Tag Archives: Croydon Council

Council puts the ‘sham’ into ‘shambolic’ over 4 closed libraries

It’s Friday 13th, so unlucky for some, as Croydon has designated this as the final day for applications to take over the four public libraries ordered closed by Tory Mayor Jason Perry. Bradmore Green, in Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley and … Continue reading

Posted in Broad Green, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Shirley North, Shirley South | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Rayner warned Croydon’s ‘budget gap’ will balloon to £83m

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The south London council ‘remains one of the most financially distressed in the country’, according to the local government minister. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Cash-strapped Croydon Council is going to need an even bigger government bail-out … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Planning councillor failed to declare his new job for 8 months

EXCLUSIVE: Addiscombe West councillor Clive Fraser has been caught breaking the rules yet again. By KEN LEE, Town Hall reporter Clive Fraser, one of Croydon’s most experienced councillors and the deputy chair of the council’s planning committee, went almost nine … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe West, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Kroll Report provides no answers to £73m Fairfield fiasco

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Jo Negrini refused to be interviewed, all Colm Lacey’s emails got wiped and former cabinet members Newman, Scott, Butler and Hall were never spoken to in person as part of the £310,000 investigation. By STEVEN DOWNES Late … Continue reading

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, College Green, Colm Lacey, Crime, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Mott MacDonald, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Shifa Mustafa, The Penn Report, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Tory planning chief permits towers with 15% affordable homes

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 … 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

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

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 … Continue reading

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

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

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. … Continue reading

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

After his latest failure, Mayor Perry claims he is powerless

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 Almost a week … 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

Norbury and Norwood Junction council car parks to be sold off

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on how 157 Brick by Brick flats in Coulsdon were sold below the market rate, as the council continues to overspend on Mayor Perry’s unbalanced budget Anything that is not nailed down … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jane West, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

After four-year delay, council to submit complaint reports

CROYDON IN CRISIS:  There won’t be any further police investigation. The council’s pursuit of Jo ‘Negreedy’ Negrini for her pay-off cash appears to have collapsed. But chief exec Katherine Kerswell might now write a couple of sternly worded letters. EXCLUSIVE … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Shifa Mustafa, Sutton Council, The Penn Report | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

More bad news for Perry over the Negrini ‘golden handshake’

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Another council legal action looks about to collapse – despite having landed the borough unnecessary bills worth tens of thousands of pounds. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Mayor Jason Perry’s forlorn exercise in “throwing good money after … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Stephen Lawrence-Orumwense, The Penn Report | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Children’s services passes Ofsted inspection despite 5 deaths

The sigh of relief from the Town Hall could be heard all the way to Purley, as inspectors passed the council’s under-pressure children’s care department as overall ‘Good’. But with only 80% staff and a series of deaths of youngsters … Continue reading

Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Debbie Jones, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Stuart Collins | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Police drop all investigations into council’s financial collapse

CROYDON IN CRISIS: It now emerges that the Met decided to take no further action over allegations of possible fraud or false accounting as long ago as June 2023. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES There will be no prosecutions brought against … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Hazel Simmonds, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Lisa Taylor, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Shifa Mustafa, The Penn Report | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

#Binmageddon: Now Croydon named worst in UK for fly-tipping

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Just weeks after the borough was named ‘the filthiest in London’ because of its poor bin collection rate, further data shows the cash-strapped council forking out £1m to clear nearly 40,000 reported incidents of fly-tipping in the … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Fly tipping, Kingston, Merton, Refuse collection, Sutton Council, Veolia, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Controversial Purley Skyscraper scheme needs ‘adjustments’

Our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, surveys some of the slow-motion developments that have been troubling residents in the south of the borough The developers of one of the most controversial developments in Croydon of the past decade say that, four … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Mosaic PLace, Planning, Purley, Purley Pool, Purley Way | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Cash-strapped council recruits £80,000 head of press office

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council spend by its communications department has increased by 50% since Jason Perry became Mayor of Croydon, official figures confirm. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Mayor Jason Perry knows where his priorities are: despite presiding over a … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Elaine Jackson, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

After 10 years, council untangles Lebanon Road traffic mess

Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on the last knockings of a public consultation over road systems in and around Addiscombe Ten years since one Labour councillor managed to get the one-way system around Addiscombe changed just to make things calmer … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe and Shirley Park RA, Addiscombe East, Addiscombe Residents Association, Addiscombe West, Community associations, Croydon Council, ECCO, HOME, Lebanon Road Residents' Association, Mark Watson, Spring Park Residents' Association, TfL | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Staff ‘disgusted’ at council’s response to homeless emergency

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Unanswered phones, lack of proper staff briefings and information on the website that was a year out of date – council’s response to last week’s Severe Weather Emergency was a ‘shit show’ according to insiders. EXCLUSIVE by … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, CVA, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Tandridge, Reigate and Epsom councils could all be scrapped

Croydon’s neighbouring district councils could be merged into one county-wide, unitary Surrey authority, under plans expected to be unveiled in a government White Paper, reports PEARL LEE, our south of the borough correspondent Dozens of councils could be abolished in … Continue reading

Posted in Epsom and Ewell, Outside Croydon, Reigate and Banstead Council, Surrey, Tandridge District Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Manchester Mayor can’t provide answers to Croydon problems

WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on the early start to the 2026 local election campaign Croydon’s 2026 mayoral election campaign is well and truly underway – and the Labour Party has not even started its candidate selection process yet. In a … Continue reading

Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Brick by Brick, Callton Young, Council Tax, Croydon Council, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Rowenna Davis, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Fairfield Halls to close down borough’s biggest music school

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council-owned arts centre, refurbished at a cost of £70m, is closing its doors to 200 fee-paying pupils in what one councillor describes as ‘a loss to the community’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon, London’s “Borough of … Continue reading

Posted in Art, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Business, Croydon Council, Croydon School of Art, Fairfield Halls, Jonathan Higgins, Music, Neil Chandler, Ruskin Square, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Severe weather measures to help street homeless from cold

Croydon and councils across London have this week activated their severe weather emergency protocol – or SWEP – a response to providing a safe warm space to any rough sleeper in the capital. The activation of SWEP ensures that councils … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Crisis Skylight Centre, Croydon Council, CVA, East Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council-owned housing agency priced out by private landlords

London’s soaring private rents have seen the number of properties offered to boroughs by a specialist agency fall by 90% since 2022, according to a report today from The Municipal Journal. The agency, Capital Letters, claims it is being priced … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Housing, London-wide issues | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

East Croydon sorting office site to be used for padel tennis club

Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on how the site of another of the grand plans for the town centre has belatedly been adapted for ‘meanwhile use’ The long-promised additional platforms at East Croydon Station and the clearing of the “Selhurst … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe West, Business, Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Nestle Tower, No1 Croydon, Planning, Property, Royal Mail, Segas House, St George's Walk, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Cash-strapped council has spent £6.4m… to make more cuts

CROYDON IN CRISIS: After cuts to services of £137m in four years and with this year’s council budget out of control, official figures show that the council is spending millions more to find out how to save money. EXCLUSIVE by … Continue reading

Posted in 'Future Croydon', Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, SEND | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments