Barwell tells the Tory Party: It’s time to make up your mind

Posted on October 20, 2022 by insidecroydon

Britain stands on the brink of a national breakdown, after Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister this lunchtime, following a turbulent 44 days in office during which her Mini-Budget crashed the markets, she sacked both her Chancellor and Home Secretary and she lost the confidence of most Tory MPs.
GAVIN BARWELL, right, the former Conservative MP for Croydon Central, this morning posted a Twitter thread with his advice for his erstwhile colleagues

Everyone I’ve spoken to from all wings of the party agrees the Truss government is finished, but there is no consensus on who should take over. The rows over Brexit and the removal of Boris have left deep scars.

If we are agreed that the Truss government has been a disaster, can we also agree that it should not be someone who supported Liz’s campaign and served in her Cabinet when it agreed the “Mini-Budget”?

There are some good people in the current Cabinet who should play important roles in what comes next – Penny Mordaunt and Ben Wallace being obvious examples – but they are implicated in what has just gone so wrong.

We need someone who was on the right side of the argument.

Continue reading →

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Squaring the rubbish circle on Oval Road was never easy

Posted on October 20, 2022 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: In answer to a public question at last night’s Town Hall meeting about the terrible state of Oval Road since rubbish contractors Veolia started a bin bags trial in 2020, Cllr Scott Roche said ‘a review of the effectiveness of the trial has been completed, and the council is considering what option will be taken forwards. This will be done in conjunction with local residents.’
Here, JERRY FITZPATRICK, pictured right, a former Labour councillor for Addiscombe West ward, responds to the complaints made by a resident about the long-term lack of action on behalf of locals

For those who don’t know Oval Road, the context is that the road has a specific issue in that there are a significant number of properties which are divided into flats, these properties having insufficient curtilage to accommodate the number of bins which are required for a waste management system using four types of container, or indeed five for those properties which have a bin for garden waste.

State of that: a typical morning scene on Oval Road since Veolia’s bin bags trial

The waste management problems are not unique to Oval Road but are complicated by the fact that the majority of properties are multi-occupied, with steps leading to upper flats and basement flats, and many properties are rented with a quick turnover of tenants, not all of whom know and understand the waste protocols.

Councillors had several walkabouts with senior officers before the consultation which took place with residents in the summer of 2019. The streetscape was deplorable, and hazardous to pedestrians (particularly those pushing buggies) and wheelchair users. Bear in mind that Oval Road is a busy thoroughfare to and from East Croydon and Addiscombe.

Councillors met and received correspondence from residents who expressed their concerns in no uncertain terms. Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Business, Community associations, Croydon Council, ECCO, Fly tipping, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Patricia Hay-Justice, Refuse collection, Tom Lawrence, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

MP secures Commons debate on Galpins Road gas explosion

Posted on October 20, 2022 by insidecroydon

Siobhain McDonagh, the Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, has secured a House of Commons debate tomorrow over the gas explosion on Galpins Road in August that caused the tragic death of four-year-old Sahara Salman and led to the evacuation of hundreds of residents.

Devastation: the scene on Galpins Road shortly after the explosion in August

The MP has organised for a coach to bring residents who were evacuated from Galpins Road to watch the debate from the public gallery.

The explosion occurred shortly after 7am on Monday August 8. An investigation is ongoing.

In the aftermath, hundreds of residents were housed in hotel accommodation by Merton Council. They had to leave with no notice, no belongings and no idea of when they would return. Many residents have not yet been able to return to their homes. Continue reading →

Posted in London-wide issues, Merton, Norbury, Siobhain McDonagh MP, Thornton Heath | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Viridor incinerator breaks its toxic VOC permit for 40th time

Posted on October 20, 2022 by insidecroydon

MARK GALE reports on how the Environment Agency’s ‘strict limits’ on polluting emissions are not so strict after all

Something stinks: Viridor has broken its pollution permit 40 times in 42 months

The latest emission data for the polluting incinerator on Beddington Lane has just been released and yet again, operators Viridor have breached their Environment Agency-set limits.

The reports that used to be published fortnightly have become less reliably regular since a change of personnel at the facility earlier this year, making it less straightforward to keep a check on which part of their permit Viridor has broken most recently.

But the data made available this week shows that on September 15, the levels of volatile organic compounds, or “VOCs”, exceeded the “strict limits” by more than 10per cent.

For Viridor, the limits don’t seem to be too “strict” as this is the 40th time the Beddington incinerator has gone over those limits since the data started being publicly shared 42 months ago. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Health, Kingston, Merton, Old Palace, Sutton Council, Wandle Park, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Saturday Coffee mornings at St Matthew’s, Chichester Road

Posted on October 20, 2022 by insidecroydon

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Ukraine’s national orchestra to play Croydon’s Fairfield Halls

Posted on October 19, 2022 by insidecroydon

Coming to Croydon: the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine on stage in Kyiv at the Lysenko Column Concert Hall

The Fairfield Halls will stage one of the gala concerts in next year’s UK tour by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, it has been announced.

Croydon’s arts centre will be one of 17 venues in the tour, the first visit to this country by NSOU in 20 years. The Fairfield Halls will host the second concert, on Wednesday October 18 2023. Ticket prices start from £45.50 and have gone on sale today.

The tour is the biggest in the history of the orchestra, which dates back to 1918, and is intended to reflect audiences’ new-found interest in Ukrainian culture since the Russian invasion in February this year. Other venues on the tour include Cadogan Hall, Symphony Hall in Birmingham, St David’s Hall in Cardiff, Usher Hall in Edinburgh and Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Continue reading →

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‘Don’t make a tough job even harder’ say London’s firefighters

Posted on October 19, 2022 by insidecroydon

Fire Brigade staff have been facing an increase in abuse and even attacks when dealing with life-threatening situations, including two assaults at incidents in Thornton Heath

Under attack: firefighters in London faced a busy month of grassfires in July – yet got abused for their efforts

The London Fire Brigade is calling for an end to abuse towards its staff, after figures released today – Emergency Services Day – show that last year there were 353 incidents of abuse towards firefighters and control staff.

Among the abuse and attacks were two occasions when firefighters were dealing with life-threatening incidents in Thornton Heath.

Last month, firefighters were assaulted and threatened by a man after being called to a bonfire in Thornton Heath. None were injured but the crew had to call police for backup as the situation escalated. Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, London Fire Brigade, London-wide issues, Policing, Thornton Heath | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Shocking findings on Croydon’s GCSEs and infant death rates

Posted on October 19, 2022 by insidecroydon

Research published by the Trust for London shows that Croydon is trailing badly behind other boroughs in the capital on some important measures of poverty.

This includes data which shows that Croydon has among the lowest GCSE attainment across the whole of London.

Croydon is also shown as having one of the higher levels of infant mortality.

And at 6.1per cent, Croydon’s unemployment rate is significantly worse than the 4.3per cent average across the rest of England.

The Trust for London is a charitable foundation with stated aims of tackling poverty and inequality by funding voluntary and charity groups. It makes grants totalling around £10million a year, supporting up to 300 organisations. Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Croydon Council | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Wallington 10-year-old is face of campaign to get us dancing

Posted on October 19, 2022 by insidecroydon

A 10-year-old from Wallington has been chosen as one of the faces of a national campaign, backed by some of the stars of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, to get the whole of the country dancing.

Queen of Latin: Strictly’s head judge Shirley Ballas is backing the campaign

Elijah Caraccio is one of the young people fronting the Find Your Dance Space campaign, launched this week by the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, and supported Strictly judges Shirley Ballas and Oti Mabuse.

The campaign aims to show that dance is for everyone, regardless of age, gender, ability, fitness level or circumstance, and Elijah demonstrates how it helps him to deal with the symptoms of dyspraxia and attention deficit disorder. Continue reading →

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Manifesto, plus Daniel Draper Q&A, Ruskin House, Oct 21

Posted on October 19, 2022 by insidecroydon

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Postal ballot switch puts by-election candidates in a rush

Posted on October 18, 2022 by insidecroydon

Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on a schedule change that probably won’t do anything to increase turn-out in Selsdon Vale and Forestdale

Election candidates for the Selsdon Vale and Forestdale ward by-election, their agents and supporters, had their carefully planned campaign schedules thrown into disarray yesterday when the council decided to bring forward deadlines for postal ballots.

Voting by post became much more popular during the covid lockdown, avoiding the need to visit the polling station on election day. The political parties try to time their campaigning so that their messaging reaches votes likely to vote by post at the same time as their ballot papers arrive.

The long haul: with only two polling stations in the ward, the walk along Old Farleigh Road is ‘a turnout destroyer’

But all those plans were wrecked yesterday lunchtime when the candidates and their agents were told by the council’s electoral services department that, to avoid any adverse impact from planned strike action at Royal Mail, the despatch of the postal votes was being brought forward by 48 hours – with ballot papers being sent out by first-class post today.

“No bloody consultation with the candidates’ agents,” one seriously unimpressed local politician told Inside Croydon.

The email from the council’s electoral services said, “You may be aware that the postal service is due to be affected by industrial action in the coming weeks, with strikes due to take place on Thursday 20 and Tuesday 25 October. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Katherine Kerswell, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coding teen scoops £5,000 prize from National Lottery Awards

Posted on October 18, 2022 by insidecroydon

A teen from south London has scooped the Young Hero title at the National Lottery Awards for her project that runs workshops teaching disadvantaged young women skills to improve their confidence and opportunities.

Award-winner: Avye Couloute, with one of the projects that helped her win the £5,000 National Lottery prize

Avye Couloute, 15, from Wimbledon, started coding when, at seven years old, she attended a computing club. She loved how she could use code to move things on the screen or to control electronic components, and began to actively research and learn more skills in her spare time.

When Avye noticed that most of the attendees at these digital workshops were boys, she founded Girls Into Coding, working with girls aged 10 to 14. Through a combination of workshops and talks delivered by trailblazing women and girls in the tech sector, GIC not only improves the girls’ digital-making abilities, it also develops their skills in problem-solving, teamwork and resilience, building their confidence and opening their eyes to new pathways.  The activities help the girls become aware of new possibilities beyond their current horizons, opening them up to careers and further activities in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, sector. Continue reading →

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Tories pose real threat to Selsdon Vale with ‘attack on nature’

Posted on October 18, 2022 by insidecroydon

Under threat from Tory proposals: Selsdon Vale and Forestdale’s leafy aspects could be destroyed by Conservative moves to scrap environmental protections

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The Prime Minister may have sacked her Chancellor and his replacement might have scrapped almost all of the Trussonomic financial policies announced just three weeks ago.
But, says PETER UNDERWOOD, pictured right, there’s no sign that the Tories will abandon their ‘assault on nature’

Under the cover of their disastrous Mini-Budget, the Conservatives also announced that they want to rip up the planning protections that prevent overdevelopment and, alongside a raft of other harmful measures, allow developers to build on our green spaces.

And while Prime Minister Liz Truss has performed some of the quickest U-turns in political history to help the financial markets, the Conservatives are still pushing ahead with their attack on nature.

When I say “attack on nature”, those aren’t my words.

That is the verdict of the RSPB: “Make no mistake, we are angry. This Government has today launched an attack on nature. We don’t use the words that follow lightly. We are entering uncharted territory. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Friends of the Earth, Croydon Greens, Environment, Fracking, Peter Underwood, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Boxpark uses England star Grealish to cash in on World Cup

Posted on October 18, 2022 by insidecroydon

Come on!: Jack Grealish is more likely to be in action in Qatar than in Croydon

Boozepark, next to East Croydon Station, is looking to cash in on England’s World Cup heroes next month, selling tickets at up to £40 a time to enter the food and booze venue on the days when Gareth Southgate’s side is in action in Qatar.

The venue’s publicists have got so carried away with their promotional schtick that they have even hinted that there could be an appearance during the World Cup by England player Jack Grealish, when Manchester City’s £100million man ought to be 4,000 miles away playing in some of the biggest matches of his career. Continue reading →

Posted in Boxpark, Business, East Croydon, Football, Pubs, Sport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dr Bike repairs at Sustainable Thornton Heath, Oct 22

Posted on October 18, 2022 by insidecroydon

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Council boss ignores questions over failing bus shelter firm

Posted on October 17, 2022 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The start-up firm that promised to pay Croydon £6.8m in a 10-year deal for supplying all-singing, all-dancing ‘smart’ bus shelters has been warned it could be struck off the Companies House register from tomorrow. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES

Katherine Kerswell, the £192,474 per year chief exec of Croydon’s cash-strapped council, has failed to respond to urgent questions about the troubled state of Valo Smart City UK Ltd, the start-up company that the authority went into partnership with in what was supposed to be a money-spinning deal to instal “smart” bus shelters across the borough.

Valo Smart City UK Ltd’s directors have been placed on notice by Companies House officials that the firm could be struck off the register and dissolved within two months “unless cause is shown to the contrary”.

The deal between Croydon and Valo Smart City was one of the first commercial agreements for the council signed under its then new CEO, Kerswell. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Opama Khan, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Go-Ahead’s south London bus workers to get 10.5% pay rise

Posted on October 17, 2022 by insidecroydon

Bus workers employed by the Go-Ahead group in Croydon and across south London have secured a 10.5per cent pay increase, following union Unite’s negotiations with the company.

On route: bus workers across south London have negotiated a 10.5% pay rise with Go-Ahead

The pay deal will benefit more than 3,000 union members and applies to bus drivers and engineers. The increase covers all elements of pay and allowances and it will be paid in full on all back-pay owed to the workers, a Unite spokesperson said this afternoon.

“This is an important win for bus workers at Go-Ahead,” said Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary.

“By being organised and fully prepared to face down management they have secured this pay increase. Continue reading →

Posted in TfL, Transport, West Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Noise from a Doctor Who episode traced to Brick by Brick block

Posted on October 17, 2022 by insidecroydon

In the end, it was confirmed that it was not an alien invasion of central Croydon.

Residents living around the Croydon Flyover spent much of the weekend wondering what the eerily strange, out-of-this-world noise was coming from one of the new-build towers. The noise could be heard across three wards of the borough.

The noise was so loud, it even drowned out the constant background hum from traffic on Croydon’s urban motorway. The video published here, posted online by a neighbour, barely does the volume of “The Noise” justice. Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Environment, Fairfield, Housing, Property, South Croydon, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

NHS asks women to give themselves some life-saving T.L.C.

Posted on October 17, 2022 by insidecroydon

The NHS is urging women in Croydon to come forward for breast screening appointments when invited.

Simple, quick and free: the NHS breast screening service saves lives

Each year, more than 2million women across the country UK have breast screening. This helps around 1,300 women’s lives being saved, as more cancers can be diagnosed and treated earlier than they otherwise would be.

Last year, 120,000 people took part in breast screening in London, with 1,040 cancers being detected through the screening programme, which otherwise may have been diagnosed and treated later. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon NHS Trust, Health, Mayday Hospital, Purley Hospital | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Riddlesdown’s rangers have some new kids on the block

Posted on October 17, 2022 by insidecroydon

The annual visit of a herd of goats at Riddlesdown Common saw half a dozen nannies released last week to graze the steep slopes of the old quarry.

No kidding: one of the herd of goats released on Riddlesdown Quarry last week

“The quarry is an amazing habitat with chalk wildflowers, reptiles and butterflies but its steep slopes and thick scrub bring unique challenges for grazing livestock,” rangers from City Commons, who manage the open space, said.

“Luckily these goats are very much up to the task and made little time getting into the thick scrub on the quarry top.”

The quarry is part of the Riddlesdown Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI, and has a staggering amount of rare plants including greater yellow-rattle, round-leaved wintergreen and common rockrose, all supported by the thin quarry soils and grassland managed through grazing. Continue reading →

Posted in City Commons, Environment, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Purley Scouts Jumble Sale, Kenley Memorial Hall, Nov 19

Posted on October 17, 2022 by insidecroydon

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How a search for a new life ended in wartime death in the Sinai

Posted on October 16, 2022 by insidecroydon

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM:  One hundred and three years on from the first Remembrance Day, DAVID MORGAN has been researching the archives at Croydon Minster for more records of those lost in what was supposed to be ‘the war to end all wars’

Howley Road in the Old Town, close by the Minster, like many other Croydon streets, suffered their share of losses during the Great War when news arrived of the death of a family member.

In January 1918, Charles and Susan Broomfield, who lived at No31 Howley Road, received news that their son Charles Broomfield had been killed when his Royal Navy minesweeper was blown up in the English Channel. Continue reading →

Posted in Church and religions, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, History | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Haydn and Mozart symphonies, Erato Orchestra, Purley, Nov 12

Posted on October 16, 2022 by insidecroydon

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Centrale’s vaccination centre leads way for autumn covid jabs

Posted on October 15, 2022 by insidecroydon

Ready for more: the vaccination centre in Centrale has been delivering more than 1,000 jabs on its busier days

The covid-19 vaccination centre inside the Centrale shopping centre in Croydon has begun the roll-out of autumn booster jabs, for now being offered to those over 65 years old.

The severely immunosuppressed and frontline health and care workers, carers and pregnant women are also among those currently eligible for the top-up dose, which tackles the new variant of the virus.

More than 6.5million people have already received a vital autumn boost. Continue reading →

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