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Have Your Say – Croydon Council Libraries Consultation

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Why are we doing this?
The council is currently facing severe financial challenges, which means we will need to be clear about our priorities and make some tough decisions about what we will and won’t do over the next few years. Some services will stop and others, such as our library service, will have to change. But, by focussing on a smaller number of priorities for our residents, we will make sure that we are delivering good quality services, where they will have the biggest impact.

We are committed to delivering a comprehensive and efficient library service, which operates within the reduced resources available. This means that we are having to look at either closing some of our library buildings, or find an alternative that would not require any council funding.

The council currently runs 13 libraries in the borough, and we are proposing reducing this to eight. By doing this it will allow us to continue providing a comprehensive library service that meets the needs of our community.

When considering library buildings to include in our proposals we have looked at building operating and maintenance costs, how visitors use the service, and how close they are to other libraries – more details on this is provided on the Croydon Council Libraries Consultation website.

What do we want to know?
At this stage of our consultation we want to hear your views on the proposals, ideas for our library service and suggestions for alternative ways we could use library buildings. We will use this information to help us further develop our options and consult you again on these, before taking a proposal to cabinet for a decision in summer 2021.

To request this information and questionnaire in a different format, email: librariesconsultation@croydon.gov.uk or call 020 7884 5159.

Please complete the survey by 7 March.

Public consultation timetable:

Initial consultation on proposals begins 14 January 2021
Initial consultation ends (survey closes) 7 March 2021
Consultation outcome & options report April 2021
Consultation finishes May 2021
Final report June 2021
Final decision Summer 2021
Implementation September 2021 (expected)

Shirley North Safer Neighbourhood Team Update

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Hope everyone had lovely Christmas and wishing you all a Happy New Year.

Following the Prime Minister’s recent announcement we are now again in a national lockdown. During these uncertain times please keep yourself safe and others around you.

A few reminders…

  • Only leave home for food, medical reasons, exercise or work
  • Working from home is encouraged unless unable to do so
  • Essential shops will remain open
  • Travel when only necessary
  • Wash hands regularly
  • Wear a face covering in indoor settings
  • Stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible

On a more positive note we are all still at work patrolling and looking after the ward. Early yesterday morning, we carried out a warrant on Regency Walk which lead to a positive find of Class A drugs. Good start to the year!

Working alongside Shirley South, Addiscombe east and Parkhill we have a few things coming up, so an update on these will follow.

Stay safe and best wishes.

Report crime by calling 101 or in an emergency call 999.

Remember, you can also report crime online on our website: https://www.met.police.uk/

Scam Alert: Fake NHS COVID-19 Vaccine Text

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A fake NHS text has been circulating, telling people they’re eligible to apply for the COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s what it looks like:

The web address takes you to an extremely convincing fake NHS website that asks for your personal details, and then for your bank/card details in order to ‘check your identity’:

Please do not click any links, and make your friends and family aware of this scam text, especially those in vulnerable groups. 

With the recent approval of multiple vaccines, these types of scam attempts are likely to continue as fraudsters look to take advantage of the rollout to so many people.

Cold calls regarding the vaccine are also beginning to take place – there has  already been reports of scammers asking people to pay for the vaccine over the phone. If you receive one of these calls, hang up.

If you are an older or vulnerable person and have actually been the victim of a fraud please call 101 and request to report to a police officer. Whilst many frauds are now reported over the phone to Action Fraud – any vulnerable person should be reporting directly to the police.

Urgent Coronavirus Update – National Lockdown

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Due to the increase in cases of Covid-19, the coronavirus level has been raised to five, which means that the epidemic is in general circulation, transmission is high or rising exponentially and there is a risk of healthcare services being overwhelmed.

Therefore, we will now be entering a new national lockdown in order to slow the infection rate.

The main advice is to stay at home. The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary.

You may leave the home to:

  • shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
  • go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
  • exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
  • meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one
  • seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
  • attend education or childcare – for those eligible

Colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until February half term. Early Years settings remain open.

Higher Education provision will remain online until mid February for all except future critical worker courses.

Those who are judged to be clinically vulnerable are being urged to stay at home as much as possible and not go to work even if they can’t work from home.

You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with (if you are legally permitted to form one).

The law will be updated to reflect these new rules. The police can take action against you if you leave home without a ‘reasonable excuse’, and issue you with a fine (Fixed Penalty Notice).You can be given a Fixed Penalty Notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400.

Although the NHS is under immense pressure, significant changes have been made so people can still receive lifesaving treatment. It is absolutely critical that people still come forward for emergency care.

If you require non-urgent medical attention, please contact your GP, call NHS 111 or visit the NHS 111 website.