Davis quits Enfield top job to become Lambeth chief exec

Posted on December 10, 2024 by insidecroydon

The council chief executive merry-go-round sees a £220,000 boss move from north London and a £30m budget shortfall, to take the reins at Brixton Town Hall, where the budget gap is £50m

Lambeth Council has appointed a new chief executive, with the cash-strapped Labour-run authority adding tens of thousands of pounds to its executive staffing bills by hiring Ian Davis.

Top job: but will Ian Davis take a wage cut to move from Enfield to Lambeth?

Davis has worked at Enfield Council for 17 years, the last seven as that borough’s chief executive on a salary of £221,604. Davis has been recruited as a replacement for Bayo Dosunmu, who quit the job in the summer after pleading guilty to drink driving, failing to stop after a car crash and driving without insurance.

Dosunmu was paid £187,000, while the Lambeth recruitment ad for his replacement offered a salary of £200,000. Which has led to some pondering whether Davis has agreed to take a significant pay cut, or whether Lambeth councillors have opted to up the ante.

Announcing the appointment, Lambeth Council said that Davis’s “appointment was recommended by a cross-party appointments committee and following an extensive recruitment process. He is expected to take up the new role in Lambeth in early 2025”. Continue reading →

Posted in Claire Holland, Housing, Ian Davis, Lambeth Council, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London police numbers face 2,700 cut, Commissioner warns

Posted on December 10, 2024 by insidecroydon

Sir Mark Rowley, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, today warned the London Policing Board that the force in the capital is facing significant staffing cuts in order to balance its books.

Under pressure: the Met could be forced to cut 7% of its front-line officers next year

Sir Mark said he could be forced to cut 2,300 officers and 400 staff next year because of a funding shortfall of £450million – a cut of 7% of officers and 3.5% of backroom, civilian staff.

Such cuts will have “a seriously detrimental impact” on the Met, which currently employs 33,473 officers and 11,178 staff.

With the Met having sold off huge swathes of property, including police stations, across the capital in previous rounds of cut-backs when Boris Johnson was Mayor of London, Sir Mark said there is little left to sell and the use of reserves “is no longer possible”. Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Policing, Sadiq Khan | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tory planning chief permits towers with 15% affordable homes

Posted on December 10, 2024 by insidecroydon

Reach for the sky: the latest Greystar twin towers, at One Lansdowne Road. Fewer than 115 of the 806 flats in the skyscrapers will be ‘affordable’

The “Croydon Dildo” is no more.

New plans for the long-vacant site at One Lansdowne Road – the hole in the ground off the Wellesley Road between Apollo House and the Jury’s Inn Hotel, where the YMCA building once stood – have been approved by Croydon Council’s planning committee.

The approved scheme includes two massive towers, one 47 storeys tall, the other 35 storeys, providing 806 build-to-rent apartments.

After a 5-5 vote of the committee last week, the scheme was only passed because the Tory chair of the committee, Councillor Michael Neal, a stooge of Mayor Jason Perry, voted a second time.

Neal has thus allowed through a scheme which will deliver less than 15% “affordable” housing, when London and local plans call for at least 30% – which would have amounted to about 224 of the proposed homes.

During the committee meeting, one councillor simpered about the project not providing “home-ownership opportunities”. The scheme delivers zero homes at social rent. Continue reading →

Posted in 101 George Street/Ten Degrees, Business, College Tower/Enclave, Croydon Council, Growth Zone, Housing, Jo Negrini, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Michael Neal, One Lansdowne Road, Planning, Property | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tandridge reports itself to housing regulator over electric tests

Posted on December 10, 2024 by insidecroydon

Tandridge Council has reported itself to Regulator of Social Housing after it failed to carry out mandatory electrical safety tests on its council homes.

The district council, based in Oxted and covering Caterham, Godstone, Lingfield and Warlingham, announced its decision to submit the report yesterday.

“Following a reorganisation and as part of an ongoing review of the housing service, it became clear a mandatory electrical safety test of each home had not been correctly implemented,” the council statement admitted. Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Surrey, Tandridge District Council | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bournemouth beach killer made a study of violent crime

Posted on December 9, 2024 by insidecroydon

On trial: the court artist’s drawing of Nasen Saadi, 20, from Purley

A criminology student from Purley spent a month planning a random murder before setting out and attacking two women, one fatally, on a beach in Bournemouth in May this year, Winchester Crown Court was told today in the murder trial of Nasen Saadi.

Saadi is accused of killing Amie Gray, 34, and seriously injuring Leanne Miles, 38, on Durley Chine Beach on May 24. “He seems to have wanted to know what it would be like to take life,” Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, told the jury.

Saadi, 20, denies charges of murder and attempted murder. Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Knife crime | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s pod-tastic! Croydon Insider looks at 2024’s biggest stories

Posted on December 9, 2024 by insidecroydon

The Croydon Insider is back, with the latest episode of our news discussion panel podcast thingy…

And the last pod-tastic episode of 2024 looks back on the Croydon news of the past 12 months in the company of former BBC news reporter Neil Bennett, current BBC Wales reporter Sanjana Idnani, former Croydon FM presenter Cheryl Fergus-Ferrell and Andrew Fisher, who appears on all sorts of broadcast channels, as well as ours. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Insider, Inside Croydon, Under The Flyover | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Elianne Andam was killed in ‘a fit of white-hot anger’ jury told

Posted on December 9, 2024 by insidecroydon

Elianne Andam, the Croydon schoolgirl who died outside the Whitgift Centre in September 2023, was killed in a row over a teddy bear, an Old Bailey murder trial was told today.

Memorial: the now permanent memorial to Elianne Andam, close to the place outside the Whitgift Centre where she died in September 2023

Hassan Sentamu, 18, from New Addington, has pleaded not guilty to murder on the basis that his responsibility was diminished having been diagnosed with autism.

Opening the murder trial, the prosecution told the court Andam had gone along with her friend and a group of girls to meet Sentamu on the morning of September 27.

Her friend and Sentamu had split up 10 days earlier, and the meeting was planned to exchange their belongings.

The jury at the Central Criminal Court was told that Sentamu lashed out at Andam with a kitchen knife when he met with his ex-girlfriend and her group when she was on her way to school.

Andam was 15 when she was killed. Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Knife crime, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Reduced services on London Trams for 11 days of Christmas

Posted on December 9, 2024 by insidecroydon

Croydon’s trams will be operating a reduced service throughout Christmas week, according to details released today by Transport for London.

TfL says it “will keep the majority of its services running throughout the festive period”, but for tram passengers, there will be only a Saturday or Sunday service from Monday, December 23, through until Thursday, January 2, with no service at all on Christmas Day but the promise of a special night time service on New Year’s Eve.

There will be changes and reductions in services to most other TfL services, including London’s buses, the Windrush Line and Tube.

Full details are available at tfl.gov.uk/christmas-travel

Continue reading →

Posted in Commuting, East Croydon, Norwood Junction, TfL, Tramlink, Transport, ULEZ, West Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ghostly convocation that is hardly a good omen for the Palace

Posted on December 8, 2024 by insidecroydon

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT: As we head into the season of ghostly stories and things that go ‘bump’ in the night, DAVID MORGAN has a tale for troubled times in Croydon…

The tram rattled along Church Street and came to a halt at the stop. One of the handful of people who got off was an elderly man. The collar of his black overcoat was turned up against the cold. He seemed unremarkable, although if you looked closely, his coat didn’t seem quite right. Unfashionable, certainly, in fact quite old fashioned, and quite worn on the back, as if whoever was wearing it had been sitting for too long on hard benches.

His black shoes, untidily laced, seemed at least one size too large. Continue reading →

Posted in David Morgan, Old Palace | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Nature charity creates Ashburton future forest with 3,600 trees

Posted on December 8, 2024 by insidecroydon

Dig in: Alastair Humphreys, credited with popularising the idea of the ‘microadventure’, seemed to enjoy his time creating a ‘forest of the future’ in Ashburton

Hundreds of volunteers worked to create a “future forest” in Ashburton Playing Fields last weekend with a mass tree-planting session where the organisers reckon more than 3,600 saplings were planted.

Tree-mendous: Trees for Cities made it a day of family fun

“The new trees will enrich the area by supporting biodiversity, cooling and cleaning the air, and boosting people’s mental and physical health,” according to the event organisers, environmental charity Trees for Cities.

To mark National Tree Week and Trees for Cities’ 30th anniversary, other festivities at the Ashburton event included the bright rhythms of Carribé Steel Band, The Museum of Memorable Trees exploring the deep connections people have with trees and Roaming Trees, a walk-about comedy act. Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe East, Ashburton, Charity, Climate Crisis Commission, Croydon parks, Environment | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

‘The Trams are here to stay!’ as club signs 25-year Arena lease

Posted on December 7, 2024 by insidecroydon

Croydon FC has announced that it has signed a 25-year lease with the council for their clubhouse and surrounding area at their home ground at Croydon Arena in South Norwood. “The Trams are here to stay!” they said this afternoon.

Stand alone: the main stand at Croydon Arena, which cannot be used on match days

The borough’s longest-established non-league football club has been hamstrung in recent times by uncertainty over their use of the clubhouse, as their landlords at the cash-strapped council have grappled with other issues.

The club still has to contend with the lack of investment in maintenance and upkeep of Croydon Arena, where the main stand remains unsafe and out-of-bounds to spectators – despite Mayor Jason Perry having falsely claimed it had re-opened.

Obtaining the security of a longer term lease has been a target of the club’s chairman, Gavin English, since he took up the role. Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon FC, Football, South Norwood, Sport | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Coulsdon event survives as Storm Darragh blows into Croydon

Posted on December 7, 2024 by insidecroydon

Battering: Storm Darragh is the fourth ‘named storm’ of this winter, hitting the west coast and Wales with winds recorded of more than 90mph

Major cross-country race planned for Lloyd Park is cancelled at late notice due to stormy high winds

Coulsdon’s Yuletide Magic event, organised for Small Business Saturday by the local community partnership, has gone ahead today despite the ravages of Storm Darragh. At less than 24 hours’ notice, the volunteer organisers have turned what was planned as an outdoor Christmas event into an indoor one.

With 90mph winds reported this morning and red weather warnings for parts of Wales and the West Country, south London was spared the worst of the fourth “named storm” of this winter, but it still had an impact. Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, Athletics, Business, Community associations, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Lloyd Park, Sport | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

South Norwood Community Kitchen’s Christmas 2024 appeal

Posted on December 7, 2024 by insidecroydon

Continue reading →

Posted in Socco Cheta Community Hub, South Norwood Community Kitchen | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

After his latest failure, Mayor Perry claims he is powerless

Posted on December 6, 2024 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Although he was a member of the committee that handed a £437,000 ‘golden handshake’ to Jo Negrini, the borough’s elected Mayor is now blaming the law for his own broken promises.
By STEVEN DOWNES

Surprise, surprise: Mayor Jason Perry, just after someone explained to him how the law on misconduct in public office works…

Almost a week since council reports were published that confirmed that the Mdetropolitan Police had dropped their investigation into potential wrong-doing over the borough’s financial collapse, and Jason Perry, Croydon’s £82,000 per year elected Mayor, has broken his silence over his latest failures to deliver.

And he reckons it is all someone else’s fault.

One of the key recommendations of the Penn Report in February 2021 was to call in the police to check for possible fraud and other wrong-doing in the months and years that led to the council’s financial crisis, including events surrounding the failed housing company, Brick by Brick, the £70million botched refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls and the dodgy purchase of the Croydon Park Hotel.

But council chief exec Katherine Kerswell and Perry contrived to delay referring the findings of Penn and others to the Met Police until last year. Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, The Penn Report | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

RSPCA investigates dead dog found dumped in Selhurst park

Posted on December 6, 2024 by insidecroydon

The RSPCA has launched an investigation after the dead body of a dog was found in Whitehorse Road Recreation Ground in Croydon last week.

A member of the public discovered the body of a badly emaciated female brown and white bull breed-cross lying behind the park’s perimeter wall late on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 26.

The dog was very underweight, with her hips, ribs and spine visible. Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Crime, Selhurst | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Old Bailey jury finds man guilty in South Norwood murder case

Posted on December 6, 2024 by insidecroydon

Dajour Jones was yesterday found guilty by a unanimous verdict of the “murder in cold blood” of 20-year-old Jamie Gilbey, whose remains were found in undergrowth off Cantley Gardens in South Norwood in 2022.

Guilty: Dajour Jones will be sentenced on Dec 13

The jury in the Old Bailey trial took six hours to reach its verdict, rejecting the claim by Jones that he had hit the victim with a broom in self-defence after Gilbey confronted him with a knife and stole his phone.

Jones, 27, refused to attend the hearing yesterday, even via videolink from Belmarsh Prison, although Judge Nigel Lickley KC said that he will have to attend his sentencing, which will take place on December 13.

During the trial, the court heard how Jones had a history of violent conduct. At the time of the murder, Jones was on licence having been released from prison after attacking a man in a cycle shop in London Bridge.

The killing happened nearly three years ago, when Gilbey’s body was dismembered and dumped in bin bags near South Norwood Lake, with blood-stained clothing and bedding disposed of near a children’s play area in Love Lane. Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Croydon parks, Policing, South Norwood | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TfL confirms it will axe 118 bus route despite public opposition

Posted on December 6, 2024 by insidecroydon

From February, Transport for London will be withdrawing the 118 route, which runs from Brixton to Morden via Streatham, Streatham Park and Mitcham.

All change: the 118 route has been service south London since 1936

The decision has been made following a public consultation in which, even TfL admits, there was overwhelming public opposition to the proposals.

TfL’s proposals were for the 45 route to be extended to cover parts of the 118 service. Among the objections to the changes were that this longer route could prove less reliable. TfL did not include service frequencies in its consultation. Continue reading →

Posted in Commuting, TfL, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Death of the high street (Part 94): now even estate agents exit

Posted on December 6, 2024 by insidecroydon

Vacant property: the Andrews estate agents’ shop, now empty awaiting new tenants

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Things are getting so tough in Purley, even long-established estate agents are selling up and moving out. iC’s loyal reader CHRIS MYERS outlines his concerns

To let: business has been slowing even for Purley estate agents

Just noticed the Purley branch of Andrews has closed.

I phoned them up and the guy said, “We decided not to renew the lease and share the business between our Wallington and Sutton branches.”

It’s a big place with frontages on the Brighton Road and High Street.

It looks like it’s up to rent for £35,000 per year, so I guess we can expect south London’s biggest chicken business to move in. Or a nail bar. Or another barbers. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Property, Purley | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Thornton Heath school hits right notes with Christmas single

Posted on December 6, 2024 by insidecroydon

With help from a local secondary, a primary choir is vying with Ed Sheeran and Sabrina Carpenter to top the festive charts

On song: the St James the Great school choir recording in the studio at Trinity School

St James the Great Primary School in Thornton Heath has released its first ever Christmas single, Joy on Christmas Day.

The festive track, written by choir director Ziad Khwiss, features the angelic voices of pupils from the school’s chamber choir.

The single was recorded in the studio at Trinity School in Shirley, whose Big Band students, aged 15 to 17, contributed the instrumentals. Continue reading →

Posted in Music, St James the Great, Trinity School | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brothers sentenced to 44 years for murder of Bradley Hutchins

Posted on December 5, 2024 by insidecroydon

Two men from Purley have been sentenced to a total of 44 years for the September 2023 murder of Bradley Hutchins and seriously injuring his brother.

Guilty: Shane Canavan

Shane Canavan, 23, and his half-brother, Joshua Langley, 29, both of Greyfields Close, were sentenced to life with a minimum of 23 years and 21 years in prison respectively.

At Woolwich Crown Court in July, they were both found guilty of the murder of 20-year-old Bradley Hutchins and of wounding with intent his 19-year-old brother, Calum Hutchins.

Bradley Hutchins was one of 11 people killed on the streets of Croydon during 2023.

During the trial, the court heard how police were called to reports of a group of men fighting with weapons in North Walk, New Addington on September 12 last year.

Officers attended and heard that Bradley and Calum had been taken to a nearby ambulance station. They had both been stabbed multiple times. Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Knife crime, New Addington, Policing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Inside Croydon’s generous readers amble to help Garwood

Posted on December 5, 2024 by insidecroydon

Long shadows: our winter ramble from Whyteleafe via Kenley airfield and on to Coulsdon Common took in some stunning scenery

Inside Croydon’s autumn amble from Whyteleafe to Coulsdon Common, via Kenley airfield, raised £80 in donations for local charity Garwood Foundation.

Nearly 20 loyal readers and hardy ramblers applied to take part in the walk, led by Ken Towl and following a section of the London Loop. And all of them made a donation to the Garwood, with iC topping up the money to a suitable, round figure. Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe East, Addiscombe West, Charity, Community associations, Education, Garwood Foundation, Schools, South Croydon, Walks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Croydon man pleads guilty to child sexual abuse offences

Posted on December 5, 2024 by insidecroydon

A man from Croydon has been convicted of a range of offences involving sexual abuse of children, including inciting the rape of a baby.

Keith Edun, 47, of Strathmore Road, appeared at Croydon Crown Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to inciting the rape of a baby, distribution of indecent images of children, two counts of making indecent images of children, and perverting the course of justice.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Phill Govett said: “This was an extremely complex investigation involving the digital forensic examination of multiple devices, cross-referencing his online activity with real-world actions which revealed what a scheming and meticulous offender Edun is.

“He went to great lengths to hide his offending, but I’m glad to see that despite his attempts to evade justice for his crimes, he will now face the consequences of his actions.” Continue reading →

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King Charles congratulates fast-growing Purley Scouts group

Posted on December 5, 2024 by insidecroydon

Promising start: the new Explorer Scouts gathered together to receive their scarves and hear a message from the King

King Charles has sent a message of congratulations to one of Croydon’s fastest-growing troops of Scouts.

Since starting in 2018, the 30th Purley Masjid Scouts have successfully opened Beavers (for six- to eight-year-olds), Cubs, Scouts and last month opened its Al Ayyubi Explorer Scout Unit for 14-to18-year-olds.

Twenty teenagers were welcomed into the Al Ayyubi Explorer Scouts at an event held at Royal Russell School, where the Explorers made their Scout Promise in front of their friends, family and members of the local community. Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, Coulsdon, Purley, Scouts and Guides | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Charity funds dramatherapy sessions for children with epilepsy

Posted on December 5, 2024 by insidecroydon

Children and young people in Croydon living with epilepsy are set to receive additional support from Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, thanks to funding via Croydon Health Charity.

The charity recently received a £2,950 grant from Beckenham Theatre Trust to deliver a new creative arts therapy programme to provide peer support and access to the arts.

The project follows feedback from parents and carers and will involve a six-week programme in 2025 for primary and secondary school-aged children who are receiving care at the Trust. Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Croydon Health Charity, Croydon NHS Trust, Health, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

RSPCA recruiting rescue staff in Croydon, Bromley and Surrey

Posted on December 5, 2024 by insidecroydon

The RSPCA animal charity is recruiting animal rescue officers, including roles in Croydon, Bromley and for the Warlingham and Caterham area.

Job opportunity: the RSPCA is recruiting for rescue officers

Animal rescue officers are frontline workers who respond to reports of cruelty, neglect and injury, deal with complaints, and collect and rescue injured and trapped animals. They carry out some of the vital work of the RSPCA, alongside inspectors, in making a real difference to the lives of animals.

There are 179 animal rescue officers across England and Wales. Together with RSPCA inspectors, animal rescue officers have responded to 247,265 incidents so far this year. Continue reading →

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