Selsdon Rec
09/04/2018 17:26:00.......Posted by Helen Pollard

Met with senior Council officers to discuss Croydon's parks and the need to invest and protect these precious green spaces.  One those that is not protected under the Local Plan is Selsdon Recreation Ground and I want to ensure it is protected.

Dudley Mead's last ward surgery
07/04/2018 19:59:00.......Posted by Robert Ward

After thirty-eight years of service as a councillor, Dudley Mead today held his last surgery. It was a privilege to be there. If I am so fortunate as to be elected by the voters of Selsdon and Addington Village on May 3rd what I have learned from Dudley over the last few surgeries will be invaluable to me in being better able to represent the ward and its people. I wish Dudley and Margaret a long and happy retirement.

Meeting the people of Selsdon
31/03/2018 20:07:00.......Posted by Robert Ward

My thanks to Chris Philp, the Member of Parliament for Croydon South who joined the other Conservative candidates for the Selsdon area and I this morning in Selsdon. We learned a good deal about the concerns of residents, and some from further afield.

On local issues, the future of our high streets came up most often, along with local planning matters. The slow progress on the Westfield development and the Fairfield Halls refurbishment were the major borough-wide issues.

If elected, we pledge to play our part in getting Westfield and Fairfield back on track after the drift and delay they have suffered under Labour. We will also never build on our parks and green spaces, such as the Selsdon Rec, which Labour has failed to protect.

As individuals and as a Party, we remain committed to district centres like Selsdon and will work with local communities to ensure our high streets remain active and prosperous. There is much work to be done but under a Conservative council I am sure we will get to where we need to be.

Pothole Kingsway Ave
31/03/2018 08:48:00.......Posted by Helen Pollard

The cold and snowy weather has seriously affected our road surfaces.  I reported a particularly large pothole to the Council today.  It is in Kingsway Avenue.  I will continue to report potholes as I see them.

Model United Nations
26/03/2018 08:43:00.......Posted by Helen Pollard

At the Council Meeting today we were joined by pupils from the Royal Alexandra and Albert School Model United Nations Club, who wanted to see democracy in action.  They arrived as a protest about Labour's Local Plan was in full swing.  Protesters marched outside the Town Hall and they went to sit in the Public Gallery for the meeting.  It is a shame they were given so little opportunity to question the Labour administration about why they have ignored local residents' concerns about inappropriate and in sensitive developments in our borough.

Culture in Croydon
20/03/2018 18:37:00.......Posted by Helen Pollard

It was a shame that Croydon was not successful in its bid to become a borough of culture.  I met with Croydon's Director of culture to discuss future plans and it is hoped that we will still have a strong cultural programme in Croydon.  Met Neil Chandler who will be the new Venue Director for Fairfield Halls.  He has some big plans for the venue when it eventually opens in 2019.

Holi
04/03/2018 18:34:00.......Posted by Helen Pollard

Attended the Holi festival in Croydon High School.  It was good to meet so many people enjoying the celebration at this event.   It is the first time they have had such a big Holi celebration in Croydon and I expect they will have more in future. 

Combating anti-social behaviour and Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)
26/02/2018 15:58:00.......Posted by Robert Ward

We are fortunate that Selsdon and Addington Village is a generally low crime area. You can find statistics for the current Selsdon and Ballards ward here. However, we need to remain vigilant and respond to changing circumstances.

At a recent Selsdon and Ballards Police Ward Panel meeting the issue of anti-social behaviour was raised. There was a concern that the changing character of our High Streets, with more fast food outlets replacing traditional shops, might bring with it an increase in anti-social behaviour. CCTV was suggested as a possible measure to help the situation. I have since done some research. 

The Council maintains a network of cameras linked to a central control room in Thornton Heath.  The cameras are primarily on the main roads, in the town centre and some of the district centres. There are currently none in Selsdon. 

Fixed cameras are expensive, both to install and maintain; consequently, none have been installed for many years. The council does however have some redeployable cameras that can be moved around to deal with specific issues. 

A re-deployable camera could be used in Selsdon but there are strict requirements which must be met for that to happen. We would need clear evidence of need and a privacy impact assessment would need to be made. 

The possibility of using CCTV installed by local shops has been mentioned. These may by law only be used to monitor the building and its immediate surroundings. Although the police would ask to access any evidence stored on this equipment in the event of a specific incident, they may not be used for public space surveillance. 

We are some way from a situation serious enough for CCTV surveillance so I would encourage people to report anti-social behaviour. This will help with evidence gathering should we ever need to consider installing cameras and it may be that the matter can be tackled by other means so we never get to a situation where CCTV even needs considering. I hope this helps. 

Lovely day for a walk in Littleheath woods
18/02/2018 13:48:00.......Posted by Robert Ward

Spring is peeking through in our local woods, really well looked after by the Friends group. Took my Sainsburys bag with me but only found a few discarded cans, a couple rather deep in the thorns. It would help if the inconsiderate people who threw cans away didn't cast them deep into the undergrowth in the first place.

There was occasional evidence of what looked like moped tracks on the pathways. Something to watch out for when the weather gets milder. The police are aware and do patrol the area.

That said our local woods are a wonderful facility to have on our doorstep. Please do all you can to help the Friends in their work to preserve it for everyone.

Selsdon Ward Panel meeting 15th February 2018
15/02/2018 23:06:00.......Posted by Robert Ward

This evening I attended the Selsdon & Ballards Local Policing Team Panel meeting at the Selsdon Centre for the Retired. Progress is reported as good on the “Ward promises” which are the three areas agreed to be the focus for our local policing team.

·         The areas of the Addington Road identified as locations for anti-social behaviour are patrolled regularly. A recent arrest has resulted in a case going to court.

·         Burglaries are generally low in Selsdon but are still a risk. People are advised to be vigilant and especially not to leave windows open. Motor vehicles should always be locked when unattended.

·         Speeding is still a problem, especially at certain locations. The police are aware.

On the High Street work has started on the former HSBC bank site, part of which has permission to become a fast food outlet. The work seems to have stopped for the moment but we can expect this to open before the summer. The changing nature of the High Street with more fast food outlets and some traditional shops closing will require monitoring.

The next ward panel meeting will be in May. Twitter users can follow our local policing team at @MPSSelsdon.