Category Archives: Clare Hilley

Selling himself cheap: Councillor Hoar’s a wanted man

Posted on June 16, 2013 by insidecroydon

This was spotted by our loyal reader in North End yesterday, at the Green Fair… Clearly, Councillor Simon “I’m cheap, but I’m not free” Hoar’s reputation is sinking lower than ever.

Posted in Clare Hilley, Croydon Greens, Environment, Simon Hoar, Tony Harris, Waddon, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ex-MP Pelling selected to run for Labour in Waddon

Posted on June 12, 2013 by insidecroydon

They used to call Bill Clinton “the Comeback Kid”. But Andrew Pelling could soon become known as Croydon’s Comeback Kid, following the former Tory MP and council’s Conservative leader’s selection last night as one of three candidates to stand for … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 council elections, Andrew Pelling, Clare Hilley, Joy Prince, Robert Canning, Simon Hoar, Tony Harris, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Countdown to council elections begins in Toy Town gowns

Posted on May 21, 2013 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: It is one year until the council elections, and for some, they have everything to lose, writes STEVEN DOWNES Last night’s instalment of a new Mayor of Croydon, Sanderstead councillor Yvette Hopley, marked the firing of the starter’s … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2012 by-election, 2014 council elections, 2015 General Election, Addiscombe West, Alison Butler, Badsha Quadir, Boris Johnson, Centrale, Clare Hilley, Coulsdon East, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Croydon South, Dudley Mead, Eddy Arram, Environment, Gavin Barwell, Health, Louisa Woodley, Margaret Mead, Mike Fisher, New Addington, Policing, Purley, Richard Ottaway MP, Sanderstead, Selsdon & Ballards, Simon Hoar, Tony Harris, Tony Newman, Waddon, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation, Yvette Hopley | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Let them bake cake: Croydon Portas team’s £16,000 spend

Posted on May 18, 2013 by insidecroydon

Croydon’s Portas Pilot scheme, which saw the historic Surrey Street Market granted £100,000 of government money a year ago, is spending nearly £16,000 of that cash to stage a handful of baking competitions and to “improve” Exchange Square. Inside Croydon … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, Business, Centrale, Clare Hilley, Croydon Council, Gavin Barwell, Surrey Street, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Councillor acts as delivery boy for £1bn incinerator company

Posted on May 13, 2013 by insidecroydon

A senior Conservative councillor in Croydon has refused to answer questions about why he spent much of Saturday distributing leaflets in his ward, apparently as an overpaid delivery boy on behalf of multi-billion rubbish burners Viridor. Simon Hoar, councillor in … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Environment, Mike Fisher, Simon Hoar, Sutton Council, Tony Harris, Waddon, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Sutton official tried to influence vote at incinerator meeting

Posted on May 3, 2013 by insidecroydon

An audio clip, obtained from the official Sutton Council recording of last week’s controversial planning meeting for the £1 billion incinerator scheme at Beddington Lane, shows that a council official intervened with the meeting chairman to try to force a … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Clare Hilley, Croydon Greens, Environment, Simon Hoar, Stuart Collins, Sutton Council, Waddon, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Investigation called for over councillor’s planning interests

Posted on April 7, 2013 by insidecroydon

Julie Belvir, the Borough Solicitor, Croydon Council‘s senior legal officer, is expected to investigate the conduct of Waddon councillor Clare Hilley. Last month, Inside Croydon published an email from Hilley in which she offered her “planning expertise” to a leading … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Environment, Housing, Julie Belvir, Planning, Property, Simon Hoar, Tony Harris, Waddon, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dr Toxic’s latest hit is a real Song for Europe (and Waddon)

Posted on March 31, 2013 by insidecroydon

It’s unlikely to be at No1 when the next charts are announced, and Justin Beiber has little to fear. But Dr Toxic’s little ditty might just end up becoming an ear-worm for the Waddon councillors who sought election on a … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Croydon Greens, Croydon North, Environment, Health, London-wide issues, Music, Simon Hoar, Tony Harris, Waddon, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Gis a planning job”: damning email from Croydon councillor

