Tag Archives: Slough

We are witnessing the long, slow death of local government

‘We are staring into an abyss here, and it’s time we faced up to it’. Those were the words of a Conservative councillor in Croydon – in 2013. Here, ANDREW FISHER, pictured right, says that faced with austerity on a … Continue reading

Posted in Adult Social Care, Andrew Fisher, Children's Services, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Libraries, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, SEND | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Councils’ collapse should have been halted by Sunak or Gove

Croydon is far from alone as a cash-strapped local authority. And bit by bit, evidence is emerging from the series of financial crashes of councils that implicates not only Michael Gove but also Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. By STEVEN DOWNES … Continue reading

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

Gove finally admits it: Localism got councils all in a Pickles

Is the Levelling Up minister in denial about the extent of financial problems in local government? It certainly seems that way after his speech to the Local Government Association conference yesterday. By STEVEN DOWNES Michael Gove, the Secretary of State … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Perry enters new plea to government to write-off council debts

CROYDON IN CRISIS: ‘This is not something we will be able to fix alone,’ the borough’s Mayor conceded in a recent letter to the Tory government – who haven’t bothered replying to his request. By our Town Hall correspondent, KEN … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Mayor Jason Perry, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Slough, Thurrock, Sandwell, Liverpool: Croydon’s not alone

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Government announcements of special measures yesterday covered four other local authorities, as councils across the country struggle with under-funding and massive debts built up over the last decade The party line, trotted out in the Town Hall … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Campaign against the 15% Council Tax hike goes national

As the petition to Croydon Council opposing Tory Mayor Jason Perry’s 15per cent Council Tax hike topped 20,000 signatures overnight, the residents’ campaign calling for fairer funding for our borough is going national. The House of Commons, after a little … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Inside Croydon, Mayor Jason Perry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Council chief exec (no, not that one) fired for gross misconduct

Government-appointed commissioners at another Labour-run council have acted swiftly after Slough was handed a record-busting £307m bail-out. By our Town Hall correspondent, KEN LEE Croydon’s cash-strapped council this week lost its status as world record-holders for the biggest bail-out ever … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

150 more councils close to financial brink, government admits

Other local authorities, including Tory-run councils, are also finding themselves  in a slough of despond Croydon is just one of 150 local authorities that have been in urgent talks with Whitehall over their precarious financial situation following 18 months of … Continue reading

Posted in Bexley, Croydon Council, Improvement Board, Outside Croydon, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment