To receive questions from Councillors.
Minutes:
Mayor Perry announced that the Museum of Croydon had regained its accreditation from the Arts Council of England. He credited this success to the London Borough of Culture’s contributions and was pleased that the accreditation would enable the museum to reopen its permanent gallery, including the Rewind exhibition, which celebrates Croydon’s rich musical history. The accreditation will also enhance the museum’s ability to secure further funding, affirming its adherence to the highest museum standards.
Addressing a recent stabbing of a shopkeeper on Church Street, the mayor praised the swift response of police and first aiders and confirmed that two suspects had been arrested. He condemned the criminal behaviour and reassured the council that such incidents would not define Croydon. The council’s investment in a Town Centre Coordinator, who will work with the Town Centre Task Force, will focus on combating antisocial behaviour and enhancing safety, particularly through data-driven strategies to target knife crime.
He then gave the following answers to questions from Members:
· Collaboration with Government: The mayor highlighted ongoing collaboration among London boroughs to present a united front to the new government. He welcomed several government proposals, including ending Section 21 no-fault evictions, boosting neighbourhood policing, and addressing knife crime and violence against women. He noted that Croydon was already working on many of these objectives.
· Nursery Schools and Education:The mayor confirmed that all five maintained nursery schools in the borough would remain open, with financial sustainability achieved through cost-saving measures such as forming federations between schools. In terms of special education, smaller SEN units were being added to schools with available capacity, and additional funding had been allocated through the Schools Forum to support SEN initiatives. Efforts were also being made to keep children with Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs) in temporary accommodation close to their schools.
· Housing and Temporary Accommodation: Mayor Perry outlined efforts to improve the quality of temporary accommodation, despite challenges such as demand exceeding supply. Initiatives like the Red Clover Garden scheme, offering 85 units of quality housing, aim to transition people from temporary accommodation to better housing. He noted that an additional audit of temporary accommodation conditions might not be necessary due to the Council’s ongoing improvement efforts.
· Child Benefit Cap and Financial Sustainability: The mayor expressed openness to reviewing proposals to amend the two-child benefit cap and confirmed his intention to work with Labour’s Child Poverty Task Force chairs, Liz Kendall and Bridget Phillipson, to advocate for scrapping the cap. He also addressed the council's ongoing discussions with the government regarding Croydon’s debt burden, stating that private correspondence with former ministers about debt write-off would remain confidential.
· Council Services and Infrastructure: On the topic of grass-cutting services, the mayor acknowledged previous challenges caused by unreliable data and outdated equipment. To address this, contractors, including some from TfL, have been brought in to manage overgrown areas. Regarding playgrounds, there are plans to refurbish four to five per year, with additional cleaning and maintenance provided where necessary. Funding for this program primarily comes from Section 106 developer contributions.
· Support for Young People: To ensure the safety of young people, especially during the summer, the council has implemented the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) program, with 71 holiday clubs offering meals and activities. Collaborative efforts with the Violence Reduction Unit and the police aim to tackle robbery and antisocial behaviour during the transition to senior school for Year 6 pupils.
· Female-Owned Businesses: The mayor detailed measures to support female-owned businesses, including creating a local board to tackle issues in West Croydon and London Road, improving lighting, and increasing police presence. The council is using £200,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to enhance public safety and support local traders.
· Transport and Parking: The mayor confirmed that 89% of residents favoured removing light segregation on Brighton Road, which has improved safety and eased delivery and shop operation challenges. The council is also reviewing parking provisions and junction safety improvements. A report will soon be presented detailing a proposal for Transport for London (TfL) to provide bus shelters across the borough, aligning Croydon with 30 of the 32 London boroughs that already use TfL for this service.
· Waste Management: The new waste management contract would maintain and improve current services, particularly street cleaning. Further plans include reintroducing scheduled residential street cleaning and exploring nighttime cleaning in busy districts.
· Business and Economic Initiatives: The mayor mentioned the establishment of an Entrepreneur’s Academy, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, to support Croydon’s young population. He also committed to investigating the lack of communication regarding maintenance work at Whitehorse Meadow.
· Universal Breakfast Clubs: The mayor expressed the Council’s support for any government initiative to implement universal breakfast clubs for all children.
· Mayor Perry reiterated that Croydon would continue to collaborate closely with other councils, especially in light of potential new government legislation.