Croydon Financial Crisis Deepens
Croydon’s financial crisis could go on for 10 years Mayor Perry told the recent Upper Norwood Question Time. The Cabinet is being told that unresolved issues over the last four years could increase the historic debt. Perry told the QT that the new bus shelters will not be in place until next winter. Perry is getting ready to approve the closure of between 4 and 5 libraries. The Council has been found by the Supreme Court to have broken the law re-rehousing.
Croydon Meetings & Events
Wednesday 6 December. 6.30pm. Cabinet
Scrutiny Stage 2 Responses to Recommendations arising from Homes Sub-Committee held on 24 July 2023; Future Options for Maintained Nursery Schools – Consultation Outcomes Report; Housing Strategy 2023- 2028; Transport for London Local Implementation Plan Healthy streets funding and programme 2024/25; Finance 6 Period Financial Performance Report; Fees and Charges 2024-25; Capital Programme and Capital Strategy 2023-29 Quarterly Procurement Plan update; progress update on tranche 1 asset disposals, seeking approval for tranche 2 of asset for disposal and approval of the update of the Community Asset Transfer Policy.
Thursday 7 December. 10.30am. Licensing Sub-Committee on Teams
Thursday 7 December. 7pm. Croydon’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy
Croydon Community Consortium Zoom meeting.
Council officers will explain the factors being considered to inform the priorities identified, the broad themes based on key findings and the proposed actions to address these.
Please book via https://croydoncc.wordpress.com/2023/12/01/public-meeting-7-dec-2023-homelessness/
Sunday 10 December. Folk & Blues – Jim Smith and Open Mic – Ruskin House
Monday 11 December. Folk Club – Singers’ Night – Ruskin House
Croydon News
36 storey tower Approved for Park Hotel site. (Architects Journal. 30 November plus Inside Croydon 28 November
17 charities May Be Hit By Council Sales
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-67570091 plus Inside Croydon 30 November
Croydon Broke Legal Requirements Re-Rehousing
‘In a significant victory for homeless applicants, the Supreme Court has recently delivered a landmark judgment in the case of R (on the application of Imam) v London Borough of Croydon [2023] UKSC 45. The decision, handed down on 28th November 2023, addresses the crucial issue of whether a council’s lack of resources can serve as a valid excuse for failing to fulfil its duties to homeless individuals. Giles Peaker, a partner at Anthony Gold, played a crucial role in representing Crisis as an intervenor in this case.’
https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=a939991f-8333-478b-8ca6-980203b29d80
Plus Inside Croydon 29 November
Record Number Of Suspensions at Croydon Schools Last Autumn Term
Inside Croydon News
Library Closure Threat. 2 December
Council Drops Nursery Closure Plans. 1 December
Sports England £400,000 Bails Out Council Indoor Swimming Pools. 1 December
Croydon TUC Gaza Protest Outside Sarah Jones Office. 29 November
Effect of Autumn Statement on Councils. 27 November
M & S Purley scheme gets overwhelming public backing. 27 November
Police Will Arrest Protestors Outside MPs Homes. 25 November
Council Seeks TfL Safe and Healthy Streets Funding 2024/25
The recommended programme aims to support:
- the regeneration of Croydon’s town and district centres, seeking inward investment and grants – Central Croydon (£1,800,000), corridors (£1,025,000), neighbourhoods (£375,000);
- action to reduce carbon emissions in Croydon – School Streets (£250,000);
- making Croydon safer and more inviting for all Croydon residents and visitors – Road Safety (£200,000)
- working with partners and the voluntary, community, and faith sector to promote independence, health and wellbeing – Active Travel (£394,000), Bus Priority (£550,000), Cycle Parking (£100,000), Cycle Training (£130,000).
From 6 December Cabinet report
Financial Crisis Issues Still Not Resolved
The Council’s overall financial position is still subject to a number of unresolved historic legacy issues. The Council admits that:
- ‘it needs to correct a range of misstatements in its legacy accounts from 2019-20 which are currently still not fully closed. This was more than the £74.6m previously identified to Cabinet in November 2022.’
- its provision for bad debt was ‘found to be understated by £46m rather than the £20m previously assumed’.
- there is a ‘potential £70m gap in the accounts caused by incorrect accounting for Croydon Affordable Homes and Tenures, instead of the £9m previously assumed.’
- with ‘four years of accounts still open, there remains a risk that further legacy issues will be uncovered.’
From 6 December Cabinet report
Croydon History
David Morgan tells the story of Alice Malleson, reformer who died in 1901. Inside Croydon. 26 November
The Autum Budget Statement
The Resolution Foundation has produced a briefing note analysing the Autumn Statement announcements, highlighting the following:
• The Autumn Statement’s £20 billion of tax cuts compare to around £90 billion of tax rises (including higher Corporation Tax) already announced this Parliament. Despite the tax-cutting rhetoric, taxes are rising by 4.5 per cent of GDP between 2019-20 and 2028- 29, equivalent to £4,300 per household.
• With real average earnings adjusted for inflation not forecast to return to their 2008 peak until 2028, this was “a totally unprecedented 20-year pay stagnation”.
• Real household disposable incomes will have fallen by 3.1 per cent from December 2019 to January 2025. Households will, on average, be £1,900 poorer at the end of this Parliament than at its start.
• By not fully accounting for higher inflation in public services spending plans, unprotected departments such as Justice, Communities and Local Government and the Home Office are set to see their per capita day-to-day budgets fall by 14 per cent – equivalent to a real-terms cut of £17 billion – between 2022-23 and 2027-28.
Local Government Association Statement
- The evidence of the financial strain on councils has been growing and it is hugely disappointing that today’s Autumn Statement has failed to provide funding needed to protect the services the people in our communities rely on every day.
- There are now more than 80,000 looked after children in England and we were disappointed by the lack of reference to children’s services, funding for early years and support for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Spiralling costs in children’s social care are a key driver of budget pressures across councils with social care responsibilities.
Energy, Broadband And Mobile Prices To Rise Again
Ofgem has announced that from January to March the energy price cap will rise by 5% from £1,834 to £1,928 a year.
Research by Which? estimates that mobile and broadband companies will generate nearly £500m in additional income from mid contract price rises next April. Which? is calling for Ofcom to ban inflation-based mid contract price hikes. Link
https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/telecoms-providers-2024-price-rises-awk0h6A96dET
Food Inflation
Although Annual inflation in October fell to 4.7%, from 6.7% in September, research on food prices by the market research group Kantar has found that in the four weeks to 29 October, UK grocery inflation was 9.7%, own from 11% in September. Source: ESAN Bulletin November 2023
History & Social Action News and Events 
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