Agenda not available for this meeting.

• 01

  Apologies for Absence

  

  To receive any apologies for absence from any Members.

• 02

  Minutes of the Previous Meeting

  

  To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2023 as an accurate record.

   

  Minutes, Council, 12 July 2023

• 03

  Disclosure of Interests

  

  Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) they may have in relation to any item(s) of business on today’s agenda.

• 04

  Urgent Business (if any)

  

  To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

• 05

  Council meeting dates

  

  For Council to agree the change of date of the meeting scheduled for 21 February 2024 to the 28 February 2024, and to add a preliminary second meeting on Wednesday 6 March.

• 06

  Announcements

  

  To receive Announcements, if any, from the Mayor, the Leader, Head of Paid Service and Returning Officer.

   

• 07

  Croydon Question Time

  

  Public Questions (30 minutes)

   

  To receive questions from the public gallery and questions submitted by residents in advance of the meeting.

   

  The following Public Questions will be heard at this meeting, which will be responded to. The questioners will have the opportunity to ask a supplementary question based on the answer received.

   

  The questions are as follows:

   

  1.     As a local resident in Fairfield near East Croydon station, I’m feeling increasingly anxious when walking around the local area. Especially so after the spike in knife crime we’ve experienced in the last week or so. I’d like to know what is being done to tackle this at source and also what is being done to keep residents such as myself safe from not only actual crime, but the fear of crime itself.
  
  

  2.     When will the council start taking action against fly tippers, especially in alleyways and hotspots like Euston road?
  
  

  3.     TFL data for Croydon shows 51% go to work by car, 25% on foot, 17% by bus or tram, 6% by rail and 1% by bike.
  
  

  Croydon introduced many car-hostile policies and restrictions under the previous administration, often with minimal consultation.

  Given the Uxbridge byelection, how will you change the following to a more car-friendly voter-friendly approach – boosting the economy and setting the public free?

   

  20mph on most roads

  School streets

  Road closures

  Low Traffic Neighbourhoods
  Controlled parking zones

  Yellow lines

  High parking charges

  Emission charges

  Cycle lanes

  Road humps

   

   

  4.     The residents of Croydon welcome and applaud mayor Perry’s Croydon clean-up campaign August 14th (Norbury clean up). But does this extend to eyesore front gardens where owners / occupiers leave fridges, mattresses, sofas in their front gardens and ignore polite requests to clean up their front garden? Is there or will there be a council department which will respond to residents’ complaints about eyesore front gardens, and will such council / department officers attend and deal with and take enforcement action in respect of reported eyesore front gardens?
  
  

  5.     My name is Lisa Grady, I work at Applegarth school, where my children attended. There has been an increasing risk for the children of Applegarth and Good Shepherd school when crossing the road to school as cars and buses do not stop for them. I have seen children walking into the road having to look around parked cars and buses to try to cross. My son was also almost hit when crossing the road as we couldn’t see clearly. Therefore, could I put forward a request for a zebra crossing to be added in Fieldway by Brierley and Applegarth?
  
  

  6.     What does Croydon Council intend to do about the total lack of provision for dyslexic primary school-aged children? 1 in 5 children are dyslexic with either ASD/ADHD or Visual Stress conditions, and yet we as one of London’s largest boroughs do not have our own Crested LA maintained school with Level 7 Dyslexic and Dyscalculia input.
  
  

  7.     As part of the modernisation of Croydon managed bus shelters those in Norbury (and other areas) were removed before the new were available for installation. Residents' are now facing a third winter without shelter. Please could you say when are the new bus shelters likely to be installed?
  
  

  8.     Government funding settlement for TfL requires TfL to increase fares. As a result, TfL will withdraw One Day Paper Travelcards, contrary to Croydon’s sustainable transport policy. Residents will pay higher fares and make fewer journeys. Those without Oyster cards or bankcards will require single peak tickets for all journeys. Children who do not have an Oyster zipcard will pay peak/adult fares; buses are cashless. The London Mayor is willing to discuss ways of retaining the One Day Paper Travelcard with the Rail Delivery Group and DFT. Would the Mayor support discussions with DfT and retention of One Day Paper Travelcards?
  
  

  9.     The Croydon Observatory Borough Profile published in June 2023, shows uptake for funded 2-year-old early years places is 9% lower than the London average. Uptake for 3–4-year-old funded places had dropped 5% from the previous year and was 3% lower than the average for London. Given how important early years provision is for lifelong outcomes, especially for children living in areas with high income deprivation how will the council work to improve uptake of funded early years placements to enable Croydon's future generation to flourish?
  
  

   

   

   

   

• 08

  The Croydon Debate

  

  For Council to receive a Public Petition and / or a Member Petition.

   

  One Public Petition has been received. The petition has been verified and is worded as follows:

   

  The South Norwood Country Park visitor centre has been closed since it was damaged by a fire in Spring of 2020. Despite persistent engagement by the local community, Croydon Council have not begun work to restore the centre, set out a plan for doing so, or explained why nothing has happened in three years since the fire.
  
  South Norwood Country Park is an important designated local nature reserve and provides easy access to a variety of natural habitats that would otherwise be largely inaccessible for many residents in the area. The visitor centre provided a vital venue for school children to learn about and experience wildlife up close, an office for a park warden and was a base for volunteers. The visitor centre provided the only toilets in the park which means the park is now inaccessible for many people and is unsuitable for large groups of volunteers.
  
  Since the visitor centre closed, other facilities in the park have begun to decline - the environment garden behind the centre is overgrown and its pond is empty, paths throughout the park have deteriorated, and the viewing platforms at the lake have become increasingly dangerous to use. The longer the centre remains closed, the more damage will be done and the more it will cost to repair.
  
  The visitor centre is the first of many areas of South Norwood Country Park and its management that require commitment and leadership from the Council. An area the size of South Norwood Country Park requires a full-time warden with experience in conservation and a fully operational visitor centre. Reopening the visitor centre is an important first step that would not only restore the facilities it provides but act as a focal point for future work in the park and a clear sign of the Council's commitment to the people of South Norwood.
  
  We call on the Mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, to commit to reopening the visitor centre, to set out a timeline for doing so, and to consulting the local community about the centre's future.

   

   

  One Member Petition has been received. The Petition has been verified and is worded as follows:

   

  Petition - Introduce a weight restriction on Heavy Goods Vehicles on Plough Lane, Purley

   

  “We the undersigned call on the Mayor and his Administration to introduce a weight restriction on Heavy Good Vehicles (HGVs) which use Plough Lane as a short cut. This should address the volume and speed of these vehicles, road damage, increased noise, and pollution levels.

   

  "Plough Lane has a width of 5.25 metres kerb to kerb yet is designated as a B-road which is required to meet a width of 7 metres. Plough Lane is therefore unsuitable for HGVs due to its width. However, it is used regularly as a cut through for these vehicles. Given the width of the road and the frequent usage of these large vehicles, recurrent and severe damage is being caused. Kerb stones are regularly dislodged and damaged requiring continuous repairs and in recent months there have been two major gas leaks.

   

  "In addition, pedestrians are endangered when HGVs regularly drive onto the very narrow pavements to avoid similar vehicles moving in the opposite direction or even cars and vans. For pedestrians this is terrifying.

   

  "Residents on Plough Lane that come under Sutton Borough are also calling for the same restrictions and are working with their local Councillors and Council officers – demonstrating the overwhelming consensus for this issue to be resolved.”

   

   

• 09

  Reports to Council

  

• 09

  Health and Wellbeing Board Annual Report

  

  This Annual Croydon Health and Wellbeing Board Report provides an opportunity to celebrate all the hard work that has been achieved over the past year by everyone in the Croydon Borough right across the health and social care system, as well as looking ahead to some of the opportunities for the coming year.

   

  Health and Wellbeing Board Annual Report 2021-22

  HWB Annual Report 2021-22 Final

• 09

  Scrutiny and Overview Committee Annual Report

  

  The overall time, which may be devoted to questioning the Annual Report of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee, shall be not more than 20 minutes. The Chair of the Committee (or in the absence of the Chair, the Deputy Chair) and the Chairs of each Sub-Committee shall introduce and answer questions on the Report. The Chair of the Committee shall have not more than 3 minutes’ speaking time and the Chairs of each Sub-Committee shall each have not more than 3 minutes’ speaking time to introduce the report.

   

  For the remaining time available, the report will be open to questions. In the event that any recommendation in the report has not been reached when the overall time limit has expired, it shall be put immediately to the vote.

   

  Any Member, except the Seconder of the Report, may ask the Chair, Deputy or Vice Chair, as appropriate, not more than two questions on each paragraph of the Report.

  Council - Scrutiny Annual Report

  Appendix A - Scrutiny Annual Report 2223

• 09

  Equalities Strategy

  

  The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the Croydon Equality Strategy, refreshed for 2023-2027 and the updated Equality Objectives.

   

  COUNCIL Report Equality Strategy October 2023 FINAL

  Appendix A Equality Strategy 2023.27 FINAL

  APPENDIX B London local government_Anti-Racism Statement

  Appendix C Equality Analysis Form-Annual Equality Report 2023 and Updated Croydon Equality Strategy 2022-27 17.08.23

  Appendix D - Scrutiny and Overview Committee Minutes, 25 July 2023

  Supplementary LEGAL IMPLICATIONS - Equality Strategy additional only

  Proposed Amendment to Budget and Policy Framework Document

• 10

  Questions to Mayor and Executive

  

  (65 minutes)

   

  To receive questions from Councillors. The first five minutes of this item may be used by the Mayor to make any announcements.

   

• 11

  Council Debate Motions

  

  To debate any motions submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rules.

   

  The following two Motions, one from the Administration and one from the Labour Group, will be debated:

   

  Conservative Administration Motion

   

  This Council RESOLVES:

   

  That it is committed to listening to, respecting and working in partnership with our diverse communities. We are dedicated to ensuring that local voices are heard and are at the heart of our work and that all residents are treated fairly, with respect and dignity.

   

   

  Labour Group Motion

   

  This Council RESOLVES:

   

  This year, Croydon proudly joins the nation in celebrating 'Windrush 75’, marking 75 years since the Empire Windrush's arrival at Tilbury in 1948, bringing 1,027 passengers from the Caribbean including 500 from Jamaica.  

  This saw the start of the ‘Windrush Generation’ defined as people who arrived in the UK from the Caribbean between 1948 and 1973, invited by the British government to help rebuild the mother-country after World War II.  

   

  Croydon Council salutes the 'Windrush Generation,' their contribution to post-war Britain and enrichment of our borough's cultural diversity.

  As we celebrate Windrush 75, we recognise that the country must address ongoing fallout from the ‘Hostile Environment,' which leaves many Windrushers still seeking fair and just compensation for the adverse impact on their lives. 

   

  We also recognise that legacies of the past still manifest themselves today in inequitable outcomes for Windrush descendants as evidenced in the educational attainment of Black boys who are disproportionately excluded from mainstream education. These issues require robust policies to address them. 

   

  We affirm Croydon’s commitment to becoming an anti-racist Council and extend our apology for past unjust Council policies, like the 'Ban on Bashment' affecting Reggae, Grime and Hip-Hop performers, that was introduced in 2008 and lasted for a decade. 

   

  Croydon Council is resolute in supporting cultural expressions and commits to fostering a thriving, inclusive, night-time economy for all.

   

  May Windrush 75 remind us of our shared history and our unwavering commitment to social justice and inclusivity in Croydon.

   

   

   

• 12

  Maiden Speeches

  

  For Council to receive the Maiden Speeches of the remaining newly-elected members of the May 2022 Local Election.

• 13

  Appointments

  

  For Council to agree any in-year amendments to committee memberships.

• Expand/Collapse
• Print
• Embed Agenda

• Back
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Reddit
• Email

• Back
• Single Item
• Entire Agenda

• Back
• Single Item
• Entire Agenda

There are no votes...

There are no documents...

• 

  Minutes, Council, 12 July 2023

• 

  Health and Wellbeing Board Annual Report 2021-22

• 

  HWB Annual Report 2021-22 Final

• 

  Council - Scrutiny Annual Report

• 

  Appendix A - Scrutiny Annual Report 2223

• 

  COUNCIL Report Equality Strategy October 2023 FINAL

• 

  Appendix A Equality Strategy 2023.27 FINAL

• 

  APPENDIX B London local government_Anti-Racism Statement

• 

  Appendix C Equality Analysis Form-Annual Equality Report 2023 and Updated Croydon Equality Strategy 2022-27 17.08.23

• 

  Appendix D - Scrutiny and Overview Committee Minutes, 25 July 2023

• 

  Supplementary LEGAL IMPLICATIONS - Equality Strategy additional only

• 

  Proposed Amendment to Budget and Policy Framework Document

There are no members...

Press enter to search...