Category: News

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)

DEMOC Campaign Update

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Campaign update

In mid-2019, when we started this campaign we could scarcely have believed how far we would come and how badly the current council system would fail our borough.  Croydon Council with the issuing of the Section 114 notice has declared de facto bankruptcy.

Grant Thornton, Croydon Council’s external auditors summed up the problems with the current system of governance when they said: “There has been collective corporate blindness to both the seriousness of the financial position and the urgency with which actions needed to be taken”

One might say Croydon Council as it stands today has ‘been weighed on the scales and found wanting’. Due to today’s system, it’s inherent lack of accountability and the financial mismanagement that resulted from it, we have in effect lost democratic accountability for the people of Croydon.

This must change.  We now need to deliver that change!

Our campaign has met with the new Chief Executive and new Leader of the council to try to secure a date for referendum. We hope they will agree to hold the referendum in May next year on the same day as the elections for London Mayor This would save the council money – which we think is the only sensible thing to do in the current situation. But whenever the referendum comes, as the corona virus restrictions are eased going into the new year, we will be restarting our campaign activity. We hope you will join us in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, see below for details of a video conference where you can get more detail on the latest developments.

Zoom meeting

On Wednesday 9th December at 6:30pm we are holding an update call for our supporters to update on what’s happening with the campaign.  Simply send an email to info@democ.org.uk if you would like to attend and we will send you the invite details.

Thank you again for all your support.
LET’S MAKE THE COUNCIL LISTEN TO RESIDENTS

From: The Campaign for a Democratically Elected Mayor of Croydon

Missing Cat – Mashpi

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Mashpi was last seen on Valley Walk at 7am on Sunday, 29th November.

Mashpi is 17 months old. She is tortoiseshell and white and has a distinctive black marking under her chin. She is timid and has been microchipped.

Please check your shed, garage or other outbuilding for her.

If you have seen Mashpi, please contact 07809640100 or 07762306585.

Government Measures for Christmas

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As 2020 draws to a close, we recognise it has been an incredibly difficult year for us all. We have all had to make significant sacrifices in our everyday lives, and many religious and community groups have already had to change or forgo their customary celebrations to slow the spread of coronavirus and save lives.

This cannot be a ‘normal’ Christmas. But as we approach the festive period, we have been working closely together to find a way for family and friends to see each other, even if it is for a short time, and recognising that it must be both limited and cautious.

Even where it is within the rules, meeting with friends and family over Christmas will be a personal judgement for individuals to take, mindful of the risks to themselves and others, particularly those who are vulnerable. We need everyone to think carefully about what they do during this period, balancing some increased social contact with the need to keep the risk of increased transmission of the virus as low as possible.

This is particularly important when considering those who are vulnerable, and before deciding to come together over the festive period we urge the consideration of alternative approaches such as the use of technology or meeting outside.

The Government has therefore agreed that:

  • Travel restrictions across the four administrations and between tiers will be lifted to provide a window for households to come together between the 23rd and 27th of December.
  • Up to three households can form an exclusive ‘bubble’ to meet at home during this period. When a bubble is formed it is fixed, and must not be changed or extended further at any point.
  • Each Christmas bubble can meet at home, at a place of worship or an outdoor public place, but existing, more restrictive rules on hospitality and meeting in other venues will be maintained throughout this period.

The winter holiday period is a time often spent with family and friends, with schools and offices closing and people travelling over the bank holidays. Many have already begun making their plans, and we are today providing clarity to help people make the right choices for them, and enjoy time with those closest to them while staying within the rules to protect us all.

The current national restriction rules are still in place until 2 December and must be followed until they expire.

Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus