Fixing Croydon‘s finances is a priority for me as Executive Mayor and we have made huge strides in improving our Council. But despite our progress, we cannot be financially sustainable whilst our historic debt burden remains unresolved. And like many councils, in the past year spiralling demand for services has put even greater strain on our finances. I have been campaigning for a solution to Croydon’s debt and on Monday I met Jim McMahon, the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution. We are taking a raft of action locally here in Croydon, transforming our Council to become more cost effective and efficient, but we cannot solve this alone. We need a solution to Croydon’s debt, and action on the funding and demand issues facing all councils. It was good to meet the Minister and I look forward to working with him for Croydon.

Unlocking Croydon’s potential

As Executive Mayor I pledged to put our town centre regeneration at the top of the agenda, to promote economic growth and make Croydon a place of opportunity. That is why I have convened national, regional and local partners to drive forward a bold new vision for our town centre. On Monday I was joined by Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor of London, Business and Growth, and colleagues from Homes England, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, The Whitgift Foundation and Boston Consulting Group, for the first meeting of our new partnership. As the Government and London Councils launch new plans for growth, it is time to unlock Croydon’s potential – and I will be working with all our partners to make that happen.

Holocaust Memorial Ceremony

I was honoured to join residents and partners at Croydon’s annual Holocaust Memorial Ceremony. This event is an opportunity not only to remember the 6 million Jewish men, women and children that perished in the Holocaust, and those killed in other genocides, but also a time to reflect and reaffirm our commitment to a future free from hate. It was inspiring to see so many young people present and to have submissions from students across the borough on the theme ’For a Better Future’. We are proud of our communities in Croydon and we must stand united against prejudice and persecution, now and in the future.

Croydon Cares

Thank you to all the care experienced young people who worked with us to co-design and develop our new Croydon Cares app. As a corporate parent, I want us to support our young people every step of the way. Part of that is making sure they can access information and advice when and how they want to, in a way that is seamless and hassle-free. The app provides information on housing, finances, jobs, and our care experienced young people have tailored it to meet their needs. I am sure this will be welcomed across Croydon as we continue to listen to our young people and develop our services to suit them.

Finally, I’m looking forward to attending the ‘Love Not Hate – Young Stars of London’ event, on Saturday 8 February, at Whitgift School. An event bringing together youth, community leaders and special guests in a celebration of talent, diversity and unity. The event aims to raise funds in support of the Civic Mayor of Croydon’s charities and the Manju Shahul-Hameed Foundation for Mental Health. To register for the event visit this website.

Have a good weekend,

Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon