Category Archives: Maria Gatland

RAAC and ruins: Link school discovers dangerous concrete

Another local special school is shut down over concerns about ‘crumbling’ concrete used in its buildings. By GENE BRODIE, education correspondent The Link Secondary School on Croydon Road is the latest to be affected by concerns over RAAC, the lightweight … Continue reading

Posted in Beckmead Park, Croydon Council, Education, Maria Gatland, Mayor Jason Perry, Schools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Two Croydon schools forced to close over crumbling concrete

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council’s Tory leadership accused of ‘deceiving’ parents with statement issued last week on the state of the borough’s schools. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Despite assurances issued by the council, at least two Croydon schools will not be … Continue reading

Posted in Beckmead Park, Croydon Council, Education, Maria Gatland, Mayor Jason Perry, Schools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Perry’s back-pedalling furiously on Boris-backed bike scheme

Croydon Mayor’s long-term opposition to safe cycling infrastructure could yet lead to a scheme along Brighton Road causing someone serious injury, maybe worse, as the council fails to act on a potential death trap. By JEREMY CLACKSON, transport correspondent The … Continue reading

Posted in Boris Johnson, Crime, Croydon Council, Croydon Cycling Campaign, Environment, Health, Maria Gatland, Mayor Jason Perry, Purley, Ria Patel, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 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

Labour try to pass off Coulsdon address for South Croydon

CROYDON LABOUR IN CRISIS: The blundering local campaign organisation has dropped another clanger with its declaration of its candidate’s address for a ward by-election. By STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Labour’s by-election campaign in South Croydon, already causing discontent among grassroots party … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Croydon South, Jason Perry, Maria Gatland, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, New Addington, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Tory quits party over selection for South Croydon safe seat

Our south of the borough correspondent, PEARL LEE, reports on acrimony and manoeuvrings among the Conservatives over their choice of by-election candidate Danielle “Dani” Denton has been selected by the Conservatives as their candidate in the South Croydon ward by-election … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Fairfield, Jason Cummings, Jason Perry, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Labour officials pick ‘worst-ever’ candidate for by-election

CROYDON LABOUR IN CRISIS: Emergency resolution from constituency party blames Local Campaign Forum for multiple failures in local elections. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Labour officials have hand-picked as a candidate for the South Croydon election re-run someone who three weeks … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Cane Hill Park Residents' Association, Carole Bonner, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Croydon North, Croydon South, David White, Fieldway, Jason Perry, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, New Addington, Old Coulsdon, Oliver Lewis, South Croydon, Steve Reed MP, Stuart King, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Tory Mayor’s unnecessary ward by-election set for June 30

The South Croydon ward by-election will be held on Thursday, June 30, the council has announced. The by-election is a needless expense for the cash-strapped council that has been caused by Tory Mayor Jason Perry putting himself forward as a … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Jason Perry, Maria Gatland, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , | 4 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

From bankrupt to laughing stock as council count continues

WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on the country’s longest-lasting election count, and more unwanted notoriety for Croydon The Croydon election count looks set to head into a fifth day, and its second week, after yesterday’s session at Trinity School managed to … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Addiscombe East, Addiscombe West, Bensham Manor, Broad Green, Clive Fraser, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Jason Perry, Jeet Bains, Katherine Kerswell, Maddie Henson, Manju Shahul Hameed, Maria Gatland, New Addington, South Croydon, South Norwood, Stuart Collins, Thornton Heath, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross, Waddon, West Thornton, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Tories accused of ‘pandering to prejudice’ over cycle lanes

The Conservatives’ Mayoral candidate is contradicting his own party leader over a roads improvement scheme in South Croydon Jason Perry, the Conservative candidate to become the first executive Mayor of Croydon, has launched a petition which warns against “traffic chaos” … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Boris Johnson, Cycling, Environment, Jason Perry, London-wide issues, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, Parking, South Croydon, TfL, Transport, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Poll misery for Perry as #Partygate could cost him council seat

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The latest opinion polls suggest that despite bankrupting the borough, Labour could increase its number of councillors in May’s Town Hall elections. STEVEN DOWNES reports Inside Croydon’s mole in the lawns of Croydon Tories’ suburban Purley headquarters … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Jason Perry, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, Robert Ward, Selsdon and Addington Village, South Croydon, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Three ex-pubs are put up for sale as developers get cold feet

Community group has six weeks to find at least £1m to buy a once-successful  East Croydon boozer, as owners abandon plans to build flats Three former pubs have been put up for sale, as firms of developers appear set to … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe West, Business, Community associations, Housing, Maria Gatland, Planning, Property, Pubs, Shirley North, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Friends group opposes works to restore Croham Hurst after fire

Those not working this Bank Holiday Monday in the fine weather forecasted might want to take their recreation on the top of Croham Hurst, especially with the cooling tree cover on the route from the Croham valley. After the hard … Continue reading

Posted in Croham Hurst, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Friends of Croham Hurst Woods, Maria Gatland, South Croydon, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Fire brigade on stand-by for fire risk at Croydon beauty spot

There’s growing concerns, ahead of another hot and dry weekend, for the safety of a Croydon beauty spot from fires, coupled with mounting anger at the carelessness and “eco-vandalism” of some who might be planning to hold barbecues at Croham … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon parks, Environment, London Fire Brigade, Maria Gatland, South Croydon, Wildlife | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Large sections of Croham Hurst left scarred after day-long fires

Firefighters are on standby today to dampen down the embers after fire left a large part of Croham Hurst charred and blackened. Three fire engines attended the Site of Special Scientific Interest for most of yesterday, as a bush fire … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon parks, London Fire Brigade, Maria Gatland, South Croydon, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Councillor appeals to public to avoid fire risk at Croham Hurst

With the London Weather Centre already declaring this month the driest June since records began, a councillor in South Croydon has appealed to the public not to light fires or barbecues in one of the area’s most sensitive natural open … Continue reading

Posted in Croham Hurst, Croydon parks, Environment, Maria Gatland, South Croydon, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Council failure over children’s services becomes election issue

ELECTION COUNTDOWN: The local Tories are suspicious over the sudden banning of a senior councillor from a key social services improvement board meeting. WALTER CRONXITE reports For Labour in Croydon, it has been the issue that they dare not mention … Continue reading

Posted in Barbara Peacock, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Maria Gatland, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pollard’s manifesto makes election a question of honesty

ELECTION COUNTDOWN: Four years ago, the Conservatives in Croydon demonstrated their contempt for the electorate by not even bothering with a manifesto. This time round, as political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports, what they have produced is simply not very credible … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, Bernard Weatherill House, Boxpark, Brick by Brick, Carillion, Chris Philp MP, Community associations, Croydon Council, Housing, Jason Perry, Libraries, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, Mike Fisher, Paul Scott, Planning, Purley, Shirley North, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Council approves £30m school – despite 5,000 surplus places

GENE BRODIE, our education correspondent, provides lessons in arithmetic and reading comprehension for Croydon Council, after it cleared the way for the first selective state school in the borough for more than 40 years Croydon Council has removed Green Belt … Continue reading

Posted in Barbara Peacock, Coombe Wood School, Croydon Council, Education, Maria Gatland, Paul Scott, Planning, Schools, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

DfE sends in Camden officials to assist with children’s services

The press release issued by council leader Tony Newman just before Christmas proclaiming success in turning around Croydon’s failing children’s services department turns out to have been the epitome of “fake news”. Others might be less charitable, and more accurate, … Continue reading

Posted in Barbara Peacock, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Maria Gatland, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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

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

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