Posted on March 17, 2013 by insidecroydon

Inside Croydon has obtained an email sent from a Croydon councillor to a leading firm in the building industry, seeking work based on their “planning expertise” at a time when the councillor was serving on the Town Hall’s planning committees. … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Croydon South, Julie Belvir, Planning, Richard Ottaway MP, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Planning conflicts of interest? In Croydon? Don’t be silly

Posted on March 12, 2013 by insidecroydon

The Daily Torygraph, that bastion of left-wing revolutionaries, yesterday ran a fascinating report on how some councillors had been abusing their position within local authority planning committees to line their own pockets. Or purses. Shock! Horror! This, of course, would … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Cane Hill, Clare Hilley, Croydon South, Housing, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Richard Ottaway MP, Ruskin Square, URV, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Leisure centre opens – and charges locals £44 per month

Posted on January 30, 2013 by insidecroydon

Olympic legacy? Not at the Waddon Leisure Centre, opened yesterday by Croydon Council inviting a Paralympic champion from… Sutton. The public facility – built at a cost of £15million, or one-tenth of the price we are paying for the Council … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Fusion, Leisure services, Simon Hoar, Tony Harris, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Inside Croydon 2012: what our loyal reader’s been reading

Posted on December 31, 2012 by insidecroydon

The following is the Inside Croydon 2012 Hit Parade, and needs to be read in the “voice” of Alan “Fluff” Freeman. For younger readers, think Smashy and Nicey… It’s the top 20 posts published on this site in the past … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 Olympics, Allders, Athletics, Boris Johnson, Clare Hilley, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace FC, David Osland, East Croydon, Fairfield Halls, Football, Gavin Barwell, Health, History, Inside Croydon, Lawrence Okoye, Restaurants, Roy Hodgson, Rugby Union, Sanderstead, Shirley Oaks Hospital, Sport, Tony Pearson, Tramlink, Transport, Warehouse Theatre, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What does an average councillor do for £11,000 a year?

Posted on December 26, 2012 by insidecroydon

Denied a frank and honest answer by Mike Fisher, the leader of Croydon Council, in respect of the hours that he puts in for his £50,000-plus in allowances each year, we thought we would try another measure of what work … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Mike Fisher, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Reed victory sends danger signals to Croydon Tories for 2014

Posted on November 30, 2012 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: There was a reason for Steve Reed’s campaign to focus so much on the state of our streets. It was because Labour are planning to clean-up at the next council elections, say ANDREW PELLING Eddy Arram, the neutral … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 by-election, Andrew Stranack, Ashburton, Clare Hilley, Coulsdon East, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Eddy Arram, Fairfield, Gavin Barwell, Lee Jasper, Malcolm Wicks MP, Mike Fisher, New Addington, Shirley North, Simon Hoar, Steve Reed MP, Vidhi Mohan, Waddon, Winston McKenzie | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MP Ottaway U-turns to sail off into the expenses-free sunset

Posted on October 27, 2012 by insidecroydon

“How do you know that a politician is lying?” goes the old musical hall joke. “Their lips move…” Croydon South’s absentee MP, Richard Ottaway, the avid expenses claimer who went sailing at Cowes in the week of the London riots, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boris Johnson, Clare Hilley, Croydon 8/8, Croydon South, Gavin Barwell, Mayor of London, Richard Ottaway MP, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

‘MPs are being chosen by tiny bunches of people’

Posted on September 27, 2012 by insidecroydon

Local democracy is in a state of terminal decay, through disinterest, apathy, disgust with politicians and general ignorance, with the effect that unrepresentative cabals are dominating the national political agenda, from Town Hall to parliament, often assuming power simply by … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Eddy Arram, Gavin Barwell, Margaret Mead, Michael Neal, Richard Ottaway MP, Sara Bashford, Steve O'Connell, Tom Brake MP, Tony Harris, Tony Pearson, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Conflicts highlighted before Tory councillor left committee

Posted on September 24, 2012 by insidecroydon

The continuing claims of Croydon’s leading political figures that they really do avoid any potential conflicts of interest with their outside appointments are starting to ring ever more hollow, after it emerged that one Conservative councillor has left the Town … Continue reading →

