Council sets out action plan for Croydon

An ambitious five-year action plan to make Croydon an even more prosperous, vibrant, happy and healthy borough is set to get the green light by the council’s cabinet next week.

Croydon’s Community Strategy 2016-21 sets out the council’s vision and priorities for boosting the prospects of the borough’s residents, businesses, communities and voluntary groups, and how these aims will be achieved. The plan, which is designed to influence all council policy and liaison with other partner agencies, has been drawn up in response to recommendations produced by the Opportunity and Fairness Commission that the council set up to tackle social inequality.

Underpinned by themes such as community safety, boosting local economic growth and employment, and providing opportunities for local people, the strategy’s goals include:

· Delivering 9,500 new homes in the next five years, with at least 1,200 completions a year

· Providing a greater choice of housing, ensuring 50% affordable housing

· Creating 23,500 new jobs through development, help for small businesses and regeneration

· Securing more local powers and funding for major long-term projects, including new buildings and transport links

· Closer working with Local Enterprise Partnerships

· Creating a more integrated health and social care sector

· Tapping into the voluntary sector to be more involved in early prevention work

· Getting more private and public sector businesses to pay the London Living Wage

· Stronger partnerships with universities

· Modernising Fairfield Halls

· Reducing child poverty by promoting flexible working

The five-year strategy will be used as the overarching document that guides all council policies and how the borough works with outside organisations, including health service partners, the police, local businesses and faith groups. By setting out the council’s long-term goals, the strategy is also designed to improve the council’s case towards bids for external funding and Government grants.

Cllr-Newman

“This strategy is important because it’s our vision for making Croydon an even better place to live, work and visit.

“From giving vulnerable adults greater independence to massive regeneration in Croydon town centre, the vision focuses both on helping the individual and improving whole communities.

“It’s also about not just council-run schemes, such as genuinely affordable housing for local families, but also close partnership with Government, the private and voluntary sectors and the NHS to make sure Croydon gets the investment and improvements we need in the years to come.”

Councillor Tony Newman, leader of the council

If the council’s cabinet agrees the report, the strategy will return for final approval by Full Council later this year.

For more information on the strategy, visit the agenda page of the council website

2016-06-13T18:28:53+01:00 June 13th, 2016|Recent news|