Croydon was the first borough in London to launch a local Growth Plan earlier this year – backed by nearly £40m of funding from the government, the Growth Zone and other sources. It is all about kickstarting regeneration and restoring pride in our borough.

A report to Cabinet shows that our Plan is already making a real difference – not just in the town centre, but across our district centres with funding from UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

We have invested £3.2m on 15 projects with a further £1.1m committed for this financial year, bringing the total to £4.3m, with areas benefiting including: New Addington, Thornton Heath, Coulsdon and South Croydon. Find out more.

A new chapter for Allders building

Today, we are celebrating the opening of the first new shops in ‘Allders Parade’, a fantastic boost for North End. I know how much the Allders building means to our residents, and it is great to see it being brought back into use. This is just the beginning of a wider transformation led by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), who are working to reshape the Whitgift and Centrale sites. Find out more.

Green light for airport runway signals more jobs

There is more good news this week – the government has given the green light for the Northern Runway at London Gatwick. The airport is a key partner for Croydon, offering training and apprenticeships for young people, supporting local businesses, and contributing £265m to our local economy. It also employs 3,680 Croydon residents. This latest development will bring even more opportunities for our communities. Find out more.

Making Croydon safer

It is my priority to work with Croydon Police, the Town Centre Taskforce and other partners to keep everyone living, working and visiting the town centre safe. The town centre Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) has reduced antisocial behaviour by 24% – that is why we are renewing and extending it, so that Police can continue to tackle street drinking, urinating in public and noise disturbances. Thank you to everyone who responded to our consultation.

Over the past year, robbery rates amongst under-18s in Croydon have fallen by 10%, reoffending rates are below the national average and fewer children are spending time in custody – this is owing to our ‘child-first’ approach to youth crime. We supported 289 children last year who are facing complex challenges such as exploitation, mental health issues, and being out of education. Our plan for 2026 was approved at Cabinet this week and sets out how we will continue to build on these achievements in reaching young people.

Community festivities and celebrations

‘Shana tova’ to all of Croydon’s Jewish community who celebrated Rosh Hashanah (New Year) on Monday – I hope you had a great time.

Sunday is the start of Durga Puja hosted by the Spandan Community – the Croydon Bengali Association’s annual celebration at Croydon Clock Tower, from 28 September to October 1.

Meanwhile, London Hindu Aikyavedi Onam’s celebration will be held on Saturday (27 September) at Thornton Heath Community Centre.

I look forward to seeing many of our residents at these events.

Have a good weekend.

Jason Perry

Executive Mayor of Croydon