Tag Archives: Alison Butler

Ombudsman creates league table of London’s failing councils

The Housing Ombudsman has launched a special investigation into Lewisham Council, which is guilty of “repeated failings”. The watchdog said it would carry out the probe into the south London council after issuing it with 16 “severe maladministration” findings in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alison Butler, Bexley, Bromley Council, Croydon Council, Housing, Lambeth Council, Lewisham, London-wide issues, Merton, Southwark Council, Sutton Council, Wandsworth Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Desperate times, desperate measures: PM Sunak visits Purley

PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: They thought it was some kind of secret liaison at their local HQ in Purley. But WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, reports on the last roll of the dice by Croydon’s Tory MP Photos: GEORGE BURDICK and HUNTER SQUIRES … Continue reading →

Posted in 2024 General Election, Ben Taylor, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Croydon East, Croydon South, Croydon West, Purley, Sanderstead, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Brick by Brick’s final flats put up for rent at £2,400 per month

In Coulsdon, 157 flats have been standing empty for almost two years, in the middle of a housing crisis. But now, with the council silent on the multi-million sale of the properties, some are being made available for eye-watering rents. … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Coulsdon Town, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Auckland Rise residents suffer the ‘curse’ of Brick by Brick

Our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, reports on how some of the warnings about the council house-builders’ ‘affordable’ homes are becoming an costly reality in Crystal Palace Residents in supposedly “affordable” shared ownership homes built in Crystal Palace by the council-owned … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Claire Bonham, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

£68m: final cost of Brick by Brick, as agreed by Mayor Perry

£68m This is what a “solvent liquidation” looks like, according to Croydon’s elected Mayor Jason Perry. That’s the latest final estimate of the exit costs of winding down and closing Brick by Brick, the failed housing company set up by … Continue reading →

Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Paul Scott, Planning, Simon Hall, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Dirty tricks or treats: Labour selection’s Halloween horror films

Whoever gets picked as Labour’s candidate for the new Croydon East parliamentary seat is effectively being installed to a job-for-life sinecure. And with such high stakes, some have already bent the rules and resorted to underhand tactics, reports our Political … Continue reading →

Posted in 2024 General Election, Chris Philp MP, Croydon East, Paul Scott, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Good Lord? Starmer’s gofer Evans is lined up for a peerage

Our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE, delves through some silly season speculation to discover that one of Alison Butler’s exes could soon be heading for the red benches David Evans, the former Croydon business owner who was an aide to Tony … Continue reading →

Posted in Alison Butler, David Evans, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No tears shed by council or tenants as Axis makes its exit

Without any fanfare, and conspicuously no statement of great achievements by Croydon’s Mayor, the borough’s £21m per year repairs contractor that was mired at the centre of the Regina Road scandal has been quietly replaced It was perhaps a surprise … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Housing, K&T Heating, Mears, Wates | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Brick by Brick’s unsold homes are costing Croydon a fortune

Despite there being a ‘housing crisis’, the council’s failed development company is struggling to sell dozens of its homes. As housing correspondent BARRATT HOLMES reports, £440,000 for a two-bed shared-ownership flat is putting off buyers There’s good reason that loss-making … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Fairfield, Housing, Old Coulsdon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Brick by Brick’s losses pile up even after selling £89m of homes

As the failed development company staggers towards its ultimate demise, it is maintaining its unwanted record of never making a single penny in profit, as our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, reports Brick by Brick, the council-owned housing company, sold £89million-worth … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Housing, Martyn Evans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Homes report warns of ‘unsustainable’ shared ownership deals

Shared ownership risks becoming “financially unsustainable” for lower-income buyers, warns a report published this week. The report, Shared ownership: the consumer perspective, reveals how more than one-third of shared owners display indicators of financial vulnerability, with lower financial resilience and … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Council yet to start legal action on Negrini’s £437,000 pay-off

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Mayor Perry is taking his time over his public claim to be pursuing the former council CEO for a refund of her golden handshake. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Almost two months after Jason Perry, Croydon’s elected Mayor, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Simon Hall, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Labour attack ads score yet another embarrassing own goal

‘Smear campaign’ which started with ad backed by Croydon North’s MP has managed to draw even more attention to how his mates bankrupted the borough. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Labour’s controversial attack ads, which started with a racist dog … Continue reading →

Posted in Alison Butler, Chris Philp MP, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Croydon South, David Evans, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Mayor Perry to spend thousands on certificates for old mates

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The Conservatives at the cash-strapped council are still wasting public money when it comes to doling out meaningless bits of ceremonial tat to their mates. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Mayor Jason Perry, who earlier in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Badsha Quadir, Croydon Council, Jan Buttinger, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Louisa Woodley, Mayor Jason Perry, Pat Clouder, Pat Ryan, Paul Scott, Shafi Khan, Simon Hall, Steve Hollands, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Tony Pearson, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Councillors line up Stormzy for the Freedom of the Borough

More dither and delay by our cash-strapped council, after they are forced to  check whether the global superstar rapper will accept a civic honour. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon’s Labour councillors want to give Stormzy the Freedom of the Borough. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Badsha Quadir, Bernadette Khan, Croydon Council, Gerry Ryan, Helen Pollard, Jane Avis, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Louisa Woodley, Maggie Mansell, Mayor Jason Perry, Pat Clouder, Paul Scott, Shafi Khan, Simon Hall, Simon Hoar, Steve Hollands, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Kerswell condemns councils’ accountability as inadequate

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Yesterday’s meeting of the cash-strapped council’s disciplinary committee may have committed Croydon to tens of thousands of pounds of additional legal costs, with no guarantee of any success in the cases which might eventually be brought. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Callton Young, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Shifa Mustafa, The Penn Report, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

And here are the Labour councillors who broke their word over the 15% tax hike and abandoned the people of Croydon

STUART KING. Leader of the opposition Councillor King took over as Labour group leader in May 2022. Had spent previous eight years mostly holding senior positions, including cabinet posts, in the Labour council administration of Tony Newman, Alison Butler and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Amy Foster, Brigitte Graham, Callton Young, Catherine Wilson, Chris Clark, Chrishni Reshekaron, Christopher Herman, Clive Fraser, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Enid Mollyneaux, Humayun Kabir, Humayun Kabir, Janet Campbell, Karen Jewitt, Kola Agboola, Leila Ben-Hassel, Louis Carserides, Maddie Henson, Manju Shahul Hameed, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Bonello, Mohammed Islam, Nina Degrads, Patricia Hay-Justice, Patsy Cummings, Sean Fitzsimons, Sherwan Chowdhury, Stella Nabukeera, Stuart Collins, Stuart King, Tamar Barrett (was Nwafor), Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Company founded by Labour’s Evans under threat of strike off

While the quality of the management of the Labour Party by its General Secretary David Evans remains hotly disputed among those on the left, the public relations consultancy he established just more than 20 years ago, The Campaign Company, looks … Continue reading →

Posted in David Evans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Grey man’s appointment places Gray with Croydon clique

Political editor WALTER CRONXITE delves into the shadowy south London connections that Sue Gray will encounter when she starts work as the Labour leader’s Chief of Staff The grey man of British politics, the terminally boring Keir Starmer, now has … Continue reading →

Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, Croydon Council, Croydon North, David Evans, Hamida Ali, Lambeth Council, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scott and Butler to be snubbed by Town Hall honours system

By our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE Alison Butler and Paul Scott, half of the Labour “Gang of Four” that bankrupted Croydon Council, will not be offered the traditional, post-council career honour of being made honorary alderwoman and alderman of … Continue reading →

Posted in Alison Butler, Paul Scott, Shirley North, Sue Bennett, Tony Newman, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Newman’s defence slips: there’s ‘no evidence’ of wrongdoing

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The latest in-depth coverage of the borough’s bankruptcy by a national newspaper sees the former Labour council leader dump blame on his erstwhile colleagues. By STEVEN DOWNES The council leader who oversaw Town Hall meetings and gatherings … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Callton Young, Clive Fraser, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Inside Croydon, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Manju Shahul Hameed, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Stuart Collins, Stuart King, The Penn Report, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

£495,000 for a flat – this is Brick by Brick’s ‘affordable’ housing

The argument that the council-owned property developer was somehow the answer to the borough’s housing crisis appears lost among the high cost of its properties in Coulsdon. By BARRATT HOLMES, housing correspondent Flats in Coulsdon that were built by council-owned … Continue reading →

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Town, Croydon Council, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Labour’s ‘toxic legacy’ in Croydon proving hard to shake off

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Around the country, the Tories are in retreat thanks to the failings of their three Prime Ministers. But not in Croydon, where they face a neutered opposition, as political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports In London and in … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, 2024 General Election, Alison Butler, Chris Clark, Chrishni Reshekaron, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Croydon South, Lynne Hale, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Bonello, New Addington North, New Addington South, Paul Scott, Sarah Jones MP, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale, South Croydon, Tony Newman, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Ombudsman finds council put 4-year-old at risk of gang crime

CROYDON IN CRISIS: In the latest adverse finding against Croydon Council, in a case that stretches back seven years, a young mother was ‘left to live in fear’ after she was subjected to threats at gun-point and her appeals to … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Services, Crime, Croydon Council | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Croydon 2022 – a review of the year, Inside Croydon-style

Three Prime Ministers and a Funeral… 2022 was busy on the news front, even by recent standards. Here in deepest south London, the stories just kept coming, some part of a narrative thread which ran throughout the year – such … Continue reading →

Posted in Inside Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment