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.

London on Tier 2 (High Alert) Lockdown Category from December 2

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England’s current lockdown will end just after midnight on Wednesday 2 December. After that, London will be placed into the Tier 2 Category.

Tier two (high) rules

  • In tier two you can’t socialise indoors with anyone you do not live with, or who is not in your support bubble
  • You can meet in a group of up to six outside – including in a garden, or a public place
  • Shops, gyms and personal care services (such as hairdressing) can reopen (if Covid-secure)
  • Pubs and bars can only open if they serve substantial meals. Alcohol can be served with that meal
  • Collective worship, weddings and outdoor sports can resume (with restrictions)
  • Non-essential foreign travel allowed, subject to quarantine rules.

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

 

University Centre Croydon and University of Roehampton partner to offer new BSc in Adult Nursing

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University Centre Croydon and the University of Roehampton have announced their partnership to deliver a new BSc in Adult Nursing course for 2021, with applications now open.

With demand for nurses in the NHS increasing and University Centre Croydon, part of Croydon College, receiving a record number of applications for their Health and Social Care courses this year, both institutions have joined forces to offer this new degree course, developed and taught by the University of Roehampton at the College’s university site in Croydon*.

The BSc in Adult Nursing degree** will allow students to learn in a brand new £1 million new dedicated nursing suite – the Clinical Simulation Centre – which replicates realistic community and in-hospital settings. Here students will safely practice clinical skills with other students, service users, role players and hi-tech patient simulators under the guidance of experienced clinical and academic staff from the University of Roehampton. As part of the degree programme, students will take part in placements at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust and other local health providers.

As part of the partnership, which comes into full effect in September next year, with applications open now, students will also be able to study University of Roehampton validated degrees at Croydon College’s university centre, including Business and Management, Criminology, Psychology and Social Justice, Early Childhood Studies, Public Health and Social Care.

In recognition of the need for a safe, local place to learn during the current Covid-19 pandemic, a new University of Roehampton Study Centre has also been opened at Croydon College, enabling Croydon College graduates who are enrolled in degrees in the main University of Roehampton campus in south-west London the chance to have the option to study remotely in an educational setting close to home.

Caireen Mitchell, CEO and Principal, Croydon College, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with University of Roehampton, which is one of the top ten universities in London. We have a long-established relationship with them with many of our students moving to the university following their studies at Croydon College, so to now work in partnership with them is a great addition to our offer. Health and Social Care is a very important subject area for us and with a 25% increase on enrolments from last year we are very pleased to be able to expand our subjects to now include BSc in Adult Nursing, enabling our students to take the next steps in their career.”

Professor Jean-Noël Ezingeard, Vice-Chancellor, University of Roehampton said: “Our strategic partnership with Croydon College will allow us to harness our respective strengths to educate the next generation of healthcare professionals. The University of Roehampton has a thriving Adult Nursing programme, with a strong emphasis on community and primary care nursing, providing a wide range of career options for our graduates. We are excited to work in partnership with Croydon College and healthcare providers, including Croydon University Hospital, to offer this innovative programme to a wider audience.”

For further information please visit www.croydon.ac.uk

* Campus located at Croydon College (address: College Rd, London, CR9 1DX)

** Pending accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council