This week it was my pleasure to announce that the Greater London Authority (GLA) have awarded £53.8million of Government housing grant to commence the redevelopment of Regina Road. Residents will remember the shocking conditions at Regina Road broadcast on the national news back in 2021.
Since I became Mayor in 2022. We have worked tirelessly to regain both the trust of local residents and the GLA, with a ballot to redevelop Regina Road having been successful late last year.
On Wednesday my budget proposals for 2024/25 were approved at Full Council. As Executive Mayor I promised to fix the council’s finances and restore pride to our borough.
I have upheld my pledge not to increase Council Tax above the 4.99% cap limit set by the government. Through listening to residents and their priorities, the budget will focus on providing hundreds of important everyday services for residents, spending most on protecting vulnerable children and adults with 50 pence in the pound spend jointly on these services. The budget includes investment in becoming a modern, cost-effective council.
This includes a £2.4 million youth justice budget to invest in creating a safe and secure environment in Croydon for our residents.
The safety of our young people is a top priority for me, and I recently attended the Young Stars of Croydon’s “Love Not Hate” fundraising event showcasing talented local young people, who helped to raise funds for the Duffus Community Foundation and the MSH Foundation for Mental Health.
You may have seen that Croydon’s very own Raye won a historic six out seven nominations at the BRIT Awards. The singer songwriter has gained global recognition for her talent and it was fantastic that she wanted to recognise Croydon, where she grew up and BRIT School for helping her get there, at Saturday night’s award ceremony.
Our year as London Borough of Culture has shone a light on Croydon’s rich music history and Raye is already part of our ‘Rewind’ exhibition currently on display at the Museum of Croydon until September.
Also opening at the Museum of Croydon today is the ‘Routes to Roots’ exhibition. I would like to thank everyone involved in creating this fascinating display celebrating our South Asian and Anglo Indian communities. It was my pleasure to attend and open the event today and hear heartfelt stories from some amazing Croydon residents. Their determination to build a life in Croydon is testament to their strength of character and the vibrancy that they have brought to our community. The exhibition is open to the public until 26th April 2024.
Have a great weekend.
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon
