Tag Archives: London Borough of Croydon

Brick by Brick reports £25m losses as debts rise to £229m

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council’s bungling house-builders sneaked out their latest accounts on Christmas Eve, which show they expect the council to pay them £72m for the Fairfield Halls fiasco. By STEVEN DOWNES As Colm Lacey got up from his … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Negrini lands cushty consultancy with ex-council supplier

EXCLUSIVE (and available in all good, and some not-so-good, newsagents): The exec who walked away with a £440,000 pay-out from the borough she helped to bankrupt has re-emerged with a juicy ‘consultancy’ from one of the firms she used to … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, CPO, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Paul Scott, Tony Newman, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Government rolls out 1m daily jabs against Omicron ‘tidal wave’

The government is calling in the army in an effort to double the number of covid booster jabs delivered to more than 1million per day between now and the New Year in a desperate effort to limit the spread and … Continue reading

Posted in Health, Rachel Flowers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Nearly two-thirds of Croydon waste is going to the incinerator

#BINMAGEDDON: Official figures show that the council’s rubbish contractors Veolia and Viridor are creating more pollution. By our environment correspondent, PAUL LUSHION Official figures published this week show that 63 per cent of Croydon’s rubbish is being sent straight to … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Fly tipping, Refuse collection, Stuart Collins, Veolia, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Ombudsman finds council caused ‘crisis’ for man with autism

The Local Government Ombudsman has found that Croydon Council failed to provide adequate support for a man with autism, causing a “crisis” for him and his family. The man’s mother claimed that the council’s lack of proper action led to … Continue reading

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

‘Some things have really changed for the better at our council’

CROYDON COMMENTARY: It is important that our cash-strapped local authority does not make cuts for cuts’ sake, and avoids incurring unnecessary costs when there might be other ways to conduct its business. By Councillor ANDREW PELLING Some things have changed … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Richard Ennis, Section 114 notice, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Labour councillor’s 20-point plan to reduce service cuts

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Unions are tonight staging a protest outside the Town Hall against the council’s plan for another £38million-worth of cuts. Here, Labour councillor ANDREW PELLING, pictured left, outlines the ways he believes that the council can avoid causing harm … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Planning, Refuse collection, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Veolia, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Mind the gap: finance director warns of £13m cuts shortfall

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Tonight’s council cabinet meeting is to be told that officials are struggling to meet their £38m budget cuts target. And the council’s future is now in the hands of Michael Gove. By STEVEN DOWNES There are growing … Continue reading

Posted in Adult Social Care, Croydon Council, Croydon NHS Trust, Health, Katherine Kerswell, Landlord licensing, Richard Ennis, Section 114 notice, Steve Iles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Council’s latest lame excuse: our phones don’t work properly

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Britain’s rottenest borough is now blaming faulty phone lines for needlessly prosecuting residents over Council Tax, when the householders can’t get through to Fisher’s Folly to make their payments. By STEVEN DOWNES Last month, on the first … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Nathan Elvery, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

£110,000 director job advertised to flog off Brick by Brick

CROYDON IN CRISIS: While the council CEO lays off dozens more frontline workers just in time for Christmas, she’s still recruiting for six-figure salaried commercial director. By STEVEN DOWNES Undaunted by the realisation that dabbling in the casino economics of … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

‘Managed democracy’ stifles members’ interest in the Mayor

In his latest column, ANDREW FISHER (left) zooms in on the inward-looking and slow process for Labour to choose the party’s candidate to stand for election as the borough’s first executive Mayor Having stifled members’ options, the selection panel in … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Fisher, Callton Young, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Jamie Audsley, Ken Livingstone, Sadiq Khan, Steve Reed MP, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Chief digital officer quits council after splashing the cash

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Our Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on the latest high-profile departure from the council That loud splashing sound heard outside Fisher’s Folly yesterday? Could it be the noise you hear when another rat dives off the council’s … Continue reading

Posted in Connected Croydon, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Neil Williams | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Audsley has nowhere to run after Labour selection stitch-up

The insular and inward-looking local Labour Party is limping towards the finish line of a foregone conclusion, weeks after the Tories and Greens began campaigning to get their candidates elected as Croydon Mayor. By STEVEN DOWNES Croydon Labour’s laborious selection … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Alisa Flemming, Callton Young, Croydon North, Croydon South, Jamie Audsley, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Manju Shahul Hameed, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Labour councillor’s leaflet causes anger in Addiscombe

An Addiscombe couple, whose business has cosy links to Labour’s General Secretary David Evans, has shocked and angered party members by distributing a leaflet which tries to pass itself off as official Labour literature. The efforts of Maddie and Mark … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Addiscombe East, Ashburton, Business, David Evans, Maddie Henson, Mark Watson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Unions come together to protest against the council’s cuts

By DAVID WHITE The campaign against cuts by Croydon Council has stepped up a gear after members of the three largest unions representing council workers in the borough – Unite, Unison and GMB – yesterday held a demonstration outside the … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon TUC, Ken Livingstone, London-wide issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Buyers beware: High Court judge puts planners in the dock

A High Court judge has ruled against Croydon’s planning department, quashing the decision of a senior council official to grant permission for a block of flats in Sanderstead. Here, former council planner STEVE WHITESIDE explains how the court ruling could … Continue reading

Posted in Aventier, Business, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Nicola Townsend, Planning, Property, Purley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Sanderstead, Selsdon & Ballards, Selsdon and Addington Village | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Council recruitment drive offers £1.1m in wages across 8 jobs

CROYDON IN CRISIS: One year since the council declared itself bankrupt, CEO Katherine Kerswell is offering a slew of six-figure salaried executive positions for recruits to be ‘part of a new chapter’ and to ‘go on a journey’. By Town … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Knight, Children's Services, Croydon Council, David Padfield, Debbie Jones, Elaine Jackson, Katherine Kerswell, Richard Ennis, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Cabinet member Lewis is cut adrift by New Addington selection

CROYDON IN CRISIS: A leading Newman Numpty was effectively deselected last night, as he and ceremonial deputy mayor failed even to make it on to his ward’s candidates shortlist; meanwhile, chaos in Norbury Park when Labour organisers book too small … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 council elections, Addiscombe West, Alisa Flemming, Chris Clark, Clive Fraser, Croydon North, Fairfield, Felicity Flynn, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Jose Joseph, Kola Agboola, Louisa Woodley, Mary Croos, New Addington, New Addington North, Norbury Park, Oliver Lewis, Patricia Hay-Justice, Sean Fitzsimons, Steve Reed MP, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shawcross leads the way in first Labour Mayor nominations

WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on a night of embarrassing snubs for the three Newman’s numpties who are seeking selection to be their party’s candidate in next year’s mayoral election Val Shawcross last night stormed to a decisive victory at the … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Alisa Flemming, Callton Young, Croydon Central, Jamie Audsley, Manju Shahul Hameed, Sarah Jones MP, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ali offered £3.1m lifeline to help reduce cuts to services

CROYDON IN CRISIS: One Labour councillor has provided an idea which could help to reduce some of the drastic cuts in the Town Hall budget. But so far, they’ve not received a reply. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor It’s a … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Callton Young, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Spooky! Ghost of council’s past returns in time for Halloween

It must be Halloween. A ghost of Croydon Council’s past has turned up to haunt a mayoral event. A year since Croydon Council went bankrupt, and nine months since he was forced to resign as a councillor after having been … Continue reading

Posted in Humayun Kabir, Sherwan Chowdhury, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Labour to pick their Mayor candidate just in time for Christmas

EXCLUSIVE: Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reveals how Labour is giving potential mayoral candidates barely a week to put themselves forward for a selection process which appears to have Steve Reed’s fingerprints all over it Anyone wanting to be considered as … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Alisa Flemming, Carole Bonner, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Hamida Ali, Jamie Audsley, Jason Perry, Leila Ben-Hassel, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Council flogs off hotel for less than £29.8m it cost to buy

CROYDON IN CRISIS: While one Labour MP dines out with a notorious property lobbyist whose employees include the council’s deputy leader, one of the firm’s clients has snapped up the Croydon Park Hotel at a bargain basement price. EXCLUSIVE By … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Callton Young, College Green, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Housing, Improvement Board, London-wide issues, Planning, Property, Steve Reed MP, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Chief whip worked with group that attacks council policy

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Evidence has emerged that shows a Labour councillor negotiating with an anti-LTN group over illegally obtained documents. And now he’s been put in charge of party discipline at the scandal-hit council. By STEVEN DOWNES The Town Hall’s … Continue reading

Posted in Clive Fraser, Commuting, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Cycling, Inside Croydon, Local media, Louis Carserides, Pat Ryan, South Norwood, Stuart King, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

After defeat, pressure mounts on ‘lame duck’ council leader

CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘We mocked the electorate by putting burning £20 notes on our election material’. What now for Croydon Labour, after a nasty and petty waste of around £20,000 in party funds on a referendum campaign they could never … Continue reading

Posted in 2021 Mayor Referendum, Andrew Pelling, Croydon North, Hamida Ali, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments