Croydon Council To Attack The Poor
The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 25 October has agreed to recover Council Tax arrears from benefit claimants,
This part of the cuts strategy 2024 to 2028. It was be an indictment to of the Government Improvement and Assurance Panel whose exit strategy to 2025 was also discussed by the Cabinet. The proposed action contrasts with the decision the former Wandsworth Tory Council took not to take action on rent arrears after I proved that it would cost more in legal and bailiff action than in recoverable areas. With the growing poverty in London it is clear that the Council needs to completely re-consider its anti-poverty strategy.
The IAP exist strategy can be read at:
The Council is proposing further major cuts £30.9m.
While there will be a Budget consultation it will be on online from 6 November for at least six weeks. This will be discriminatory given towards those who are not on-line connected or savvy.
See also Inside Croydon 25 & 26 October.
Government Remains In Control Until July 2025
Croydon LBC’s Government-appointed improvement panel has outlined a timetable for withdrawing from the authority amid ‘strong progress’ in fixing its finances.
The improvement and assurance panel chaired by former Lincolnshire CC chief Tony McArdle said it expected to complete its work at the south London borough by July 2025 or sooner.
The Council statement on the exit report of the Government’s Improvement & Assurance Panel can be see at
https://news.croydon.gov.uk/government-panel-sets-out-plan-to-exit-croydon-by-july-2025/
Yet Another Hot Air Conference
The Restart Conference will be held by the Council and developers
Developer Tide Completes its College Road modular residential development comprising a 50-storey build-to-rent tower with 817 apartments, called Enclave: Croydon; and a 35-storey tower providing 120 affordable homes.
Will Whitgift Be Developed For More Housing?
One possibility for the development of the Whitgift Centre is more flats, a move underway that the other Westfield London schemes.
Questions adapted from 2016 which may still be relevant in considering the next planning application:
- If car parking spaces are increased what will be the estimated contribution to air pollution?
- How many flats will be allocated to disabled users and what provision will be made for ramps, lifts and blue badge parking spaces?
- Can apartments be built on top of the shopping centre in a way that reduces the need for tower blocks?
- Will the Council refuse to accept an outline application with reserved design matters dealt with later in favour of a detailed application?
- Will landscaping be required as part of the planning application and not left to reserved design matters?
- What will be the need for community facilities for the residents?
- Will the applicant be required to submit a socio-economic impact statement about the development?
- What open and park space and communal gardens will be provided for the residents?
New Addington Remains Poorest Area in Croydon
Census and other statistics about the area can be seen on the Croydon Observatory website.
Hospital Cleaners And Porters To Strike
Cleaners and porters employed by outsourcing giant G4S at Croydon University Hospital are to stage a 48 hour walkout from 12am on Monday 30 October.
https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/croydon-hospital-cleaners-to-stage-48-hour-strike
Croydon’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-2029 Consultation
See https://www.getinvolved.croydon.gov.uk/hrssurvey
Statistics on population and housing context can be seen at
https://www.getinvolved.croydon.gov.uk/hrssurvey/widgets/79654/faqs#question21065
The Importance of Singing in Croydon
Singing for Creativity & Wellbeing
UK Ambassador for Singing Hospitals
http://www.singing-hospitals.com/
Wednesday 8 November. 7.30pm.The Coming War On China
John Pilger’s excellent documentary on the historical context – from US Pacific nuclear tests and research on human victims of radioactivity – to the strategic build-up of US military bases. It’s a prescient warning of the dangers of current western intentions. Tickets: £5.00 (cash) at the bar/on the door; £5.80 on: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/697544613717
Croydon History Notes
Croydon supporter of Universal Races Congress 1911
The Universal Races Congress, held in London over three days in June 1911, was organised by Gustave Spiller, of the Ethical Culture movement. The aim of the Congress was to discuss race relations and relations between East and West. In involved anthropologists, sociologists, politicians, lawyers and students all gathered. The list if officers, Council and supporters includes a Miss B. Pullen-Burry, FRAI, of Croydon. FRAI stands for Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute. The lady is possibly one of the daughters of Henry Burry Pullen-Burry (1855 –1926), a doctor, occultist, author of the book Qabalism, and member of the occult group The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn founded in 1888. Apparently he deserted his family to take part in the Klondike Gold Rush. In 1905 he published Ethiopia in exile : Jamaica revisited. His two daughters were Ethel and Winfred. Annie Horniman, of the Croydon family and creator of repertory theatre paid for their education. (Sources include The Collected Letters of W. B. Yeats. Volume IV, 1905-1907. 1986)
Votes For Women Plaques
Ethel Fennings, a suffragist, and Mary Pearson, a suffragette, have become the first two women ever to be commemorated on blue plaques added at 251-253 Selhurst Road.
History News
Level of History Knowledge
The Bloomsbury Publishing You Gov survey showing that over 50% of Britons cannot name one Black historical figures. (Guardian. 26 October) appears on the surface to be a blow to all those who have been researching, writing publishing, speaking about such historical figures, and given the increasing coverage of TV. I wonder what the results of a survey would be that sought people’s views about make and female scientists, women suffragists and suffragettes, and radicals, trade unionists and politicians from the 18thC to mid 20th Century. Nor it’s the survey conclusion surprising given the lack of knowledge shown in the Guardian article on nominations for Black Britons for stamps although Mary Seacole and Olaudah Equiano have already been subject to stamps.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/28/britain-postage-stamp-black-history-month
Sunday 29 October. 2pm. Volunteers for Liberty
The annual event to commemorate the volunteers from the North East who gave their lives fighting in the International Brigade in Spain at the memorial plaque in the grounds of Newcastle Civic Centre.
Speakers will include author Alex Clifford and representatives from the Communist Parties of Britain and Spain. There will also be the reading of the names of those who sacrificed their lives, and the laying of wreaths.
Saturday 18 November. 2pm. The Squatters of 1946
Talk by Don Watson for Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Labour History Society. Don is the author of Squatting in Britain 1945-1955: Housing, Politics, and Direct Action (Merlin Press 2016).
Derby West Indian Community Association, Carrington Street, Derby DE1 2ND.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82156266579
Black Conversations
27 October. 3pm. Dr Alexander Scott – From Liverpool to Lampeter and Back: Researching and Curating Transatlantic Slavery
10 November. 2pm. Laura Trevellian – The Heirs of Slavery – owners and enslaved workers – with an update on this initiative and research of families
https://www.heirsofslavery.org/
17 November. Kate Phillips – author Bought and Sold (Luath Press 2022) katephillips1@mac.com
https://www.luath.co.uk/productsb/bought-and-sold
24 November. Kate Simpson of University of Sheffield and David Livingstone Centre will talk about the book she is writing about the women on Livingstone’s expeditions. kathryn.simpson@sheffield.ac.uk
1 December. Nigel Slater will talk about his research into the story of the Troubadour Slave ship and its legacy, as well as his book The Legacy of Slavery in Britain
http://www.sandsoftimeconsultancy.com/ https://www.tcmuseum.org/projects/slave-ship-trouvadore/
8 December. The Museum of Diversity (https://museumofdiversity.com/) which is planning to get one place with the whole story of Black History.
Black History News
Funding round for 2023 BME history projects now open
Eliza Greenfield: From Jamaica to Arbroath
History Matters Magazine
The third issue of the History Matters magazine can be downloaded at
There are problems with some of the articles in the three issues inc:
- The article on BASA and its work of curriculum reform and the role of its newsletters fails to mention that the BASA Archives and the newsletters are at Black Cultural Archives.
- The article on John Archer fails to reference my biography and has the wrong location for the Nubian Jak plaque. It draws heavily on Mike Philip’s article on the British Library website, which I advised on.
- The article on Coleridge-Taylor does not reference the work of book and the pamphlet by Jeffery Green
Labour Movement History News
The latest issue of Shelf Life (Working Class Movement Library) can be downloaded here.
file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/Shelf%20Life%2070,%20Autumn%202023.pdf
The Society for the Study of Labour History website’s (https://sslh.org.uk) latest postings are:
- Organise! Organise! Organise! From messy politics to the paperwork of petitioning and memories of protests
- Bread not bayonets: Chartism and the strikes of 1842 on film
- Samuel Smiles and working-class politics: a new work from the late Malcolm Chase
- ‘Glimpsus Ankli and Veenecki’: catching sight of women workers in First World War aircraft factories
History & Social Action News and Events 
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