Tag Archives: Section 114

Perry is now asking Croydon public how to fix financial mess

CROYDON IN CRISIS: After issuing the first pre-emptive S114 Notice in British history, the borough’s £81,000 per year Mayor is using a budget survey to justify future cuts to services. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor Bereft of ideas – beyond … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Jane West, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Tory blame game over bankruptcy points finger at Westminster

There was something archly cynical, and deliberately misleading, about how Croydon’s Conservatives turned Tuesday’s announcement of the borough’s bankruptcy into an exercise in political point-scoring. None of which will help the borough’s residents, writes ANDREW FISHER Croydon’s Conservative councillors were … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Fisher, Chris Philp MP, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Tories accuse Labour of ‘shocking mistakes’ over budgets

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Mayor Perry has made a political play with the  Conservative government in an effort to re-set the council’s finances. Again. By our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE Croydon’s Conservatives were quick to play the blame game this morning … Continue reading

Posted in Callton Young, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

‘Uncertainty faced by all local authorities is unprecedented’

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Katherine Kerswell, the council’s chief executive, this morning told staff that despite a third Section 114 Notice in two years, she and her senior managers have been making progress with the bankrupt borough’s finances. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jane West, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mayor makes rapid U-turn as report confirms £19.3m overspend

CROYDON IN CRISIS: A report to be discussed at the Town Hall tonight confirms the deepening financial problems facing the borough’s new Mayor. EXCLUSIVE by WALTER CRONXITE Part-time Mayor Jason Perry has been forced to admit that his Conservative administration … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Dr Ola Olasode, General Purposes and Audit Committee, Improvement Board, Jane West, Jason Cummings, Mayor Jason Perry, Richard Ennis, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council admits: We’re on the brink of bankruptcy. Again

CROYDON IN CRISIS: After a fortnight of unconvincing denials from the Fisher’s Folly propaganda bunker and the local Labour Party, official reports released ahead of budget-setting meetings confirm that Croydon could indeed have to issue a second S114 notice. By … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Croydon Council, David Padfield, Housing, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Richard Ennis, Richard Simpson, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Council faces new storm over ‘missing’ £73m housing money

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Auditors are refusing to sign-off the Town Hall accounts because of missing millions from a complex nexus of housing companies, which could force the council to tip over the edge into bankruptcy for a second time in … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Housing, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Simpson, RIPI II: Fairfield Halls, Section 114 notice, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 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

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

Town Hall’s untrue claims about cuts to Council Tax Support

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Some of the borough’s poorest and most vulnerable are being expected to pay for the mismanagement and poor decision-taking which led  to the council going bankrupt, as this young mother* explains When I heard of the Council Tax … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Multi-million-pound loss on hotel ‘not ideal’ says panel

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Whitehall-appointed inspectors raise serious doubts over the council’s property sales. By STEVEN DOWNES The council’s sale of the Croydon Park Hotel at a loss of as much as £10million has been condemned by government-appointed officials. Such a … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Callton Young, Chris Buss, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Planning, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Cash-strapped council still going over-budget, report finds

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government commissioners say that there’s been ‘an opportunity missed’ because of the slow pace of change under council CEO. By STEVEN DOWNES Katherine Kerswell, the chief executive of the cash-strapped council, has been subjected to overt criticism … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Report in the Public Interest, Richard Ennis, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Chance to tell the council how you feel about benefit cuts

A council consultation has begun to get the public’s response to plans to withdraw Council Tax Support from around 20,000 households in the borough, costing some as much as £29 per week in lost benefits. You can just imagine the … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Section 114 notice, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Further £38.4m to be sliced from next year’s council budget

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Town Hall leadership hoped to keep the latest round of cuts secret until after next week’s referendum, as the consequences of the borough’s bankruptcy start to hit home. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES £12m of adult social care … Continue reading

Posted in 2021 Mayor Referendum, Adult Social Care, Callton Young, Croydon Council, GLL - Better, Hamida Ali, Jason Cummings, Leisure services, Libraries, Purley Pool, Richard Ennis, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Councillors were warned of financial crisis months in advance

CROYDON IN CRISIS: All but one of the borough’s Labour councillors voted that they had ‘confidence’ in Tony Newman and Simon Hall last year – just weeks after they had received a briefing note that told of an £85m budget … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, David Evans, Jo Negrini, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Ali refuses to support Newman and Hall for public office

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Splits in the local Labour Party are deepening as recriminations mount over Tony Newman’s 15 years of misrule. By STEVEN DOWNES Hamida Ali, the one-time political protégé of discredited council leader Tony Newman, yesterday refused to offer her … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, New Addington North, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ali and Kerswell are summoned to Parliamentary inquiry

CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘There is much that the council needs to do to become a properly functioning local authority’ says panel’s report to government, as it recommends more cuts to Croydon’s Adult Social Care and Children’s Services. By STEVEN DOWNES … Continue reading

Posted in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Chris Buss, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Council is sitting on £22.5m in unspent infrastructure levies

While Croydon proposes closing public libraries, is withdrawing vital support from community centres and is making local sports clubs homeless, the bankrupt council is sitting on £22.5million of unused development levies. Community Infrastructure Levy, or CILs, and Section 106 contributions … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Libraries, Planning, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Newman and Hall resign as councillors claiming a ‘witchhunt’

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Two key figures in the council’s financial collapse claim to be victims of an inaccurate report into their conduct. They might also escape facing any disciplinary action by quitting now. By STEVEN DOWNES Tony Newman, until last … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Fieldway, Hamida Ali, Katherine Kerswell, New Addington North, Paul Scott, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Tony Newman, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Budget is approved but Labour council haunted by its past

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Back-to-back meetings yesterday pushed through the paperwork to balance the books and increase Council Tax. But Hamida Ali’s administration cannot shake off its part in the borough’s financial calamity. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor With the £120million … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Andrew Pelling, Andrew Stranack, Brick by Brick, Chris Buss, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Ian Parker, Jason Cummings, Jeet Bains, Lynne Hale, Maddie Henson, Paul Scott, Report in the Public Interest, Sean Fitzsimons, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Stuart King, Tony Newman, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Questions raised over new £21m rubbish deal with Veolia

The council budget, which is set to be approved at a virtual meeting tonight, offers “the worst of both worlds” as far as the borough’s recycling centres are concerned, according to a Tory councillor. In the middle of the council’s … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Fly tipping, Helen Redfern, Property, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Refuse collection, Veolia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Suspended councillor puts New Addington home up for sale

The cabinet member for finance who helped set-up the failed Brick by Brick project and oversaw the collapse of the council’s finances has registered a new business – as a ‘change manager’ Simon Hall, one of two Croydon councillors suspended … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Fieldway, Section 114 notice, Simon Hall, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Croydon In Crisis: Council handed biggest bail-out ever

EXCLUSIVE: Councillors were being briefed tonight that the government has agreed to a £120m loan arrangement for the bankrupt borough – but it will take at least 20 years for the council to pay down its mountain of debt. By … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

‘We are all victims’: time for a residents’ Council Tax strike

CROYDON COMMENTARY: One question which continues to be raised across social media platforms over the collapse of the council’s finances is, ‘When will someone be held to account?’ Reader STEPHEN BLYTHMAN has an idea to turn outrage into action Am … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Section 114 notice, Shirley North, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments