Tuesday 21 March 2pm. Health & Wellbeing Board
Public Questions; Healthwatch Croydon Annual Report 2021-2022; Update on Croydon’s JSNA; Croydon Health and Wellbeing Strategy Refresh; South West London Integrated Care Partnership Strategy and Joint Forward Plan.
Tuesday 21 March. UN Anti-Racism Day
See also Marc Wadsworth below.
Wednesday 22 March. 6.30 pm. Cabinet
Scrutiny Stages 1 and 2; Regina Road – Outcome of Public Consultation; Local Development Framework – Local Development Scheme Approval; Month 9 Financial Performance Report; Annual Procurement Plan 2023-24; Property Disposals; Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman Report Finding of Fault causing Injustice.
Friday 31 March. 7.30pm. THE BIG LIE
Croydon Assembly presents Platform Film’s Oh, Jeremy Corbyn! The Big Lie documentary exposing the injustice, deceit and smears that undermined Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party. Tickets: £5.00 at the bar/on the door; or online £5.80 at: https://eventbrite.co.uk/e/558882672117
Ruskin House (Cedar Hall), 23 Coombe Road, CR0 1BD
More information and tickets are available online (£5.80) at:
https://eventbrite.co.uk/e/558882672117
also from Ruskin House Bar/on the door (£5.00 cash) – subject to availability.
Government Control Of Croydon & 4 Other Councils
The Government control of local authorities does not just involve Croydon (see previous posting) but also Liverpool City, Sandwell, Thurrock and Slough, as discussed in Inside Croydon.
Paying Council Tax Advice
Sootuh West LondonLaw Centres have produced a briefing on the complex issues relatingto paying Council Tax at
https://swllc.org/2023/03/08/support-with-your-council-tax-in-croydon
Essential reading forallthose involvedin the discussionson whether to withold paying the wholeof the Tax or the 15% rise,and people’s rights re-threats to force payment.
Poor Health and Economic Inactivity In Croydon
One in 20 Croydon residents said they were in poor health when asked in the 2021 census, new figures show.
https://www.londonworld.com/your-london/croydon/one-in-20-croydon-residents-in-poor-health-4061709
The Census also shows that 106,260, 34.2% of over-16s in Croydon were economically inactive.
How many of the former are in the latter?
Marc Wadsworth NUJ Award
On Tuesday I emailed readers of this blog on my elist: ‘It is excellent news that Croydon based anti-racist activist Marc Wadsworth has been awarded a Gold Badge by the National Union of Journalists for the exceptional contribution he has made to the NUJ over many years.’
I have received a really unpleasant email attack on Marc from a Labour Party member in response to his award, which is unprintable. I have also received the following message from a former NUJ President who lives in Croydon.
‘Thank you for highlighting this award to Marc Wadsworth. Marc has a distinguished record as a journalist and NUJ member. Equally, he’s been a long-standing anti-racist campaigner. Delighted that he has been honoured by his union.’
Marc writes about UN Anti-Racism Day at:
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/remember-sharpeville-massacre-actually-fighting-racism
Voting System Changes
Norbury Village Residents Association has pointed out to its members that following a change in electoral law, we will need to take photo identification to the polls in order to vote. Included in the list of acceptable voter ID is a Driver’s Licence, Passport, Blue Badge and a Freedom Pass. Those who don’t have any acceptable photo ID will need to apply to the Town Hall for a Voter Authority Certificate. There is no charge for the certificate but you will need to provide a regulation sized photograph. There’s more information on –
Borough of Culture Launched
The Council has launched the Borough of Culture. Key events include:
- Oratorio of Hope at Fairfield Halls, a performance led by London Mozart Players and more than 250 of the borough’s young singers and instrumentalists
- Caribbean Influencers an exhibition developed by the Museum of Croydon, the National Portrait Gallery, artists, and volunteers
- Music Heritage Trail
- Play about Croydon’s black composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
- Pollock’s Toy Museum in the Whitgift Centre
- The Ukraine National Symphony Orchestra
Unless I have taken off the Croydon Culture Network there was no email to inform those on it of the opening event at Boxpark. Typical of the failure of the organisers to consult local experts, the proposed play said to be the fist about Coleridge-Taylor is not the first. In 1987 Crowned With Fame about him was performed at Battersea Arts Centre. Ironically the press cutting about his daughter Avril visiting his grave at Bandon Hill Cemetery with the cast is in the Museum of Croydon Samuel Coleridge-Taylor collection.
History & Social Action News and Events 