Croydon has long had a proud history of welcoming those fleeing conflict and persecution and we stand ready to support the people of Ukraine with the launch of the Homes for Ukraine scheme today. If you are interested in the scheme, find information here – like authorities across the country, we look forward to receiving further guidance from government about the role that councils can play. If you are affected by events in Ukraine, find help and support at www.croydon.gov.uk/croydon-stands-ukraine.
Improving our housing services
It is nearly one year since we launched our improvement programme to transform our housing services and ensure that all our tenants are treated with care and respect. In this time, we have knocked on thousands of doors across 27 estates to understand tenants’ experiences, carried out around 40,000 repairs – including nearly 900 in Regina Road – and undertaken detailed surveys on all our high-rise blocks. We are acutely aware that much more needs to be done, and I want to thank our independent board for their oversight, and their input into our housing improvement plan which goes to cabinet Monday. Most importantly, I want to thank the hundreds of residents who continue to share their experiences and are helping to shape the future of our housing services. This is not a quick process, but we are determined to keep listening and keep improving until all our tenants are receiving the service they expect and deserve.
London Borough of Culture 2023
After two challenging years of the pandemic, it’s great to have something to look forward to as we set out plans for Croydon’s year as the Mayor of London’s Borough of Culture. Led by local people, this will be a once-in-a generation opportunity to celebrate Croydon’s unique identity, the rich diversity of our communities and showcase our talent and creativity to the world. It will bring investment to our borough, providing our businesses with a much-needed boost after the pandemic, and create jobs and opportunities for residents of all ages. Most importantly, it will bring everyone together to look to Croydon’s future and I hope everyone will get involved.
Helping you to repair and reduce waste for greener Croydon
Finally, I was delighted to see the launch of Croydon’s first textile repair cafe in the town centre this week. Repairing clothes can help us all to reduce our waste, and the opening of this cafe is one of many actions we are taking, as a council and a community, to create a more sustainable future. If you’re shopping in Croydon, why not book into a workshop, and learn how to make some old favourites as good as new?
Have a great weekend,
Councillor Hamida Ali, leader of the council
