Category Archives: Maria Gatland

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

Posted on January 3, 2018 by insidecroydon

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

Posted on November 2, 2017 by insidecroydon

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 insidecroydon

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

Croydon’s Ofsted crisis: This is too important for politics

Posted on September 18, 2017 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The children’s services report is the greatest crisis to confront the council since the riots six years ago. Except, says STEVEN DOWNES, it is just the local reflection of a national collapse of social work “This is too … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Barbara Peacock, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Maria Gatland, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Commission draws the line under Newman’s bid for control

Posted on July 4, 2017 by insidecroydon

Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on how an effort to shore-up Town Hall power through boundary changes has left Croydon’s Labour leadership even more dependent on Jeremy Corbyn, the party leader many of them tried to oust The Local Government Boundary … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Addiscombe West, Andrew Rendle, Ashburton, Croydon Council, David Wood, Fairfield, Gavin Barwell, Helen Pollard, Kenley, Maddie Henson, Maria Gatland, New Addington South, Paul Scott, Selhurst, South Croydon, Stephen Mann, Steve O'Connell, Sue Winborn, Tim Pollard, Timothy Godfrey, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Vidhi Mohan, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

£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

Council returns £250,000 pupil premium and doesn’t know why

Posted on August 1, 2016 by insidecroydon

Cash-strapped Croydon Council sent back nearly £250,000 of education funding unspent to Government last year. The cash represents almost one-quarter of Croydon’s pupil premium, intended for some of the borough’s most in-need children. And probably most worrying of all, when … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Croydon Council, Education, Maria Gatland, Schools, Sean Fitzsimons, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Purley Tory Speakman’s Labour past emerges 50 years on

Posted on March 28, 2016 by insidecroydon

March 31 this year will be the 50th anniversary of the 1966 General Election, when Harold Wilson’s Labour enjoyed a landslide victory over the Conservatives. The BBC has been marking the occasion with a day-long transmission of their election night … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Speakman, Maria Gatland, Purley | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Borough’s North-South divide and riddle of the 39 pitches

Posted on December 16, 2015 by insidecroydon

WALTER CRONXITE finally gets his hands on a hard copy of the council’s Local Plan and finds that its sub-title is “How to hand a political advantage to the opposition” Spite and pettiness by local politicians has seen another own … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Broad Green, Business, Coulsdon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Environment, Gardening, Gavin Barwell, Heathfield, Housing, Jason Perry, Lloyd Park, Maria Gatland, Planning, Sarah Jones MP, South Croydon, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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

Council backs developers to allow Croham flat conversions

Posted on December 24, 2014 by insidecroydon

Inside Croydon Towers received the following letter in its bulging sack of mail this week. It is a damning account of how Croydon Council’s attitude to planning protection is affecting residents’ lives adversely I moved from Wallington to Croydon in … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Jason Perry, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, Planning, Richard Ottaway MP, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Own goals galore scored on Croydon’s school playing fields

Posted on December 4, 2014 by insidecroydon

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

Friends environmental group to receive Queen’s award

Posted on October 28, 2014 by insidecroydon

The Friends of Croham Hurst Woods will be celebrating a prize-winning year at their annual meeting next month, when they will be presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The doughty band of residents who each month spend at … Continue reading →

Posted in Community associations, Environment, Friends of Croham Hurst Woods, Maria Gatland, South Croydon, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Three children go missing while in Croydon Council care

Posted on October 14, 2014 by insidecroydon

Three children have gone missing in the past month while in the care of Croydon Council. The news of the children’s disappearances came in a written answer from Alisa Flemming, the council cabinet member for children, families and learning, at … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Crime, Croydon Council, Maria Gatland | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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

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

Posted on September 2, 2014 by insidecroydon

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

“Farage is right” says Croydon Conservative MP’s hired gofer

Posted on August 22, 2014 by insidecroydon

A leading member of the Conservative party in Croydon, and the Westminster assistant to a Tory MP in a marginal seat with a significant Muslim population, has backed UKIP’s Nigel Farage. Mario Creatura, who is paid up to £33,000 per … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015 General Election, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Croydon Central, Gavin Barwell, Maria Gatland, Mario Creatura, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

