Council warning that Watson’s whim is dangerous structure

Posted on January 16, 2018 by insidecroydon

The warning sign was placed on Watson’s whim last week

Less than a month since Mark Watson, the senior Labour councillor, heralded it as “a popular addition” to the town centre, his latest costly piece of whimsy in the High Street has now effectively been declared as a hazard and public danger – by Croydon Council.

It was on December 21 that the council’s propaganda department put out a press release which sang the praises of their installation, which had been put together by a “multidisciplinary design collective whose projects aim to reconnect the physical elements of a place with its social dimension”.

The council claimed that this latest Watson whim would “rejuvenate the newly formed space”. They described as a “new public seating structure”.

And former fraudster Watson gushed enthusiastically, “The creation of newly crafted seating through the transformation of street space is an exciting concept that will nicely complement the town centre’s evolving street scene. I’m sure the new seating in this area will prove to be a popular addition to the space when the warmer weather arrives.” Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Mark Watson, Planning | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Baby and Children’s Market, Coulsdon, Feb 10

Posted on January 16, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Winter Bird Walk, Sydenham Hill Wood, Feb 11

Posted on January 16, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Victorian Valentines, Honeywood Museum, Feb 14-15

Posted on January 16, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Council takes back public libraries as Carillion collapses

Posted on January 15, 2018 by insidecroydon

GENE BRODIE, our bookish gyms correspondent, on Croydon’s prompt response to the collapse of outsourcing giant Carillion

Croydon Council moved quickly this morning to take back control of the borough’s libraries from contractor Carillion.

Carillion went into liquidation this morning, with a mountain of debt and serious concerns over the state of its retired staff’s pensions. Carillion was best known as a building and public works contractor, and in recent months had been handed many millions-pounds-worth of contracts for the Tory Government’s HS2 rail project and Crossrail in London.

In Croydon, they somehow landed the contract to manage the borough’s public libraries, after Tim Pollard’s Conservatives, who then controlled the council, outsourced the service in 2012. Continue reading →

Posted in Carillion, Croydon Council, Libraries, Timothy Godfrey | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

‘Pizzagate’ mystery sends Bradmore Pond’s ducks quackers

Posted on January 15, 2018 by insidecroydon

Was it a form of “dirty” protest against Brick by Brick building on the site of Old Coulsdon’s derelict care home at Homefield House?

Just who is the mystery pizza dumper of Old Coulsdon?

Was it someone with an odd approach to feeding the local ducks?

Or were they giant toadstools? Was it another piece of council-funded “art”, or the latest outbreak of fly-tipping around the borough?

These were the questions residents in Old Coulsdon raised, as Bradmore Pond found itself repeatedly the scene of mysteriously dumped pizza bases.

Bradmore Green is where there is a village pond which was paid for by the widowed Matilda Crowe in 1836, in memory of her husband Philip. Since the 1980s, locals have helped the council keep the pond cleaned and cleared of debris, with Chris Wright, soon to retire as a Conservative councillor, often in the lead.

But in all the pond’s delightful and often quaint history, nothing had been encountered before to match the spate of unsavoury events which have been dubbed, inevitably, “Pizzagate”. Continue reading →

Posted in Coulsdon, Old Coulsdon Residents' Association | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Charity and unions fear 1m children to lose free school meals

Posted on January 15, 2018 by insidecroydon

One million children living in poverty in England will miss out on free school meals as the Tory government rolls out its Universal Credit proposals, according to findings from The Children’s Society.

And London will be the worst-hit region by the changes proposed by the government, with 212,000 children projected to miss out on free school meals according to the charity’s research.

Today, the GMB, the union that represents school catering staff, has responded to the Department for Education’s consultation on free school meal entitlement under Universal Credit and warned that the government’s proposals will leave children hungry and could cost jobs, describing the plans as a “cut disguised as a kindness”.

As Universal Credit has been rolling out, all families in receipt of the new benefit have been automatically entitled to free school meals. However, the government is planning to introduce means testing for free school meals, which The Children’s Society warns will fail to reach 1 million children in poverty and will create a “cliff-edge” where many families would be better off taking a pay cut. Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Education | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Pirates of Penzance, St Matthew’s Chichester Road, Feb 10

Posted on January 15, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Circle Dancing sessions at St Matthew’s, Chichester Road

Posted on January 15, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Quiz and Curry Night, St Philip’s Norbury, Feb 17

Posted on January 15, 2018 by insidecroydon

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MP Jones promoted as PPS to Labour’s housing team

Posted on January 14, 2018 by insidecroydon

WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on an early promotion for Croydon’s newest MP

Croydon Central’s new MP is already making an impact at Westminster

Sarah Jones has made an impressive early move up the greasy pole of Westminster politics by being appointed as PPS – Parliamentary Private Secretary – to John Healey, Labour’s shadow housing spokesman.

The Croydon Central MP, elected last June, will have the task of watching Healey’s back in a fractious Parliamentary Labour Party where so many MPs are silent, sullen opponents of the party’s leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

Healey said that he is “so pleased” to have Jones joining the team when her appointment was announced yesterday morning. Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Central, Housing, Sarah Jones MP | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

CNHSS South Norwood history talk, Shirley Library, Jan 15

Posted on January 14, 2018 by insidecroydon

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1912 Wallington wedding, Honeywood Museum, Feb 14

Posted on January 14, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Police needs to re-build trust with the victims of crime

Posted on January 13, 2018 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Charity founder TRACEY FORD, pictured left, on how her family has been denied justice for more than a decade, since the shooting of her teenaged son, Andre, at Streatham ice rink, a murder for which no one has ever been charged

For me and my family, the unanswered question is why, 10 years after my son Andre was shot, was an inquest called?

The inquest was held last week, and to add insult to injury, it was going to happen without our knowledge. Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Crime, JAGS, Knife crime | Leave a comment

Theatre Trust slams Sutton Council over stage closures

Posted on January 13, 2018 by insidecroydon

BELLE MONT, our Sutton reporter, on the latest independent body to find fault with the south London council

Carshalton’s Charles Cryer Studio Theatre, closed as a result of Sutton Council mismanagement

Sutton’s polluting, thieving and cage-fighting Liberal Democrat councillors and ex-councillors have now attracted the anger of the usually mild-mannered Theatres Trust.

In a report published this week on the fate of Carshalton’s now dark Cryer Theatre, the Trust has condemned the council, accusing it of being “unreasonable” in trying to get a commercial rent for the community venue. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Theatre, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

South Norwood teen who’s already bolting on the fast track

Posted on January 13, 2018 by insidecroydon

In Romell Glave, Croydon Harriers look to have another high-class speedster coming off their sprinter production line.

Romell Glave, competing for Surrey at last summer’s English Schools

The south London club which has helped unearth international talents including Donna Fraser, Martyn Rooney and James Dasaolu, now boasts among its members a teenager living in South Norwood who one specialist magazine recently tipped as “the next Usain Bolt”.

And Bolt is definitely Glave’s inspiration. “I always wanted to be an athlete from 2008 when I saw Usain,” Glave said in a recent interview. “He’s my biggest running inspiration.”

In 2017, Glave was officially the world’s fastest 17-year-old sprinter, on account of his 100 metres best of 10.21sec. As a result, he’s already landed himself a sponsorship deal with a major international sportswear firm: Puma, the suppliers of racing spikes – and a few million dollars’ worth of kit and cash – to the nine-time Olympic gold medal-winner Usain Bolt. Continue reading →

Posted in Athletics, Croydon Harriers, Romell Glave, South Norwood, Sport | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

MP Jones describes Government nursery cuts as ‘a disgrace’

Posted on January 12, 2018 by insidecroydon

Sarah Jones, the Labour MP for Croydon Central, has branded as “a disgrace” the Government decision to cut a grant to a specialist nursery in South Croydon which, for the past 40 years, has helped school-aged mums get back into full-time education.

MP Sarah Jones: Coteland nursery is ‘a special place’

Cotelands Nursery, based in John Ruskin College on Selsdon Park Road, will close in July after its £120,000 a year “Care to Learn” grant was axed.

The best efforts of the nursery’s dedicated staff could not make good the funding cut.

“We’ve met with the council, we’ve restructured, we’ve done all of the short-term things,” said Jenny Adamson, the deputy head teacher at Saffron Valley Collegiate, which manages the nursery. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Central, Education, Sarah Jones MP, Schools, Selsdon & Ballards | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Kempster’s historic airport mural flies in to Croydon

Posted on January 12, 2018 by insidecroydon

Detail from Kempster’s airport history mural, on display in Croydon during 2018

An important piece of historic artwork is going on public display at the Historic Croydon Airport Open Days in 2018.

The artwork, called “The History of Aviation”, is a giant mural, 26 feet long, painted by one of the major decorative artists of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, William Kempster.

The work was commissioned by the British Airports Authority to commemorate the opening of the then new Terminal One at Heathrow, and was formally unveiled by the Queen and Prince Philip in April 1969.

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Posted in Art, Croydon Airport, Croydon Airport Society, History, Waddon | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

World Cup-winning captain is helping out at Frant Road

Posted on January 12, 2018 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: A World Cup-winning captain is coming to Thornton Heath next week to help Croydon’s up-and-coming young players.

In charge: Daley-McLean is a forceful figure on the pitch, and will be sharing her experiences at Frant Road next week

Katy Daley-McLean led England to women’s Rugby World Cup glory in 2014, played at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and was a key figure in the side which made it to last year’s World Cup final, too.

She’ll be passing on some of her skills, experience and wisdom at a beginners’ rugby session at Streatham-Croydon RFC’s Frant Road ground next Tuesday evening, January 16. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon RFC, Old Mid-Whitgiftians/Trinity RFC, Old Walcountians, Old Whitgiftians, Purley-John Fisher, Rugby Union, Sport, Streatham-Croydon RFC, Thornton Heath, Warlingham RFC | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Children’s Society art exhibition and sale, Sanderstead, Mar 17

Posted on January 12, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Old Coulsdon Village Market, Cameron Hall, Feb 3

Posted on January 12, 2018 by insidecroydon

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Erato Orchestra concert, St Mark’s Purley, Mar 17

Posted on January 12, 2018 by insidecroydon

Saturday March 17

St Mark’s Church, Church Road, Purley CR8 3QQ

8pm

Erato Orchestra concert

 

JOHANN STAMITZ – Symphony in E flat
MOZART – Violin Concerto No.4 in D K.218
CHABRIER – Danse Villageoise
HAYDN – Symphony No.52 in c

LARA CAISTER – violin
IAN BUTTERWORTH- conductor

Tickets available at the door £8
Students and children FREE
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Unions hold vote to reject ‘commercial’ Brick by Brick scheme

Posted on January 11, 2018 by insidecroydon

Croydon’s trade unionists will tonight vote on a proposal to oppose Brick by Brick’s attempts to build flats on a patch of green space next to Ruskin House, the historic home of the Labour movement in the borough.

The green beside Ruskin House which Brick by Brick wants to concrete over and build an as yet unspecified number of flats

One of the reasons given for the strong opposition to the proposal is because “…the way in which Brick by Brick has ignored the objections and concerns of residents on council estates in relation to some of its proposed developments”.

Brick by Brick, the motion asserts, “is behaving like a commercial developer”.

The proposal to be considered by the union officials also calls for a campaign against Brick by Brick’s development plans for the green space. The union officials are even to be asked to support a motion that says they are to reject offers of money to Ruskin House from Brick by Brick. Continue reading →

Posted in 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Planning, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Croydon’s ‘Olympic legacy’ has been turned into a private gym

Posted on January 11, 2018 by insidecroydon

The leaflets thrust through letter boxes in South Norwood in the past week, offering private gym membership in a school building built with public money

GENE BRODIE, our education correspondent, reports on allegations of an abuse of public property by one of the country’s largest multi-academy trusts

Council officials have been ordered to conduct an urgent investigation into how the Oasis Arena Academy in South Norwood has been able to go ahead and allow a private gym operator to set itself up on the school site, using facilities which were built just a couple of years ago with millions of pounds of public money. Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Education, Oasis Academy, Paul Scott, Schools | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Fieldway’s Hall launches attack on ‘unacceptable’ Veolia

Posted on January 11, 2018 by insidecroydon

WALTER CRONXITE, our political editor, on the widening splits within the leadership of the Labour group on the council, with local elections less than four months away

The state of the bins area at Oakbank earlier this week. The ‘No fly-tipping’ sign doesn’t appear too effective

One of Croydon council leader Tony Newman’s most trusted lieutenants has this week launched a barely disguised attack on the record of one of his senior Labour colleagues at the Town Hall.

Things in New Addington must be getting a little fraught, with local elections due to be held on May 3, as Simon Hall, the councillor for Fieldway ward and Labour’s cabinet member for finance has criticised street cleaning contractors Veolia “for totally unacceptable performance” in his ward.

Such public criticism of a council contractor is rarely allowed under the iron-like grip of Tony “Soprano” Newman, and Katharine Street observers have interpreted Hall’s outburst on social media as being a deliberate attempt to undermine the position of Stuart Collins.

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Posted in 2018 council elections, Carole Bonner, Felicity Flynn, Fieldway, Fly tipping, Louisa Woodley, New Addington, New Addington North, Oliver Lewis, Refuse collection, Simon Hall, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman, Tony Pearson, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments