We held a productive Cabinet meeting this week, where some important proposals were discussed and approved. These included the draft 2027/28 budget and plans to extend our Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) in Thornton Heath and across our district centres and parks. The PSPO gives the Police additional powers to tackle behaviour that makes people’s lives a misery. We want to build on that progress and ensure it covers the right streets and the problems residents face. I urge local people and businesses to have their say in the consultation and help us make our borough safer. Read more about the Thornton Heath PSPO here.

We also considered a range of other key decisions affecting the borough, one of which was discussions about the possible changes to how the Croydon Adult Learning and Training (CALAT) service is delivered to make sure it delivers the best outcomes for learners. An independent review has shown the way the service is currently being run is neither cost effective nor providing the best service for residents. We have temporarily moved the service to Strand House in Thornton Heath whilst we consult on future arrangements. Several rumours are circulating that we are cutting the service and jobs. I want to reassure residents that this is not the case. No decisions have been made yet and we will of course talk to staff and residents before we do anything. Read more about this here.

You can watch the full Cabinet meeting here.

Making the best use of our council buildings

It was great to celebrate the completion of the building works at Cavendish House today. The transformed building will become a central hub where residents can access support on a range of issues, including housing and youth justice. There will be dedicated waiting areas, interview rooms and family-friendly facilities such as a small children’s play area, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. It is part of our work to make the best use of council buildings and give residents better access to our frontline services. The building is looking fantastic and is going to be a great community asset.

Cycle training here in Croydon

I know there has been some misinformation circulating that we have cancelled our cycle training programme. This is not correct and I want to reassure residents, parents and schools that this is not the case. There was a pause whilst we arranged a new contract, but this is now in place and we are working closely with the provider to get sessions up and running again as quickly as possible. 

We expect adult cycle training sessions to resume shortly, whilst school-based training is expected to restart after the October half-term break. Funding for the programme is provided by TfL, and we have recently agreed a £77k funding package to support its delivery.

I know this temporary pause has been frustrating for those affected, and I would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding whilst the new arrangements settle down.

Fighting fly-tipping all year round

Fly-tipping Fortnight is a good opportunity to highlight an issue that blights neighbourhoods across our borough, but tackling it remains a priority all year round. It costs around £1m a year to clear up fly-tipped waste, money that could otherwise be invested in local services. We all have a role to play, whether that’s reporting incidents through the Love Clean Streets app or via our website, disposing of waste responsibly, or checking that anyone you pay to remove rubbish is properly licensed. By working together, we can keep Croydon clean, safe and a borough we can all be proud of.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week

Everyone should be able to live their life here without fear of hatred, intimidation or abuse. National Hate Crime Awareness Week is an important reminder that there can be no place for hate crime in our borough. We will continue working with the Police, communities and partners to keep people safe and support those who are targeted. It was a privilege to attend a thought provoking event on this subject last night, hosted by Faiths Together in Croydon.

This weekend, I am looking forward to joining the 90th anniversary celebrations of St John the Divine in Selsdon. For generations, the church has been at the heart of the local community, bringing people together and supporting residents through life’s ups and downs. My congratulations and thanks go to everyone who has helped make it such an important part of Selsdon over the past nine decades.

I would also like to extend my best wishes to all those celebrating and attending events for both Durga Puja and Navratri this weekend.

Jason Perry

Executive Mayor of Croydon