How Croydon Tories were trumped by more ideas and activists

Posted on June 2, 2014 by insidecroydon

COUNCILLOR ANDREW PELLING looks ahead to tomorrow evening’s formal Town Hall occasion which will herald the beginning of a new municipal year, and a new council administration I am looking forward to tomorrow’s annual meeting of the council. It’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Addiscombe West, Andrew Pelling, Clare Hilley, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Fairfield, Gavin Barwell, Heathfield, Margaret Mead, Maria Gatland, Mike Fisher, Simon Hoar, Tony Newman, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Scouring Croham’s campaign for anything that might inspire

Posted on May 4, 2014 by insidecroydon

VOTE 2014: Over the next couple of weeks, we will preview the local elections with a look at key wards and the key issues. With 15 candidates from seven parties or groups standing in Croham, with the Greens, UKIP and … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, Croydon Greens, Croydon South, Gordon Ross, Jason Perry, Jon Bigger, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, Parking, Property, Pubs, Shasha Khan, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Croham NF candidate dropped from election broadcast

Posted on April 3, 2014 by insidecroydon

Croydon Radio was forced into an embarrassing U-turn yesterday, as it withdrew its invitation to Tony Martin, Croydon’s representative of the fascist far-right, to appear on its endurance test of a four-hour “election special” planned for Sunday. Tony Martin – … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, Croydon Council, Croydon Radio, Local media, Maria Gatland, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

De-selected Pollard quickly finds Fairfield ward an easy Fitze

Posted on March 11, 2014 by insidecroydon

Congratulations to the Pollard family, who had to go barely 24 hours facing the horrible prospect of living like ordinary, hard-working Croydon residents and no longer receiving their annual “allowances” total of £67,354 for their part-time roles as Croydon councillors. … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, Andrew Stranack, Boris Johnson, David Fitze, Fairfield, Heathfield, Helen Pollard, Jan Buttinger, Jason Perry, Kenley, Maria Gatland, Mayor of London, Michael Neal, South Croydon, Steve Hollands, Steve O'Connell, Sue Winborn, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Labour select councillor from Kent to stand in Croham

Posted on November 25, 2013 by insidecroydon

Croydon Labour’s selection process for candidates to stand in next May’s local elections has stumbled into another potential controversy, after Chris Clark was chosen to stand in Croham ward in 2014. Clark is currently a councillor in Ashford in Kent, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, Jason Perry, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

What a load of rubbish: council fails residents (part 94)

Posted on July 23, 2013 by insidecroydon

Chaos on Mayfield Road yesterday morning, when just before dawn a fly-tipper dumped a load of assorted builder’s waste in the middle of the suburban Sanderstead street. This is just the latest instance of a rapidly growing problem in Croydon, … Continue reading →

Posted in Community associations, Commuting, Croydon Council, Environment, London-wide issues, Maria Gatland, Mike Fisher, Sanderstead, South Croydon, Transport, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Red Deer locals look north for help to rebuff Morrisons

Posted on April 30, 2013 by insidecroydon

Another landmark Croydon pub is under threat of takeover from a supermarket chain. And our local councillors’ response – where they have bothered to respond – is effectively to shrug their shoulders and say there’s nothing that they can, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Community associations, Maria Gatland, Planning, Property, Pubs, Sanderstead, South Croydon, South Croydon Community Association, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Send ’em back! Councillor’s rant against traveller groups

Posted on October 16, 2012 by insidecroydon

Sexism, rants against the local press for failing to be sufficiently subservient, and racism – last night’s full meeting of the council at the Town Hall had it all. It was as if, for Croydon’s ruling Conservative group, the 1930s … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Speakman, Maria Gatland, Purley, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment