Agenda item

a)    Public Questions (30 minutes)

To receive questions from the public gallery and questions submitted by residents in advance of the meeting.

The following Public Questions will be heard at this meeting, which will be responded to. The questioners will have the opportunity to ask a supplementary question based on the answer received.

The questions are as follows:

1.     You have referred to this 15% increase as a one-off. Does this mean that in 2024 this increase will be reversed? If you increase the tax again in 2024 this 15% will be "baked in". Can you please confirm?

2.     What is the Council doing to promote recycling of soft plastics?

3.     As South Croydon councillor and candidate for Mayor a year ago, you campaigned strongly against the council proposal for a segregated cycle lane along the Brighton Road between Purley and South Croydon.

Please set out the reasons you gave last year for why this was a bad idea and should be scrapped.

I say your reasons then were correct.

You now say the council is short of money and must avoid unnecessary expense.

Why then have you now as mayor spent our taxes imposing this dangerous cycle lane which damages travel on this key main road?

Why should we trust you?

4.     I welcome that you have got the police involved regarding Croydon council finances. Can you assure the people of Croydon that if any criminal activity is discovered you will proceed to get the money back through the Proceeds of Crime Act which the government bought in?

5.     With the failings of Brick by Brick from an operational perspective having been acknowledged by the council, could the Mayor please commit to providing a detailed explanation/plan for how Shared Owners’/tenants’ rights are to be safeguarded and enforced against Brick by Brick with respect to their obligations under the various head leases they have entered into for the properties developed?

b)    Mayor and Cabinet Member Questions (65 minutes)

To receive questions from Councillors.

Public Questions

1.     In response to the answer given and printed in the agenda, the questioner stated that rubbish collection at her residence had not been reliable, and asked whether the increase in Council Tax would contribute to improving this service.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Jason Cummings, stated that the increase in Council Tax was never intended to be spent on services; instead it was increased to emsure the council had sufficient funds to protect it from future financial difficulties.

2.     In response to the answer given as printed in the agenda, the questioner asked a supplementary question, to which the Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment responded that the recycling of soft plastics should be increased by providing residents with greater awareness of where they can recycle these items. Councillor Roche also stated the council intended to promote responsible recycling at local level through communications campaigns and the use of QR codes, but that a lot of the waste contract was out of the council’s control.

3.     The third questioner was not present at the meeting, and so the answer to their question was published in the agenda and no supplementary question was asked.

4.     The supplementary question regarding the investigation into financial mismanagement by previous members of the council and officers was responded to by Mayor Jason Perry who stated that he could not comment on how far the police had progressed the investigation but that the council would do everything it could to support the investigation.

5.     The questioner asked a supplementary question based on the answer given in the agenda, asking the Council to commit to meeting with residents and Brick by Brick to ensure the company heard residents’ concerns, to which the Cabinet Member for Finance replied the resident should get in touch directly with him so that the issue could be discussed with the relevant officers.

Mayor and Cabinet Questions

In response to questions, Mayor Jason Perry, assisted by Cabinet Members, stated that:

• The council was working closely with the head leaseholder of the Purley Pool site to reopen it;
• The LGBTQ population was supported during Pride month through London Borough of Culture events and respect was extended to members of the workforce belonging to the group as well as support being provided to residents;
• Discussions would take place with Councillor Bonham on the petition by Conservative MP Mark Eastward concerning changes to the legal guidance on camera locations to improve road safety in areas of accident hotspots;

• There was no budget cap set in this year, assets were being sold quickly to pay down debts;
• The grass cutting service was not as good as expected; however, there was a need to rebuild the infrastructure around the service by bringing back equipment and staff;
• Westfield’s acquisitions in the town centre and monthly Board meetings with the council were crucial steps in the town centre’s regeneration;
• There was an expectation of a pre-planning discussion and a planning application, the master plan was undergoing finalisation;
• Violent crime was a top priority issue and there was a reset to the community safety partnership with a community board established to sit below the partnership;
• Work had been conducted on the Violence Against Women and Girls delivery plan and Youth Safety delivery plan; the Youth Safety delivery plan was used to tackle issues on Church Street resulting in some young people moving to other mentoring routes.
• The Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) had been in action for 2 months and the powers had been used 69 times;
• Working with community groups and police, training was in place to demonstrate how to use the powers effectively;
• There was a consultation on extending the PSPO to Thornton Heath and the Hotspot Delivery plan would be used to decide if other areas should be included;
• Service level agreements would be created from the Housing Revenue Account to the grass cutting service for housing estates, and this would be reviewed next year;
• By September 2023, councillors and residents would be engaged to discuss their expectations for the Local Plan; by December 2023, consultation on a renewed Local Plan for Croydon should begin;
• The loss of every ticket office was concerning to residents but only 10% of ticket sales occurred face to face; Mayor Perry’s response to the consultation would ask for some strategic offices to remain available across the borough;
• Engagement with residents of Regina Road had taken place; the ballet process had occurred and an overwhelming yes to redevelop was received; a meeting was held with residents to discuss next steps and papers would be issued to Cabinet over the coming months;
• There was a commitment to hold former councillors and officers accountable for the financial damage to the Borough;
• The Penn report included information on decisions considered and agreed around the finances of the Borough;
• The Kroll reports provided details on the full investigation of the Fairfield Halls refurbishment and what happened to the £70 million that was invested;
• Two reports on public interests had been handed to the police and allegations were being investigated;
• The exit payment of the former Chief Executive was still being pursued for recovery;
• There were still outstanding issues at Fairfield Halls, but some issues had been dealt with;
• An update was requested from the responsible officers about the reopening of Wandle park café and the locking of gates at night; the Mayor would provide an update to the Waddon councillors once received;
• A Joint paper on Housing was produced to Cabinet on the 28^th of June which looked at the provision of housing to young people; the objective was to set care experienced young people up for an independent life rather than putting them in debt and sub-standard housing;
• Apprenticeships would be reviewed as a method to encourage young people to aspire for full and independent lives;
• The Corporate Parenting Panel would assess the process of the new initiative, conduct a review in 6 months and the Panel would hear directly from affected young people to ensure that the new policies were working for them;

• The consultation on the expansion of the proposed area of the Public Space’s Protection Order ended on the 21^st of July and residents were encouraged to take part in the consultation to ensure their opinions were heard;
• An improvement plan would be developed to enhance, reallocate, and improve resources for the Planning department;
• The plan should improve performance within the department around enforcement issues, so that the needs and planning applications  of residents and developers could be addressed in a timely manner;

• One million pounds of government funding was invested into the summer programme; a £50,000 bid was put in place for Purely and Thornton Heath and an additional £5,000 in funds was directed to Purely for transport interchanges.
• Work would remain ongoing with community groups to ensure that clubs would be open throughout the summer.
• A Community board was established and there had been great engagement. 26 groups attended the last board meeting, and a working relationship had been created with mentoring groups and the community and voluntary based sector to provide facilities to young people.
• 1,000 pieces of graffiti have been removed from highstreets, Councillor Roche and Mayor Perry have worked with Officers to provide deep clean processes in the centres so they can be restored for traders and shoppers. The service has delivered results.