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Category Archives: Woodside
‘Not good enough’ chair of scrutiny could yet stay in post
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Despite his committee being accused of lacking an ‘understanding of the urgency of the financial position’, one key Labour councillor shows no intention of standing down. By political editor WALTER CRONXITE For many residents and front-line council … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Report in the Public Interest, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Rapid Review, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, S114, Scrutiny and Overview Committee, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114, Tony Newman
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Newman supporters stage takeover of local Labour party
The ‘Starmerisation’ of the Labour Party last week saw supporters of Croydon’s disgraced former council leader rally to his cause. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Friends and supporters of Tony Newman staged a takeover of his local Labour Party last … Continue reading
Posted in Carole Bonner, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, David Evans, David White, Fairfield, Hamida Ali, Jose Joseph, Paul Scott, Sarah Jones MP, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Woodside
Tagged Alison Butler, Carole Bonner, Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Labour, New Addington, Paul Scott, Rob Elliott, Sarah Jones MP, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Viscount Stansgate
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28% – Newman leaves his Council Tax legacy to Croydon
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Town Hall reporter KEN LEE reports on how the £104 per year increase in residents’ bills adds up to a whole lot more over the course of the council’s Labour administration “This budget is an essential part … Continue reading
Council Tax-payers pay for politicians’ game of cat-and-mouse
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The bankrupt borough is kept waiting for its bail-out, as cabinet reports reveal that council overspending has continued to soar. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Just when you thought things could not get any worse, Croydon Council’s … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Chris Buss, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Patsy Cummings, Paul Scott, Section 114 notice, TfL, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman, Transport
Tagged Chris Buss, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, S114, Section 114, Tory
13 Comments
Relic of Newman regime to face Labour confidence vote
Pat Ryan, the veteran councillor for Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, tonight faces a confidence motion at a meeting of his Labour Party branch. Ryan is a relic of the Labour regime under Tony Newman which bankrupted the borough. He … Continue reading
Leader says she has no idea who approved BxB loans
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The £224m in loans and unpaid interest owed to the council by Brick by Brick may have broken EU and British state aid and competition laws. But after nearly six months in her job, Hamida Ali claims … Continue reading
Exec director resigned week before suspension was announced
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Minutes from another council’s meeting shows that Guy Van Dichele was offered a job in Southampton eight days before he was ‘suspended’ from his post as executive director ‘health, well-being and adults’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Documents … Continue reading
Brick by Brick needs £10m loan to avoid going bankrupt
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Consultants’ salvage plan for failed house-builder is accepted, including the council paying a second time for 190 flats which will be used as social housing. But the full extent of potential losses is kept under wraps. By … Continue reading
Council starts the biggest fire-sale ever seen in south London
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Last night’s cabinet meeting agreed to flog off 15 sites around the borough, as the council seeks to pay down its £1.5bn debt. But they will struggle to recoup the £35.7m paid for a hotel just three … Continue reading
Councillors demand urgent sight of Town Hall bullying report
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Claims that the council might be more ‘open and transparent’ ring hollow, as questions are raised at the bankrupt borough over other serious allegations. By STEVEN DOWNES Councillors from both political parties at Croydon Town Hall have … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Joy Prince, Katherine Kerswell, Pat Clouder, Tony Newman
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Pat Clouder, Tony Newman
5 Comments
Newman presided over ‘shocking bullying’, claims councillor
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Questions have been raised over Labour’s decision not to suspend the former deputy leader of the council, while Town Hall chiefs prepare for a flurry of disciplinary meetings next week Yesterday’s “administrative suspension” of councillors Tony Newman … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Paul Scott, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, Tony Newman, Tory
10 Comments
Newman and Hall are ‘administratively suspended’ by Labour
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Five months after their resignations, two of the key figures in the financial collapse of the council have had their party membership suspended. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Tony Newman, a councillor in Croydon since 1994 and leader … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
11 Comments
The Kerswell cull begins: five senior council execs go ‘off-grid’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Monday night’s constitutional changes at the Town Hall were quickly followed by ‘unprecedented’ action from the interim CEO. By STEVEN DOWNES Almost the whole of the senior leadership team at the council “went off-grid” today. Inside Croydon … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Hamida Ali, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Shifa Mustafa, Tony Newman
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Hamida Ali, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Lisa Taylor, London Borough of Croydon, Shifa Mustafa, Tony Newman
5 Comments
CEO Kerswell gets ready to reorganise council’s senior officials
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A meeting last night showed that no one had bothered removing former leader Tony Newman from an important committee, while councillors lacked the power to sack the chief executive or other senior officials. WALTER CRONXITE reports That … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Hamida Ali, Heather Cheesbrough, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Paula Murray, Tony Newman
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, London Borough of Croydon, Tony Newman, Tory
4 Comments
£100m questions on Ali’s ‘transparent, open and honest’ pledge
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on the growing row over council secrecy over Brick by Brick and the fire sale of property assets The secrecy over the consequences of the council’s plan to wind-down failed housing developer Brick … Continue reading
Time for a show of leadership on Croydon’s climate crisis
CROYDON COMMENTARY: With children struggling to maintain good mental health in the pandemic, and while the lockdown is seeing declining physical activity levels among some youngsters, AMY FOSTER calls on the council leader to provide real support for one of … Continue reading
Police begin murder inquiry as ‘senseless’ stabbings continue
Croydon police yesterday began a murder investigation into the events that led to a man in his 20s dying from knife wounds after a stabbing in Selhurst on Friday night. Yet even as senior officers were reassuring MPs and council … Continue reading
Reprieved! Buss recommends scrapping dozens of build plans
Among the recommendations contained in the report on the future of Brick by Brick going before next Tuesday’s scrutiny committee is a list of sites which are no longer to be developed by the loss-making council-owned builder. The biggest site … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, College Green, Croydon Council, Paul Scott, Planning, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, New Addington, Paul Scott, Sarah Jones MP, Tony Newman, Waddon
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Council set to take £100m hit as it winds down Brick by Brick
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The borough is looking for a buyer for its failed development company, as a secret report to next week’s scrutiny committee balances the costs of selling off sites currently under development against the price of persisting with … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, College Green, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Homes, Hamida Ali, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Planning, Property, Section 114 notice
Tagged Brick by Brick, Chris Buss, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon
9 Comments
£650,000 cost of mayor ballot is not ‘essential expenditure’
Town Hall leaders threaten to pull referendum on directly elected mayor if the pot-less council is unable to fix its finances. By KEN LEE Councillors will get to vote on Monday on whether to stage a referendum on the issue … Continue reading
Posted in 2021 Mayor Referendum, 2022 council elections, Community associations, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Katherine Kerswell, Tony Newman
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, DEMOC, Democratically Elected Mayor for Croydon, Hamida Ali, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, Tony Newman, Tory
4 Comments
Veteran councillor Ryan under investigation over ‘outburst’
Our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE, on the latest allegations of rule-breaking by a veteran Labour councillor “Pat has lost it.” That’s the view of a senior member of the Labour Party in Crystal Palace after a month in which their … Continue reading
‘Changing the culture of secrecy must be the turning point’
Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports on the council leadership’s reaction to yesterday’s announcements from the local government ministry “We have a very long way to go,” the council leader, Hamida Ali, said, more than once, as she accepted the findings … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Robert Ward, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Panel, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Robert Ward, S114, Section 114, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman, Tory
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£2,400 per day – the high cost of council’s ‘improvement’ panel
The annual cost of having Croydon officials’ work checked by Whitehall-appointed experts comes to ‘three-quarters of a Negrini’, as KEN LEE reports The Improvement Panel imposed on Croydon by the Tory government to check that the cash-strapped council is running … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Brick by Brick, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Improvement Panel, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Margaret Lee, Phil Brookes, S114, Section 114, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
7 Comments
‘There is no alternative’: £25m council bail-out given green light
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council reports rewritten, lack of commercial experience in key positions and a ‘very controlling’ former leader and his inner circle. The rapid review of Croydon Council paints a picture that will be very familiar to readers of … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Chris Wood, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Rapid Review, Robert Jenrick, Tony Newman
4 Comments
Council emergency meeting over elected mayor set for Feb 8
Croydon is inching ever closer to having a referendum over whether the council should be run by an elected mayor. But, as WALTER CRONXITE reports, matters are never straightforward with those in power at Fisher’s Folly The word “emergency” is … Continue reading
