Croydon’s Government-appointed Improvement and Assurance Panel (IAP) has today set out its plan for leaving Croydon in July 2025 or sooner, confident that the council is on a sustainable pathway of continuous improvement. The IAP was originally appointed in 2021 to clear up the serious governance failures which led to Labour's bankruptcy. Unlike other Councils which have gone bankrupt, Croydon's Conservative Council has not been run by Government-appointed Commissioners, as the Government has been satisfied with the progress that Mayor Jason Perry has made to get the finances back on track.
In their Exit Strategy published today, the IAP set out the significant improvements Croydon has already made on the road to recovery. They highlight the Mayor’s ‘collaborative and transparent' approach which has improved governance. They also note the clear improvements in management, culture and decision-making.
The Improvement Panel already reduced its "priority areas" from five to three, following improvements in the Council's approach to risk management and governance of its commercial portfolio. The three remaining priority areas for Croydon to tackle are: finance, housing and transformation.
The council has already made and continues to make significant changes in these areas. An improvement plan is making housing services better across the board; robust action to fix the council’s finances is set out in the council’s medium term financial strategy. And right across the organisation, the council is changing the way it delivers services to meet communities’ needs while offering best possible value now and in the future.
The Exit Strategy has been developed by the panel, in close partnership with the council, and highlights the strong working relationships in place and commitment by both to resolve the council’s challenges.
Jason Perry, Conservative Mayor of Croydon, said:
“My top priority since being elected has been to fix the finances and rebuild our council for residents, so that it provides them with the good services and value for money that they absolutely deserve.
“The panel’s Exit Strategy highlights the scale of improvements which already have and are being made and our commitment to continuing this – and at pace. We have had to make tough decisions and this has been a challenging time, but these have been necessary to fix the mistakes of the past and create sustainable services for the future.
“I welcome the government and the panel’s confidence in Croydon, that we can continue to lead our own recovery, and I want to thank panel members past and present for the experience and expertise they have brought to our improvement journey to date. I look forward to continuing to work with them as we maintain our relentless focus on making our council better for the people of Croydon.”
Tony McArdle, Chair of Croydon’s Improvement and Assurance Panel, said:
"Our Exit Strategy reflects the progress that the council has made and the need to maintain this pace of change in delivering ambitious targets for the next 18 months. If the council does so, it should give confidence to the government that the council is capable of sustaining this path of improvement. It addresses the matter of the extraordinary extent of the council's debt and makes some inroads into reducing it - but also recognises that only limited progress can be made in this timescale. A plan for the long-term is needed and the council is in discussion with us and with the government over what that might look like."
The detail of the IAP Exit Strategy is available to view HERE.