Posted in Cane Hill, Clare Hilley, Croydon Council, David Osland, Housing, Ian Parker, Mike Fisher, Planning, Property, URV, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Croydon’s Labour group prepares for 2014 elections

Posted on September 19, 2012 by insidecroydon

The Croydon election campaign is underway. The campaign for the 2014 local council elections, that is. Though we are 20 months out from the next local elections, it is notable that the Croydon Labour party is organising so early for … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Council Tax, Croydon Council, New Addington, Simon Hoar, Sutton Council, Tony Harris, Tony Newman, Tony Pearson, URV, Waddon, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Greens call for Croydon residents to act now on incinerator

Posted on September 13, 2012 by insidecroydon

The local Green party is calling on Croydon and Sutton residents to ensure that they take part in the consultation process for the Beddington Lane incinerator, with the deadline for objections to be submitted next Tuesday, September 18.

Posted in Broad Green, Clare Hilley, Croydon Greens, Environment, London-wide issues, Simon Hoar, Sutton Council, Tony Harris, Waddon, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wildlife and fire puts the heat on Beddington incinerator plans

Posted on August 26, 2012 by insidecroydon

Tuesday’s massive fire at the Beddington Lane sewage works and some rare migrating birds are to be used by campaigners to strengthen their arguments against plans for a £1billion waste incinerator scheme on the site. The London Fire Brigade warned … Continue reading →

Posted in Clare Hilley, Croydon Greens, Environment, Gordon Ross, Outside Croydon, Planning, Simon Hoar, Sutton Council, Tony Harris, Waddon, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ikea chucks out the chintz and now they chuck out Gypsies

Posted on June 13, 2012 by insidecroydon

Ikea in Valley Park has been using security guards to vet the ethnicity of people arriving at the store’s car park and trying to ban anyone who appears to be a “Gypsy” from entering. The store’s management claims it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Clare Hilley, Croydon Council, Ikea, Purley Way, Valley Park | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meeting urges locals to boycott Swan & Sugarloaf Tesco

Posted on June 12, 2012 by insidecroydon

A new residents’ association drew the attention and attendance of four Croydon councillors and an MP. It was a learning experience for them, as DIAMOND GEEZER reports How things change: after a first meeting to which none of the nine … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Clare Hilley, Fairfield, Jason Perry, Maria Gatland, Michael Neal, Property, Pubs, Restaurants, Simon Hoar, South Croydon, South Croydon Community Association, Tony Harris, Vidhi Mohan, Waddon, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sshh! Barwell staging same-sex marriage meeting at Town Hall

Posted on May 30, 2012 by insidecroydon

Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell is staging a meeting about government policy on same-sex marriage tonight, Wednesday, May 30, at the Town Hall from 6.30pm. You may not have noticed. The event was initially publicised on Facebook a week ago.

Posted in Activities, Clare Hilley, Croydon Central, Gavin Barwell | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Fisher drops the ball as he juggles his Town Hall top team

Posted on May 29, 2012 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: His frontbench reshuffle at the Town Hall, with one obvious sacking, no promotions for his younger councillors, and an appointment which will displease Crystal Palace supporters, provides insight into the thinking of Conservative group leader Mike Fisher with … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 Olympics, Andrew Pelling, Art, Boris Johnson, Business, Clare Hilley, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace FC, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Dudley Mead, Eddy Arram, Gavin Barwell, Housing, Libraries, Mike Fisher, New Addington, Phil Thomas, Sara Bashford, Sport, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Tony Pearson, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pollard agrees to extend consultation at Question Time event

Posted on May 24, 2012 by insidecroydon

The deputy leader of the Conservative group that controls Croydon Council has given an undertaking that the consultation period for the Upper Norwood Joint Library will be extended. Councillor Tim Pollard told residents at Tuesday evening’s council Question Time staged … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Clare Hilley, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Leisure services, Libraries, Sara Bashford, Simon Hoar, Tim Pollard, Tony Harris, URV, Waddon, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment