Tag Archives: Croydon

21,000 residents petition for elected mayor referendum

A costly legal battle is expected, as council leader looks to block the democratic will of the people. STEVEN DOWNES reports After 18 months of meetings and door-knocking, a campaign group led by seven residents’ associations has today handed in … Continue reading

Posted in 2021 London elections, 2021 Mayor Referendum, Addington Residents' Association, Chris Philp MP, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon South, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, HADRA, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

‘This is an acid test of council’s approach to democracy’

Here’s the full text of the letter from the democratically elected mayor for Croydon campaign, delivered by hand today at the Town Hall. It includes the detailed legal argument, based on counsel’s advice, that supports DEMOC’s claim that the referendum … Continue reading

Posted in 2021 London elections, 2021 Mayor Referendum, Addington Residents' Association, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, HADRA, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is the end nigh? Newman facing cash crisis triple whammy

76% of readers think Tony Newman is not fit to be council leader 21,000 residents sign petition calling for a democratically elected mayor Whitehall bail-out for cash-strapped council to carry onerous conditions Tony Newman might be wishing he never came … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Jo Negrini, Lisa Taylor, Paul Scott, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Brick by Brick legal row sees further delays at Auckland Rise

Brick by Brick is locked in another legal dispute with one of its building contractors, this time over unfinished works at Auckland Rise in Upper Norwood. Croydon Council’s wholly-owned, loss-making developer is building seven blocks on what were open spaces … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Jo Negrini, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

‘Desperate’ meetings with Henderson fuel CEO speculation

STEVEN DOWNES on a twist in the council’s search for new leadership Well-placed sources in Fisher’s Folly describe council leader Tony Newman as “beyond desperate” to get Robert Henderson to stay in Croydon – possibly going as far as to … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Robert Henderson, Shifa Mustafa, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tories pick Perry as new leader in run-up to local elections

Our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE, reports as the Town Hall’s opposition Conservatives stage their leadership reshuffle Jason Perry is Croydon’s Conservative opposition’s new leader, elected at a meeting of the borough’s Tory councillors last night. Croydon’s Tories have been enthusiastic … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon South, Jason Cummings, Jason Perry, Lynne Hale, Mario Creatura, Sanderstead, South Croydon, Tim Pollard | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hall’s 1,000-word email plea to keep his cabinet finance post

It might not fill anyone with much confidence when the councillor in charge of cash-strapped Croydon’s finances brushes away more than £1million as if it didn’t matter, as he seeks to justify the council’s parlous financial situation, which includes a … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Property, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

96% say Negrini should not receive pay-out from council

Jo Negrini, whose departure from her job as Croydon Council’s chief executive was confirmed last week, should not receive a penny in any taxpayer-funded pay-off, according to Inside Croydon readers. An overwhelming 96.8 per cent of readers answered “No” in … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Capt Jim’s job keeping the navy afloat in the Seven Years War

MARVELS OF THE MINSTER: In the last of his series on the lost gravestones, DAVID MORGAN tracks down the military record of an 18th-century Croydon resident Hundreds of people walk past the gravestone of Jim Thorp each week. The smooth … Continue reading

Posted in Church and religions, Croydon Minster, David Morgan, History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

£21,500 a year up in a puff of smoke: Negrini’s ciggie bonus

Croydon’s Council  Tax-payers were paying Jo Negrini £21,500 per year… just to smoke her cigarettes. That’s according to the calculation – doubtless performed on the back of a cigarette packet – by one disillusioned council worker following the news that … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Newman bypassed cabinet and colleagues on CEO decisions

Our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE, on the latest decision by decree from the council leader, and with a profile of the interim CEO who had a chequered career before joining Croydon Before she was announced yesterday as the interim replacement … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, CPO, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Lisa Taylor, Shifa Mustafa, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Questions tower over council’s husband and wife planning act

Angry residents are seeking a full and independent investigation into the role played by a senior member of the council’s planning department in a £300million tower development that was granted planning permission in central Croydon – when the wife of … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, One Lansdowne Road, Planning, Property, Purley | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Negrini must not receive any reward for failures, says MP

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE, on the immediate reactions to the departure of the council’s chief executive Any pay-off to Jo Negrini, Croydon Council’s departing chief executive, would be “morally wrong at this time of financial … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Brick by Brick, Children's Services, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Jo Negrini, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

It’s official: finally Newman breaks silence on Negrini’s exit

The battle over a lavish ‘golden handshake’ for the £220,000 per year chief executive appears to have been settled. By STEVEN DOWNES Tony Newman, the leader of the Labour-run council, finally broke his silence this afternoon to confirm that Jo … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Covid deaths should halt Brick by Brick’s densification plan

Criticised as being an over-development that ‘will give an overall appearance of cramped, overcrowded, poor-quality dwellings’, the latest council-backed scheme could even risk future coronavirus outbreaks. Housing correspondent BARRATT HOLMES reports The deaths of residents from covid-19 when living in … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Environment, Housing, Joy Prince, Paul Scott, Planning, Property, Purley, South Croydon, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

‘I can’t guarantee we won’t issue a Section 114 notice’

After weeks of repeated denials from Town Hall chiefs that the council is broke, last night there was a refreshing outbreak of frankness by an official. KEN LEE reports One of the council’s most senior officials last night admitted: “I … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Lisa Taylor, Shifa Mustafa, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The ins and outs of quietly getting rid of a council CEO

Did she jump or was she pushed? Our employment law correspondent, PERRY FREEMASON, delves into the murky world of human resources at Fisher’s Folly to sift through another expensive mess at the council Morale among staff inside Fisher’s Folly is … Continue reading

Posted in Bernard Weatherill House, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Jon Rouse, Nathan Elvery, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council goes to Minister with begging bowl over cash crisis

Croydon is ‘Teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, partly as a result of its investment in property’, and facing a financial bail-out from Whitehall which will come with strings attached – possibly even including the forced resignation of Labour’s council … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Jo Negrini, Property, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Croydon In Crisis: Negrini holds out for bigger pay-off

EXCLUSIVE: As more than 400 council staff are being made redundant, workers and unions express disgust that borough’s chief executive is to receive a lavish exit settlement. By STEVEN DOWNES The Mexican stand-off at Fisher’s Folly has now gone into … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Robert Henderson, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

‘Doing a Northampton’: dire warnings from council failures

KEN LEE, our Town Hall reporter, on how many of the failings from another council’s collapse can be recognised in Croydon’s crisis A report published last month about the financial collapse of a local authority has eerily familiar themes and … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Simon Hall, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ten top tips for getting your child ready for return to school

Ahead of the start of the new school year, CATHERINE LYNCH, from education and lesson-planning experts PlanBee, has 10 tips for getting young ones ready and eager to learn As families struggle to deal with the fall-out from exams chaos, … Continue reading

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

Anti-London Tories install Gilligan as they plot a takeover

Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports on the existential crisis facing not only the Mayor, but the whole London regional tier of government The news that the Tory government is to impose a 2.6 per cent fare hike on the capital’s … Continue reading

Posted in Boris Johnson, Commuting, Cycling, Housing, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Planning, Purley Way, Sadiq Khan, Shaun Bailey, TfL, Tramlink, Transport, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Croydon In Crisis: Council in disarray as Negrini quits

EXCLUSIVE: Unconfirmed reports suggest that the borough’s £220,000 pa chief exec is about to announce her resignation, leaving behind a trail of calamity as the Town Hall axes at least 400 jobs. By STEVEN DOWNES Jo Negrini, Croydon Council’s chief … Continue reading

Posted in Barbara Peacock, Brick by Brick, Children's Services, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Guy van Dichele, Jacqueline Harris-Baker, Jo Negrini, Planning, Richard Simpson, Robert Henderson, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

It is time to act to save Croydon’s precious green spaces

CROYDON COMMENTARY: While getting out and about during the covid-19 crisis, PETER UNDERWOOD, pictured left, has discovered parks and open spaces that need more care, and which are coming under increasing threat of development – from the Labour council and … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Greens, Croydon parks, Environment, Hutchinson's Bank, Lloyd Park, Peter Underwood, Planning, Wildlife, Wontford Road Green | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

240 Virgo Fidelis pupils sent away due to unsafe buildings

Old and poorly maintained school buildings could hasten the closure of what was once a proud Catholic girls’ school. By our education correspondent, GENE BRODIE A landmark Victorian school building in Upper Norwood is “not currently safe for pupils and … Continue reading

Posted in Church and religions, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Education, Schools, Virgo Fidelis | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments