Tag Archives: Jane Avis

Croydon Labour shaken after resignation of third councillor

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Hamida Ali’s control of the Town Hall continues to crumble, as long-standing councillor Jane Avis decides to quit. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Jane Avis, the council cabinet member for homes and gateway services, has resigned from the … Continue reading

Posted in Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jane Avis, New Addington North, Patsy Cummings, Paul Scott, Simon Hall, South Norwood, Tony Newman, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Strange Cummings and goings as protests begin over library

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The battle has begun to save the borough’s libraries, under threat because of the council’s financial collapse. GENE BRODIE reports from yesterday’s well-attended protest in South Norwood More than 100 residents, including many parents with youngsters in … Continue reading

Posted in Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jane Avis, Libraries, Patsy Cummings, Paul Scott, Section 114 notice, South Norwood, Tony Newman, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

BxB-built library which has never opened is now to be closed

The story of South Norwood Library is just the latest example of how thoroughly screwed-up and costly the council’s relationship with its loss-making house-builders has become. GENE BRODIE, our bookish gyms correspondent, reports This could only happen in Croydon. The … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Education, Jane Avis, Libraries, Lisa Taylor, Oliver Lewis, Patsy Cummings, Paul Scott, Section 114 notice, South Norwood, Tony Newman, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Scott and Butler sacked from cabinet as Tories get their way

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on what passed for a ‘night of the long knives’ at the council’s extraordinary meeting Hamida Ali’s first act as the leader of the council last night was to sack three of the … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Callton Young, Croydon Council, David Wood, Hamida Ali, Jane Avis, Jason Perry, Muhammad Ali, Paul Scott, Stuart Collins, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Newman’s claims over diversity miss the real ‘need for change’

Black Lives Matter. But in Orwellian Croydon, some matter more than others, as our political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports While many in England will be rushing off to the pub tomorrow, Tony Newman will be using a Croydon Labour councillors’ … Continue reading

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Callton Young, Chris Clark, Clive Fraser, David Wood, Jane Avis, Janet Campbell, Louisa Woodley, Oliver Lewis, Paul Scott, Sean Fitzsimons, Simon Hall, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Newman accused of breaking own rules over councillor sacking

WALTER CRONXITE reports on the latest shenanigans from Croydon’s Labour leader Tony Newman, the leader of the council, may have broken his own Labour group’s rules last week when he issued an email “announcing” the appointment of Janet Campbell as … Continue reading

Posted in Callton Young, Humayun Kabir, Jane Avis, Janet Campbell, Toni Letts, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Newman sacks social care cabinet member in middle of crisis

Leader claims move improves racial balance in council cabinet, while his three-strong leadership team remains all white. WALTER CRONXITE reports Labour leader Tony Newman has sacked Jane Avis, his council cabinet member for health and social care, right in the … Continue reading

Posted in Jane Avis, Janet Campbell, South Norwood, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Covid-19 a ‘ticking time bomb’ in borough’s 140 care homes

Croydon is among the London boroughs worst hit by coronavirus according to the latest government figures this weekend. And yet the pandemic death toll in this part of south London could be far worse once the fatalities are counted up … Continue reading

Posted in Adult Social Care, Care Homes, Croydon CCG, Croydon Council, Health, Jane Avis, Sean Fitzsimons | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Council to end contract for elderly sheltered housing care

The council is bringing back in-house the care of 237 older tenants in special sheltered flats and ending its contract with the existing private provider, following repeated complaints that the services provided had been falling below acceptable standards. It is … Continue reading

Posted in Adult Social Care, Croydon Council, Jane Avis | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Croydon CLP backs elected mayor over ‘dysfunctional’ council

Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports on what Mrs Merton might have called ‘a heated debate’ The simmering internal conflict within the Labour Party in Croydon seems unlikely to cool off during the Town Hall’s summer recess, after members in Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Croydon South, Hamida Ali, Jane Avis, Paul Scott, Robert Canning, Stuart King, Tony Newman, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

CLP cancels meeting with motion opposing NHS privatisation

A constituency Labour Party in Croydon cancelled its regular monthly meeting this week – thwarting an attempt to discuss a motion opposing the latest round of NHS reorganisation and privatisation in the borough. Town Hall sources suggest that centrist-dominated Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Croydon South, Jane Avis, Oliver Lewis | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Hancock’s half-hour at Mayday prompts politicians’ squabble

Our elected representatives had a busy Monday. As well as the borough’s three MPs and short-attention-span councillors turning out at the Town Hall for the Mayor-making in the evening, earlier in the day many of them were in attendance for … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Health, Helen Redfern, Jane Avis, Louisa Woodley, Mayday Hospital, Ola Kolade, Purley Hospital, Sarah Jones MP, St Helier Hospital, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Disabled forced to walk 400m to get to proposed benefits centre

The Department for Work and Pensions is “playing a cruel trick” on the disabled and unwell of Croydon over plans to open a benefits assessment centre in the New South Quarter development off the Purley Way. That’s according to a … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Croydon Council, Joy Prince, Planning, Robert Canning, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

We don’t want to deselect Progress MP Reed say Momentum

Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on backing for Croydon North’s centrist MP from a surprising source Steve Reed OBE must have had a relaxed weekend after he received a ringing endorsement of his position as MP for Croydon North from the … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Fisher, Andrew Pelling, Croydon North, Jane Avis, Niro Sirisena, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Council’s Autism Board failed to hold meetings for nine months

Croydon Council’s Autism Board failed to hold any meetings during a nine-month period from October last year. That’s according to a written response from the cabinet member responsible, Jane Avis. For a council which is struggling to improve its reputation … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe West, Adult Social Care, Andrew Rendle, Charity, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Jane Avis, Jerry Fitzpatrick | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unions accuse Brick by Brick of proposing ‘devious’ scheme

Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on the latest disconnect between the interests of residents, their elected representatives and the council’s planning committee Another Thursday, another planning meeting, another Brick by Brick scheme backed by the council against the wishes of … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Environment, Fairfield, Housing, Jane Avis, Patsy Cummings, Paul Scott, Ruskin House, South Norwood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Care company’s closure leaves Croydon carers with no respite

Thousands of families around the borough who have hard-working carers looking after elderly or disabled relatives have had their summer plans thrown into chaos by the closure yesterday of Croydon Help For Carers, an outsourced service provider that worked closely … Continue reading

Posted in Adult Social Care, Croydon Council, Jane Avis | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Controversial chair of planning Scott gets promoted to cabinet

WALTER CRONXITE reports on the latest egregious example of Town Hall patronage, and all done at your expense – including one of ‘Tony’s Cronies’ getting £6,000 per committee meeting Despite managing to bring together 17 residents’ groups in opposition to … Continue reading

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Housing, Jane Avis, Louisa Woodley, Manju Shahul Hameed, Mark Watson, Oliver Lewis, Paul Scott, Planning, Simon Hall, Stuart Collins, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Newman could face legal challenge over councillor sackings

WALTER CRONXITE reports on the latest twist to the sackings of two Labour councillors over the borough’s licensing policy Tony Newman, the leader of Croydon’s Labour-run council, may face a legal challenge to his decision to strip councillors Callton Young … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Andrew Pelling, Boxpark, Business, Callton Young, Croydon Council, Jane Avis, Music, Pubs, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council fails to publish papers for Boxpark licensing meeting

The council’s administration of its public meetings has again fallen short, ahead of a licensing sub-committee due to be held at the Town Hall tomorrow morning. The last licensing committee meeting has become a matter of controversy because neither the … Continue reading

Posted in Boxpark, Business, Croydon Council, Jane Avis | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Licensing changes are halted over bashment ban concerns

Council plans to alter its licensing policy in the town centre, after several years of strictly applying rules which discouraged new bars, night clubs and pubs to open, failed to get past the first hurdle of last week’s committee meeting … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Business, Callton Young, Croydon Council, David Wood, Jane Avis, Jo Negrini, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Pubs, Sadiq Khan, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Licence fees set to increase for borough’s street traders

The council’s licensing committee has endorsed increases in fees for street trading licences, albeit at rates reduced from the original proposals. It is the first change for nearly a decade in the charges for shops, cafes and restaurants which choose … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Jane Avis, Pubs, Restaurants, Surrey Street | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Murder on the dance floor as Newman checks who’s in step

Ignore the pointless “debate” on the EU referendum and badly sung versions of Land of Hope and Glory. Monday’s council meeting was in fact a thinly disguised contest to judge the performances in the Town Hall chamber of some of … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jane Avis, Kathy Bee, Mark Watson, Mayor of London, Nathan Elvery, Oliver Lewis, Sadiq Khan, South Norwood, Stuart Collins, Stuart King, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Vidhi Mohan, Wayne Lawlor, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Happy, happy talk in South Norwood delivers community pride

Here’s four minutes’ worth of video that should cheer up many a dull morning. Congratulations to Ian Bone and his mates at the South Norwood Tourist Board, the Crystal Palace Transition Team, Robert Gibson and to Councillor Jane Avis, who … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Gardening, Jane Avis, South Norwood, South Norwood Tourist Board, Transition Town | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lots of happy talk as residents do the Sensible thing

Almost 30 people from South Norwood, Shirley, Penge and Crystal Palace united to transform a long neglected piece of greenery on South Norwood High Street at the weekend. Crystal Palace Transition Town joined forces with South Norwood Tourist Board and … Continue reading

Posted in Community associations, Jane Avis, South Norwood, South Norwood Tourist Board, Transition Town | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments