Category: News

DEMOC Campaign Update

~ admin

With just 100 days to go until Croydon goes to the polls on 7 October, the momentum around a democratically-elected mayor is gathering pace.

Thousands of Croydon residents have viewed our video setting out the need for a Croydon mayor, while households across the borough have received a leaflet, thanks to our growing team of volunteers.

DEMOC, the resident-led Campaign for a Democratically Elected Mayor of Croydon, is focussed on building a bright, positive future for the borough. A mayor offers a fresh start and an opportunity for Croydon to fulfil its potential. However, the campaign also acknowledges that the current state of Croydon’s governance and financial management is difficult to ignore.

Gerry Meredith-Smith, DEMOC’s chair, said: “Every week there are yet more revelations and allegations about the mishandling of the Council’s affairs – and it’s us, the residents of the borough, who suffer. Services for some of the most vulnerable in the borough – children, the elderly, those with complex needs – are already being scaled back. It’s shameful. Croydon deserves better. We deserve proper leadership, proper transparency around decision-making, and proper respect. That’s what a democratically-elected mayor can give us.”

In just 100 days, Croydon residents will have the opportunity to shape the borough’s future. If you would like to get involved with the campaign, get in touch at DEMOCInfo@democ.org.uk and follow us on Facebook

Croydon Libraries Consultation

~ admin

Following a meeting of our council’s cabinet where it was agreed to start the
second phase of public consultation on proposed changes to the library service, we now want to hear people’s views on the following options developed to make the £500,000 savings target outlined at the meeting:

  • Reduce service hours by 21% across the borough
  • Outsource all libraries
  • Hybrid – reduction in service hours (two days per week) to eight libraries
    and five community run libraries

You can find more details about these options and the online survey at:
http://www.croydon.gov.uk/library-consultation

There will also be two webinars:
Saturday 12 June 11.00am
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/157775293149

Tuesday 15 June 6.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/157787846697

To request a paper copy of the survey contact your local Croydon library or
email: librariesconsultation@croydon.gov.uk

The online survey ends at midnight 26 July 2021. Paper copies must be returned by 21 July 2021.

MORA Needs Your Help!!!

~ admin

Are you a Shirley resident who wants to help out in your community?

We are looking for volunteers to join Monks Orchard Residents’ Association as Committee Members.

Our committee includes people of all ages, and from all walks in life. Importantly, we are non-political. What we have in common is we’re passionate about where we live and our community. We give up our time for a couple of hours each month to discuss local issues affecting Shirley and Monks Orchard. Due to coronavirus, we are now conducting our meetings online via Zoom.

With all these plans for Shirley from Croydon Council at the moment, there is plenty going on and we need to add to our team.

If this sounds right up your street and you live within the Monks Orchard area, get in touch at hello@mo-ra.co

So come on, give MORA a hand!

Croydon Libraries Closure Update

~ admin

Croydon Council has ruled out closing five of its libraries but may work in partnership with an organisation or reduce opening hours under detailed plans going to consultation in June.

The council consulted local residents from January to March on early proposals to adapt the future library service while making necessary budget savings.

These early proposals were based around closing the libraries with the highest maintenance costs and lowest visitor numbers – at Bradmore Green, Shirley, Sanderstead, South Norwood and Broad Green – unless they could be run without costing public money.

At a meeting on Monday (17th May) the council’s cabinet discussed this initial consultation phase, with local feedback highlighting the importance of local libraries and requesting more access to them out of hours.

Since this initial consultation, the council has identified funding to meet these five libraries’ repair costs. This money, from the ring-fenced Community Infrastructure Levy which councils can charge to limit the impact of new developments, would also cover the fit-out costs of the new South Norwood library and give more users out-of-hours access through Open + swipe cards.

As a result, cabinet decided that from the beginning of June there will be further consultation on detailed proposals based around three options – none of which would involve closing libraries.

  • Option one would mean all libraries remain in council control and be open two fewer days per week, except the central library that would open five days per week.
  • Under option two the council would work in partnership with an organisation to run all 13 libraries, which could include a charity or social enterprise.
  • Option three would keep eight libraries in council control and open two fewer days a week. The other five would be leased to community groups, with the council providing some staff two days a week, as well as books and IT support.

Cabinet dropped three other options because they would not have met the savings needed – one that involved closing the five libraries; and two others to lease five libraries to community groups, with either full or reduced hours at the other eight.

“We have listened to and acted on residents’ feedback by changing our proposals so that all 13 of our libraries will stay open in a way that would still allow us to make much-needed savings.

“I want to thank everyone who has taken part in the consultation so far, and I would encourage everyone who cares about their libraries to have their say again when we go live with detailed proposals at the beginning of June.”

Councillor Oliver Lewis, cabinet member for culture and regeneration

After the second eight-week consultation phase, a final decision on Croydon’s future library service is due at Full Council in late summer.

Select and Collect at Shirley Library

~ admin

From 17th May Shirley Library will be operating a select and collect service. This will only be on Mondays from 10.30am until 4.00 pm.

Customers can pre-order books by email or phone (staff are on site from 10am – 5pm Mondays but the answerphone is on at other times).

Books can also be ordered online at bit.ly/CroydonLibsCat. We will contact customers when the books are ready to arrange collection.

We are looking forward to seeing some of our customers again!