Tories clap and cheer as Croydon slashes services

At the budget setting Council meeting last week, Tory Councillors applauded and cheered as they voted through their controversial budget which slashed millions of pounds from frontline services in Croydon. Labour Councillors are demanding that they apologise for their shameful behaviour to the people of Croydon.

The meeting itself descended into chaos when it had to be adjourned for an hour while Council lawyers checked the legality of the budget. Labour Councillors had raised the question of whether it was published within the time limits provided for within the constitution and despite the late night ruling, many people consider that doubts remain over whether it could be subject to legal challenge through a judicial review.

Councillor Tony Newman, Leader of the Labour Group said: “On Monday night we witnessed the sickening spectacle of Tory Councillors applauding and cheering as they voted through their draconian budget cuts. Cuts that will hit youth services, the voluntary sector and other frontline services hard. Despite all this they refused to back Labour’s plans to support all of Croydon’s libraries.”

“Black History Month is a left wing vanity project” claims Croydon Tory

At the Croydon Council Cabinet meeting this week, with members of the public in attendance, Tory Councillor Adam Kellett said: “Black History Month is a left wing vanity project.”

Councillor Kellett went on to suggest that Black History Month was a waste of money. Labour Councillors are demanding that Councillor Kellett and the Croydon Conservative Party issue an immediate apology for the above statement which has already caused outrage across Croydon’s Communities.

Labour’s Communities & Equalities Spokesperson Councillor Louisa Woodley said: “This was a premeditated comment from Councillor Kellett and he clearly showed his true feelings. Croydon is one of the most diverse boroughs in London and very much proud of that fact. We as Labour Councillors are equally proud of the contribution Croydon’s Black Community has made and the fact that together we celebrate both black culture and history. Councillor Kellett must withdraw this comment and apologise or he should seriously consider his position.”

Upper Norwood Councillor Alisa Flemming said: “I am both disappointed and shocked by Councillor Kellett’s statement. The black and many other communities within Croydon and across the UK deserve recognition for all the work they have put into making this country what it is today.

Croydon Conservatives target Timebridge Youth Centre for closure

In a paper being submitted to the Cabinet Meeting next Monday is a proposal to stop providing the popular youth clubs than run from Timebridge Youth Centre.

The figures contained in the report show that it is the most popular youth club in the Borough with one of the lowest costs and yet it is targeted for closure. It is also one of the only centres to provide for 8 to 12 year olds as well as the more common 13 to 19 year old sessions.

This comes hot on the heels of the attacks on the elderly who will be losing their sheltered housing wardens despite the outcome of the consultation making it clear that residents wanted to keep them.

Councillor Carole Bonner said: “This youth club is very popular and is valued by the young people who use it and their parents. There are dedicated staff who do a fantastic job. They provide a safe and stimulating environment and parents know that their children will be safe. Without this, young people will have nowhere to go and this is bound to lead to more problems in New Addington, especially in the school holidays as another element of this plan is for the Council to stop providing holiday play schemes. It just seems to me that this Tory Council does not care about our young people.”

Croydon’s Tory Council Leader grabs 22% pay rise for himself

At a time when Council employees are being told they will have their pay frozen, their pensions cut and that their jobs are at risk, comes news that Councillor Mike Fisher is proposing to award himself a massive 22% increase in the allowance he receives from the Council, which is funded by Croydon’s taxpayers.

These proposals are contained in a report that will be considered at the Corporate Services Committee on 30 June. This committee has a majority of Tory Councillors so even if Labour Councillors object they will be outvoted.

This proposal is particularly hypocritical, coming as it does at precisely the moment that the Tory Prime Minister has said that “we are all in this together”. Clearly Cllr Fisher thinks that does not apply to him. Croydon’s Labour Councillors are demanding Cllr Fisher changes his mind, shows some leadership and refuses to accept the pay hike.

Tories threaten jobs and services in Croydon

At the first Cabinet meeting since the election, Croydon’s Tories launched an attack on the staff working for the Council, vulnerable and elderly residents and anyone else who needs to use the services the Council provides.

These are serious issues that were not raised before the election and yet Cllr Fisher would not allow debate on these plans. This is an affront to democracy in Croydon and gives yet another example of the arrogance they are showing. In addition they have gerrymandered Labour representation on committees so that they can shut down any debate on the vicious cuts that have been hidden from the taxpayers of Croydon.

At a time when there are serious choices to be made in Croydon, Cllr Fisher continues to sound like a broken record, claiming nothing is his fault or responsibility, and the rest of the Cabinet are like sheep who blindly follow his lead. He fails to take responsibility for ploughing on with the expensive and unwanted new Tory Council HQ at a time when he is proposing to sell our low paid Council staff down the river.

Croydon’s savage cuts hit education and jobs hardest

The Tory led coalition Government have unleashed savage cuts on Croydon with our Town receiving the highest level of cuts of any outer London borough and the 2nd highest in London.

HEADLINE CUTS:
* £2.97 Million from Education.
* £169,000 from Supporting People.
* £1.943 Million from LEGI programme – business and jobs funding.
* £18,000 from Community Cohesion.
* £38,000 from Home Office programme.

Labour Opposition Leader Councillor Tony Newman said: “We are demanding answers, why have Croydon Tories failed to stand up for Croydon and defend us from these brutal cuts, for years they claimed if we had a Tory Government Croydon would get ‘fairer funding’ that is clearly not true.”

“We are today calling for the spending on the expensive new luxury Council HQ to be halted and will be launching a petition to present to Downing Street to demand the Tory Government stops targeting Croydon.”

Election day chaos in Croydon to be challenged

Election Petition issued against Chief Returning Officer.

On 6 May 2010 there was chaos at polling stations in Croydon with lengthy queues spilling down the streets from as early as 5.00pm. There is also clear evidence that across the borough polling stations were understaffed and ill equipped to deal with the increased turnout, the delays led many people especially the elderly to lose their right to vote and many others being turned away as the 10.00pm deadline approached.

Leader of the Labour Opposition, Councillor Tony Newman said: “People across Croydon have lost their right to vote because of inadequate election planning. As things stand the public have also lost the benefit of Labour’s pledges to deliver free school meals, freeze the Council Tax and scrap the planned £400 million luxury new Council HQ. That is why we are demanding justice and the restoration of democracy in Croydon.”

Croydon Labour promises pensioners a Council Tax rebate

Croydon’s Labour councillors make announcement that will benefit every pensioner household in the Borough.

They have promised that every pensioner household will be entitled to a Council Tax rebate of £130 if Labour wins the council election in May.

Leader of the Opposition Labour Group, Councillor Tony Newman said:

“In the last four years Croydon’s residents have been charged an extra £136 on their Council Tax bills by Croydon’s Tory Council. They have charged this extra at the same time as cutting services to the people who need them the most. Labour recognises that many pensioners are on small fixed incomes and we felt that they would benefit most from this rebate.

“In conjunction with our previously announced commitment to provide free school meals, increased policing and a weekly recycling collection to all properties, we feel that there is now a clear distinction between what you can expect from a Labour Council especially when you make comparisons with the Tory plans to spend £450 million on a new Council Headquarters.”

Croydon Tories put Council Tax up by £136.78

Croydon’s Council Tax now stands at a record high having gone up a whopping 13.5% in four years, which is £136.78 per Band D household. A lot more for many Croydon households not in the standard ‘D’ Council Tax Band.

The ‘low rise’ for 2010 is a headline 0.8% but this is simply spin, because the Tory Council has in fact put up its tax by 1.07% for 2010. It gets down to 0.8% by including the Council Tax for running the GLA / police and fire service. The Tory Council finds it really very hard to be honest with its tax payer residents.

Croydon Labour opposition leader Tony Newman said:

“Labour Councillors have demanded a Tax Freeze. We have identified a number of areas where money can be saved. These include reducing the spend on overpaid consultants, the expensive ‘free’ Council newspaper and £450 million being spent by the Tory Council on building their new luxury Council HQ. It is a disgrace.

Free school meals not a free Croydon Council ‘newspaper’

Croydon’s Labour Councillors have started the New Year by committing to a ground breaking pledge ahead of the Council elections this coming May. They have promised to provide free and healthy school meals for all the children who attend Croydon’s Primary schools.

Leader of the Opposition Labour Group, Councillor Tony Newman said:

“This is a clear and costed pledge that will benefit all children in Croydon’s Primary schools and will improve health, behaviour and educational performance.

“We will pay for the free school meals by scrapping the free newspaper the Council publishes and distributes (£80,000), disbanding the Council’s private police force, the Neighbourhood Enforcement Officers (£800,000) and shut down the Council’s failed economic development company, saving a minimum of £1,500,000, and of course we will also use some of the money saved from scrapping the Tories planned new Council Headquarters.”