council, Education, Kristian Aspinall, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Property, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Perry ducks scrutiny over council financials that don’t add up

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Elected Mayor didn’t hang around to face the music from councillors as the £42m overspend was discussed at the Town Hall this week. By STEVEN DOWNES The council’s projected £42million overspend this financial year is “unprecedented”, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Leila Ben-Hassel, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Council is reported to government for library report failures

Libraries correspondent GENE BRODIE on the latest twist in the long-running saga The cobbled-together, evidence-lite and contradictory report recommending the closure of four of the borough’s public libraries now faces a legal challenge – even before Croydon’s Mayor, Jason Perry, … Continue reading →

Posted in Broad Green, Charity, Community associations, Coulsdon, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Education, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Library Campaign’s formal complaint to DCMS over Croydon

‘Paltry’ savings, 66% opposition to closure and still no costings or plan. Here is the text of The Library Campaign’s formal complaint about Croydon’s dodgy libraries consultation, as submitted today to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport This … Continue reading →

Posted in Broad Green, Community associations, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Perry’s ‘cruel closures’ of one-quarter of borough’s libraries

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Residents’ groups in the south of the borough accuse the Mayor, and the council, of not listening, and raise serious doubts about proposals to transfer maintenance funds to other areas. By our libraries correspondent, GENE BRODIE Four … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Broad Green, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Education, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Legal battle expected as Perry to order four libraries to close

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Tory Mayor is about to rubber-stamp decision which was ridiculed by local Conservative MP as providing savings that represent ‘a drop in the ocean of the council’s debt’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Mayor Jason Perry will … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Broad Green, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Education, Libraries, Manju Shahul Hameed, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South, Stuart Collins | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Closing libraries is a sign of ‘failed administration’ – say Tories

Education correspondent GENE BRODIE on the ever-present threat to the borough’s public libraries, with a doom-laden, long-delayed council report expected next week At the council cabinet meeting to be held on September 25 (the first such meeting held by our … Continue reading →

Posted in Broad Green, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Education, Libraries, Manju Shahul Hameed, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South, Stuart Collins | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Selling off borough’s public libraries is act of social vandalism

In his latest column, ANDREW FISHER, pictured right, looks for the real reasons behind closure plans and suggests that the Labour Government should be doing more to help struggling local authorities One of my favourite songs from the 1990s begins … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Fisher, Broad Green, Croydon Council, Education, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments