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Tag Archives: Robert Jenrick
No Council Tax hike without seeing the assurance panel reports
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Michael Gove is not only permitting the borough’s Tory Mayor to hike Council Tax without a referendum, he is doing so while withholding reports from his own panel of inspectors. Which suggests the government has something to hide … Continue reading
Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, The Penn Report, Tony McArdle
Tagged 15% Council Tax hike, Conservative, Council Tax, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Tory
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‘Spectacularly useless’ Croydon is ridiculed on Question Time
The parlous state of Croydon Council’s finances, and the chronic incompetence of the people in charge of them, made it on to national television last week. Thursday night’s Question Time on BBC1 broke away from its obsessions with Brexit and … Continue reading
No room at the inn? Home Office policies created migrant crisis
As we approach Christmas, ANDREW FISHER suggests that it’s worth recalling something of its true meaning Shortly after the birth of Jesus, an angel appeared to Joseph and urged him to seek refuge: “Get up! Take the Child and His … Continue reading
Posted in Andrew Fisher, Business, Charity, Chris Philp MP, Community associations, Croydon South, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Bonello, Purley Way
Tagged Asylum, asylum seekers, Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Aerodrome, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Hallmark Aerodrome Hotel, Home Office, Manston, Mayor Jason Perry, Mike Bonello, Purley Way, Robert Jenrick, Suella Braverman, Tory
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After nearly a year, Gove is sitting on two ‘improvement’ reports
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Millions of pounds of public money are at stake, a matter not to be sniffed at, but government minister is staying schtum over state of cash-strapped council’s finances. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Michael Gove, re-installed as Secretary … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Department for Levelling Up, DLUHC, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Tory
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Croydon MP finds himself at centre of new political storm
Out of the Truss frying pan into the Braverman fire, Tory MP Chris Philp is just clinging on to the wreckage of his ‘Rt Hon’ ministerial career. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor The wait had better be worth it. It … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon South
Tagged Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon South, Rishi Sunak, Robert Jenrick, Suella Braverman, Suella Fernandez, Tory
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Truss’s new housing minister has his eyes on the Green Belt
Our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, on how changes at the Department for Levelling Up could signal a change in attitude to areas protected from development After years of Tory councillors, their friends running residents’ associations in the south of the … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Community associations, Croydon Council, Environment, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning
Tagged Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Green Belt, Liz Truss, London, London Communications Agency, Mayor, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Gove, Robert Jenrick, Simon Clarke, Thick Lizzy Truss, Tory
12 Comments
Tory government delays finance reports to help Mayor Perry
CROYDON IN CRISIS: It’s almost nine months since Whitehall released the last quarterly report from its Improvement Panel on the state of the cash-strapped council’s finances, prompting accusations of political favours for the Conservatives. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES It’s not … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jason Cummings, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Mayor, Department for Levelling Up, Green Party, Greg Clark, Improvement and Assurance Panel, Improvement Board, Jason Cummings, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of Croydon, Michael Gove, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Tory
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Jenrick ministry defends choice of all-white improvement panel
The government has been forced to defend its decision to appoint an all-white “improvement and assurance panel” to oversee Croydon Council’s efforts to recover from its financial collapse last year. In January, Robert Jenrick’s Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local … Continue reading
£700,000: Croydon counting the costs of council failures
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The Town Hall has been hit with ‘penalty fines’ of its own since its financial collapse 12 months ago. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES £697,300 And rising… That’s how much Croydon Council says it has paid so far, … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Report in the Public Interest, Robert Canning, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Grant Thornton, Hamida Ali, Improvement Panel, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Robert Canning, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Tony Newman
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Government orders councils to close covid emergency hotels
Local authorities across England, including Croydon Council, have been ordered by the government that they must close the hotels they used to house the homeless during the covid-19 pandemic, as a condition of the latest round of rough-sleeper funding. Inside … Continue reading
Government inspector’s concerns over BxB sweetheart deal
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Jenrick’s improvement board raises serious questions over whether the quick sale of the council’s failed development company could end up costing tax-payers many millions of pounds, while its latest report criticises borough officials’ ‘lack of self-awareness’. By … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Brick by Brick, Chris Buss, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Tony McArdle
Tagged Brick by Brick, Chris Buss, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Panel, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, Tony McArdle, Urban Splash
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Ali’s latest gaffe attracts ridicule over landlord licensing
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council leader reacts with dismay at loss of £20m in licence fees, as Labour councillors question lack of support from their new chief executive. By STEVEN DOWNES Hamida Ali, the council leader, opened herself up again to … Continue reading
Jenrick rejects Croydon’s landlord licence scheme application
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The government has binned an application to extend the borough’s landlord licensing scheme, saying that the council failed to provide any housing strategy. EXCLUSIVE By STEVEN DOWNES Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, has rejected … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Alison Knight, Business, Chris Buss, Croydon Council, Landlord licensing, Paul Scott, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, Landlord licensing scheme, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Paul Scott, Robert Jenrick, Tony Newman
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‘Appalled’ Jenrick seeks ‘urgent answers’ over Croydon flats
Croydon Council has been roundly criticised for its failures to act over the chronic and dangerous water leaks and long-term damp in its block of flats in South Norwood. The appalling conditions – described as “the worst I have ever … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Philp MP, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Hamida Ali, Housing, Jane Avis, Mayor of London, Patsy Cummings, Sadiq Khan, South Norwood, Steve Reed MP
Tagged Chris Philp MP, Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Croydon South, Fransoy Hewitt, Hamida Ali, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Patsy Cummings, Regina Road, Robert Jenrick, Sarah Jones MP, South Norwood, Steve Reed OBE
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‘There is no alternative’: £25m council bail-out given green light
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council reports rewritten, lack of commercial experience in key positions and a ‘very controlling’ former leader and his inner circle. The rapid review of Croydon Council paints a picture that will be very familiar to readers of … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Chris Wood, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Rapid Review, Robert Jenrick, Tony Newman
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‘This must end now’: Jenrick issues final warning to Croydon
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council has been issued a final warning today, with the threat of commissioners being sent in to take over the running of the borough Robert Jenrick, the Local Government Secretary, has today announced measures to address … Continue reading
Croydon In Crisis: Government to take charge of council
EXCLUSIVE: Tory minister expected to appoint an ‘improvement board’ to oversee the running of the borough. By STEVEN DOWNES The hopes of senior Croydon politicians to retain some control as they try to manage the council out of its financial … Continue reading
Jenrick issues ‘strongly-worded’ warning over property deals
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government minister targets bankrupt borough when he tells LGA conference ‘Councils shouldn’t make investments for which they are not well-equipped’. By WALTER CRONXITE It seems increasingly likely that Whitehall will insist on Croydon flogging off many of … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Section 114 notice
Tagged Brick by Brick, Colonnades, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, S114, Section 114
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Council hands Jenrick a begging letter asking for £150m
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council’s old-new leader faces an agonising wait – and probably another Section 114 notice by December 23 – as Whitehall ponders over a multi-million-pound loan. By KEN LEE, our Town Hall reporter Croydon’s Labour-run Council confirmed … Continue reading
Clues to Whitehall plan in leaked report from Nottingham
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Might there be clues into what Whitehall has planned for this borough from a ‘rapid review’ conducted on another cash-strapped local authority? By our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE A “rapid review” by government inspectors into a … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Nottingham, Nottingham City Council, Robert Jenrick, S114, Section 114
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The billionaire ex-porn baron, the antisemitic trope and the MP
The publication of the report on antisemitism in the Labour Party saw Jeremy Corbyn suspended for his response. But it has also led to calls for further punishments – including for Croydon North’s Steve Reed, as KEN TOWL, very carefully, … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon North, Steve Reed MP
Tagged Boris Johnson, Croydon North, EHRC, Jeremy Corbyn, Richard Desmond, Robert Jenrick, Steve Reed OBE
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Wood comes knocking with brief to investigate Brick by Brick
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Can it really just be coincidence that the troubleshooter appointed to conduct an urgent review of the council also has extensive experience working at one of Jo Negrini’s former boroughs? WALTER CRONXITE reports It seems almost certain … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Property, Report in the Public Interest, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Chris Wood, Colonnades, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, Tony Newman
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Jenrick orders urgent inquiry into ‘unacceptable’ council
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government minister steps in to deal with the ‘dysfunctional governance’ at the council, ‘who have been entirely irresponsible with their spending and investments’. By STEVEN DOWNES The politics have started, with the Tory government now coming after … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Chris Wood, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Robert Jenrick, Tony Newman, Tory
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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 Boris Johnson, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Grant Shapps, Labour, Liberal Democrats, London, London Borough of Croydon, Mayor, Robert Jenrick, Sadiq Khan, TfL, Tory, Transport for London
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