For me and I expect for most of us, being elected as a local councillor in Croydon has always felt a great privilege. To have the opportunity of representing local residents and trying to make a positive difference in making Croydon a great place to grow up in, to work in and to live in, has been what we have always worked hard to do.
The past few years have, therefore, been incredibly frustrating as the Labour Council has ignored all common sense and run our Town in such an appalling way that there is now no money left to run it properly.
Quite frankly I am furious that a Labour Cabinet of just 10 people have managed to bring Croydon to its knees in such a shameful way. The bullying, arrogant, autocratic, diabolical decision-making seen over the past few years– has absolutely no place in our Town.
A truly shameful culture and those responsible must in due course be answerable for the disgrace and utter financial havoc that they have brought to Croydon.
Blaming everyone else just won't wash.
Croydon has so much to offer and so many opportunities have been squandered over the past few years. We have seen huge sums of public money being loaned with zero accountability. A year ago Cllr Tony Newman, then Leader, laughed at me for asking if Brick by Brick posed a financial risk to the council’s finances and now we find not only was this true but the full consequences of all the Brick by Brick shenanigans are being hidden away in confidential papers.
And it’s not just politicians who have been routinely ignored, local residents were so fed up a couple of years ago – and even before this financial disaster had come to light – that they started looking for a change in the governance of their Town.
The relentless waving through of planning schemes which saw thousands of trees felled and swathes of cherished green open spaces concreted over was just too much. As was the disrespectful way residents' concerns were routinely dismissed.
Thousands of residents from across all political parties and none. And from residents associations right across our Town want to see a change in the way Croydon is being run, But this Labour Council is ignoring those pleas.
It has tried every trick in the book to stop residents being able to progress their case and it is only the Government which has pushed them to do anything now.
Quite frankly, this Labour Council should be encouraging this democratic call – not trying to stifle it.
We on this side of the chamber don’t support this sneaky Motion of further dither and delay. The Labour Council needs to respect the residents' position and hold the referendum for a Directly Elected Mayor for Croydon this May. That would be the right thing to do and the most cost effective.
This Labour Council needs get on with it – we’ve all had enough!
