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Tag Archives: Sean Fitzsimons
Fitzsimons stays on to scrutinise his scrutiny committee
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The Town Hall’s theatre of the absurd continues tonight with a meeting chaired by a councillor criticised by auditors and government inspectors for failing to raise the alarm over finances and poor governance. STEVEN DOWNES reports Sean … Continue reading
Posted in Chris Clark, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, David Wood, Hamida Ali, Jane Avis, Nina Degrads, Oliver Lewis, Report in the Public Interest, Stephen Mann, Tony Newman
Tagged Clive Fraser, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Patricia Hay-Justice, Rapid Review, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Sean Fitzsimons, Tony Newman
4 Comments
‘Not good enough’ chair of scrutiny could yet stay in post
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Despite his committee being accused of lacking an ‘understanding of the urgency of the financial position’, one key Labour councillor shows no intention of standing down. By political editor WALTER CRONXITE For many residents and front-line council … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Report in the Public Interest, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Rapid Review, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, S114, Scrutiny and Overview Committee, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114, Tony Newman
7 Comments
Developer digs in to keep planning consent for £500m tower
After already suffering a decade of development blight in the town centre because of the on-off-on-off-again aborted Westfield scheme, now a key site off Wellesley Road is about to be turned into a hole in the ground for an indefinite … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Colm Lacey, Croydon BID, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, One Lansdowne Road, Planning, Property, Whitgift Centre
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, David Hudson, Guildhouse Rosepride, Hammersfield, Hammerson, Jo Negrini, London Borough of Croydon, One Lansdowne, One Lansdowne Road, Sean Fitzsimons, Westfield, Whitgift Centre
4 Comments
Council admits its ‘pub protection policy’ may not work
City Hall has ruled that a developers’ scheme to demolish a previously thriving East Croydon pub and turn the site into (yet another) block of flats does not meet local planning regulations. But Croydon’s own planning department looks ready to … Continue reading
Labour councillor disputes cost savings over referendum
A senior Labour councillor has produced more red herrings than you will find in an EU fishing quota, as he has claimed that staging a referendum in May over the way the council is run won’t save a penny for … Continue reading
Posted in 2021 London elections, 2021 Mayor Referendum, 2022 council elections, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Hamida Ali, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Sarah Jones MP, Tony Newman
Tagged Chris Philp MP, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon South, DEMOC, Democratically Elected Mayor for Croydon, Hamida Ali, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Sarah Jones MP, Sean Fitzsimons, Tony Newman, Tory
5 Comments
Council applies emergency brake on New Year parking hike
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Transport correspondent JEREMY CLACKSON reports on how Fisher’s Folly officials have been forced into a sudden U-turn over their money-spinning ’emissions-based’ parking charges New car parking charges, due to come into force at council-run car parks and … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Environment, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Joy Prince, Muhammad Ali, New Addington, Parking, Pubs, Purley, Restaurants, Robert Ward, Sean Fitzsimons, Selsdon & Ballards, Shifa Mustafa, Shirley, Thornton Heath, Transport
Tagged Conservative, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace, Emmissions-based parking charges, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Joy Prince, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Muhammad Ali, New Addington, Robert Ward, Sean Fitzsimons, Shifa Mustafa, South Norwood, Thornton Heath
8 Comments
Did We Have News For You: council’s 2020 financial crash
As 2020 moved through May to August, the local authority had more than the coronavirus to cope with, as the pandemic exposed the authority’s shaky financial position. And Inside Croydon led in its coverage of the cash-strapped Town Hall. Here’s … Continue reading
Councillors agree to cut their allowances by £300,000 per year
WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, reports on how Town Hall figures have finally got round to making their own ‘symbolic’ contribution to the borough’s financial crisis which they helped to create Six months after the financial distress signals went up from … Continue reading
Row after Labour councillor calls for scrutiny chair to resign
Backbench councillors who have been marginalised for years under Tony Newman and his cronies are beginning to ask some awkward questions. KEN LEE reports Jamie Audsley, a councillor consigned to almost permanent backbench status under the rule of former leader … Continue reading
The late, late show: scrutiny sees anger and hears of bullying
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council is ‘on a journey’, according to the interim chief executive, who clung firmly to platitudes and clichés at her first scrutiny committee this week. But will it all be just ‘words, words, words’, as a … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Jo Negrini, Joy Prince, Katherine Kerswell, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman, Uncategorized
Tagged Alison Butler, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Jo Negrini, Joy Prince, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, S114, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
10 Comments
Binmageddon!: Oval Road residents despair at rubbish service
Demoralised residents in Addiscombe have appealed to the council to sort out the mess that they have created on Oval Road, where rubbish bags are left festering for days, even weeks on end, often with their contents spewing out across … Continue reading
Posted in Addiscombe West, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Refuse collection, Sarah Jones MP, Sean Fitzsimons, Veolia
Tagged Addiscombe, Addiscombe West, Croydon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, East Croydon station, London Borough of Croydon, Oval Road, Sarah Jones MP, Sean Fitzsimons, Veolia
5 Comments
Ali agrees to meet with DEMOC for referendum discussions
WALTER CRONXITE reports on a U-turn over the council’s previous antagonistic attitude to local democracy campaigners Hamida Ali, the Labour-controlled council’s new leader, could be about to reverse the policy of her predecessor, Tony Newman, and ignore the (self-serving) ruling … Continue reading
Charities and volunteer groups get ready to tackle Lockdown II
Councillors in Addiscombe are organising a Zoom meeting this Thursday, November 5, to help advise and organise residents for the second covid lockdown. The Addiscombe West councillors – Patricia Hay-Justice, Jerry Fitzpatrick and Sean Fitzsimons – had already been contracted … Continue reading
Campaign group prepares to battle for Glamorgan’s future
Pub-lovers in Addiscombe and East Croydon are rolling up their sleeves for another battle over the future of The Glamorgan on Cherry Orchard Road, against developers who have a track record for allowing old pub buildings to fall derelict if … Continue reading
The Audit Report: Council ignored five warnings on reserves
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Complacency and ‘corporate blindness’ to the problems at the council contributed to the collapse of the borough’s finances. But Grant Thornton’s report also managed to have a dig at Jo Negrini. WALTER CRONXITE reports Grant Thornton’s Report … Continue reading
Posted in Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Report in the Public Interest, Robert Ward, Sean Fitzsimons, Selsdon and Addington Village, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
Tagged CIPFA, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Grant Thornton, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, Robert Ward, Sean Fitzsimons, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Tory
4 Comments
The Audit Report: ‘Tony Newman always has been a coward’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: More senior council figures could lose their positions as a result of the Report in the Public Interest which was released last night, as the Town Hall politicians take stock of its consequences. KEN LEE reports Half … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Brick by Brick, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Jason Perry, Jo Negrini, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
Tagged Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Grant Thornton, Jason Perry, Jo Negrini, Karen Jewitt, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI, Sean Fitzsimons, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Tory
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Croydon in crisis: Council makes 20% cuts to adult services
KEN LEE, our Town Hall reporter, on the latest cuts at the council While Jo Negrini was having her lawyers haggle over the size of her six-figure pay-off for leaving her job as chief executive of the council, the scale … Continue reading
‘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
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 Alison Butler, Callton Young, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, David Wood, Jane Avis, Labour, Oliver Lewis, Paul Scott, Sean Fitzsimons, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
7 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
Newman’s ‘virtually all there’ for his secret Town Hall meeting
The government finally moved late last week to make it legally possible for local authorities to stage “virtual” council meetings, and to continue with a semblance of Town Hall business during the covid-19 lockdown. Yet less than 48 hours before … Continue reading
Posted in Caragh Skipper, Croydon Council, CVA, Jo Negrini, Sean Fitzsimons, Tony Newman
Tagged Addiscombe West, Caragh Skipper, Conservative, coronavirus, Covid-19, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Sean Fitzsimons, Tony Newman, Tory
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‘Lack of trust’ sees arts venue selling just 26% of tickets
With the Fairfield Halls refurbishment costs now confirmed as £42.6m, and still rising, the venue is struggling to win back its audiences, as KEN LEE reports The costs of refurbishing the Fairfield Halls rose by another £1.6million in just five … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Jo Negrini, Neil Chandler, Sean Fitzsimons
Tagged BH Live, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jerry Fitzpatrick, Jo Negrini, Labour, Leila Ben-Hassel, London Borough of Croydon, Neil Chandler, Sean Fitzsimons
10 Comments
Governance review costs soar as Newman nobbles the panel
A report on the way in which Croydon Council is governed, already three months late, will now not be finished until the end of the year, and is costing four times its original budget. The Croydon governance review – a … Continue reading
‘Addiscombe West Bypass’ proves to be a car crash of a policy
JEREMY CLACKSON, our transport correspondent, on the continuing angst caused by traffic levels off the Addiscombe Road The wretched legacy of Mark Watson’s time of power and influence within Croydon Council is still being felt by some of the former … Continue reading
