Your Croydon 70 - October-November 2015

your ISSUE 70 - OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

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Putting the saffron back into Croydon

See page 3

Transformation of town centre set to get under way See pages 4 and 5

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Croydon: our time is now In June 2014, this administration was elected under the agenda that it would work hard and ensure that the council played its role in regenerating Croydon for the benefit of all our residents.

We have been working hard to deliver on this commitment to you, and we do not intend to stop now.

Our ambition was always to change Croydon for the better, and with: Thornton Heath becoming the leading property hotspot of London; new companies and developers queuing to invest in Croydon; local schools achieving standards that are the envy of neighbouring boroughs; a significant increase in investment and jobs; thousands of new homes being built; and the fantastic regeneration of our district centres, it is clear that this ambition is being realised.

We are certainly proving our sceptics wrong, as the BBC, Evening Standard, Time Out and others now regularly publish positive stories about Croydon. Indeed, Time Out said: “CR could be the coolest postcode in London”; and the Evening Standard stated that Croydon had a “good vibe … (with) Croydon Tech City wooing young companies”.

Many of these good-news stories occurred as a direct result of this administration’s commitment to culture, the arts and the fabulous summer Ambition Festival. The addition of Croydon’s first rooftop cinema, brought to us by the Lost Format Society, ensured that there was something for everyone this summer.

The reputation and regeneration of Croydon might be improving, but the battle is not yet won; we are still working hard to deliver long-term and sustainable regeneration throughout our borough and we will continue to fight hard for this over the coming years.

Boxpark is expected to open next to East Croydon station next summer. This will be a development of restaurants, bars and an event space, all in recycled shipping containers.

We now have the great news that the £1bn Westfield & Hammerson development has got the go-ahead, and work is under way to deliver this 21st century retail and leisure development.

The development will house almost every leading brand name in the UK and bring 5,000 new jobs to Croydon, many of which will go to local residents through our jobs brokerage scheme.

It will also bring much-needed housing to the town centre and has helped to unlock an estimated £5.25bn of regeneration and development projects.

I feel confident that there are exciting days ahead. Our new cultural, leisure and retail offers will help complete our journey to becoming a modern European city.

Councillor Tony Newman Leader of the council

October/November 2015

Highlights Green light to town regeneration............... 4 The £1bn revamp of the town’s retail centre has cleared the final hurdle and it’s all systems go for the serious work to get under way.

Top marks for borough schools . . . . . 8 Secondary school pupils celebrating GCSE and A level success across the borough have ramped up Croydon’s performance in exams.

Going to market . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 A new Surrey Street trader tells how she was bitten by the market bug – and how the council helped her to get started.

Getting smart with SmartWater . 11 An invisible property-marking solution that contains a unique forensic code has been given to households in a bid to beat burglary and thefts.

Raising a glass to the little guys . . 14 Cheers! The explosion in small, locally based breweries is being celebrated with Croydon’s first craft beer festival.

My Account hits the ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 More than 100,000 residents have signed up to the council’s dedicated My Account app. If you’ve yet to do so, get on board now.

To keep up to date with what’s going on, subscribe to Your Croydon and receive a free weekly email that’s full of news and information about your borough, go to www.croydon.gov.uk/subscribe and visit

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For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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Putting the spice in Croydon

A hive of horticultural activity resulted when volunteers descended on central Croydon with the aim of bringing the past to life.

From the four corners of Croydon they came, with one thought in mind – to create a tangible link with the borough’s ancient past by helping create a modern-day valley of the crocus.

The intention was to plant thousands of Crocus Sativus corms – from which the flowering plant grows – in plant pots and 10 tonnes of soil, and then, when the flowers have bloomed, harvest the resultant saffron.

So, on a sunny September Saturday, dozens of volunteers turned up in The Queen’s Gardens, in central Croydon, prepared to get their hands dirty and the crocus corms planted.

The project is the brainchild of council employee and Croydon Radio presenter Ally McKinlay, who is keen to see Croydon get back to its roots by organising the pop-up saffron farm in the town that takes its name from the Anglo-Saxon Croh Denu – which means Crocus Valley.

Ally hopes his scheme will raise awareness of – and a taste for – local heritage across the borough’s 24 wards.

Dubbed Croydon Saffron Central, the project generated a whirlwind of interest in August as it raised £4,275 through 107 people in just six days using the crowdfunding platform Spacehive. Donations paid for the corms, soil, gravel and scaffold boards.

Ally said: “I thought it was a great opportunity to raise awareness, for communities in all parts of the borough, of how Croydon got its name.

“The idea was that people from community gardens, groups and schools came to help recreate the Crocus Valley in The Queen’s Gardens by potting corms.

“The pots were then placed in the adjacent Taberner House site to bask in the sunshine.

“When the saffron has been harvested, later in the autumn, the volunteers will be able to take the plants back to their respective wards and develop their own local saffron farms.”

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October/November 2015

Giant step forward for town’s future

The £1bn revamp of the town’s retail centre has cleared the final hurdle and it’s all systems go for the serious work to get under way.

Croydon is a town on the rise.

This decision allows for an ambitious £1bn redevelopment of the town centre that will transform it into a vibrant hub that people want to visit.

THE GOVERNMENT (BRANDON LEWIS, PLANNING MINISTER)

Exciting plans for the town centre’s redevelopment have been given the green light.

The council has been successful in applying for a compulsory purchase order (CPO), meaning that land required for the redevelopment of the Whitgift Shopping Centre can be brought together.

Westfield and Hammerson’s plans to build a £1bn state-of-the-art retail, leisure and restaurant destination in the heart of Croydon have taken a massive step forward with the government’s announcement of the granting of the CPO. The plans will transform the existing shopping centre, and deliver thousands of new jobs and hundreds of new homes.

Politicians have hailed the government’s decision as a historic moment for Croydon and a major milestone in the borough’s regeneration.

The Whitgift redevelopment is a key part of a larger £5.25bn regeneration programme in Croydon, which aims to deliver 23,500 new jobs and 8,500 homes in the town centre by 2031 – a delivery programme the size of Ebbsfleet in Kent, but in half the time.

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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This is a monumental step forward for Croydon, and a vitally important stage in our town’s transformation into a modern, European city.

The redevelopment of the 1960s Whitgift Shopping Centre will reposition Croydon as the best place to shop, live and work in south London and the wider region in the 21st century.

COUNCIL LEADER TONY NEWMAN

Watch Tony Newman giving his reaction to the decision here.

The government’s decision follows a six-week inquiry – that took place in February and March this year – into whether the council should be granted a CPO for the Whitgift Shopping Centre and surrounding land.

CPOs are often used by local authorities to assemble land for complex regeneration projects that are in the public interest, particularly those which involve multiple land ownerships.

In addition to the CPO, the council was successful in applying for a “stopping-up order” for Dingwall Avenue.

This piece of highways legislation means Dingwall Avenue can be closed as a public right of way, so that it can be redeveloped as a welcoming and attractive entrance to a new anchor store.

The decision is integral to the site assembly process that underpins The Croydon Partnership’s proposals for the major retail regeneration of Croydon’s town centre.

It represents another important milestone toward delivering the scheme which will bring 5,000 new jobs to the area and help unlock Croydon’s enormous potential.

WESTFIELD/HAMMERSON (THE CROYDON PARTNERSHIP)

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October/November 2015

n o d y o r C t s a E t a t Cycle deligh Cyclists with or without their own wheels are now served by a new hub where they can hire, store or make minor running repairs to a bike.

The launch of a new cycle hub and Brompton Bike Hire dock in the town centre has put Croydon firmly on the cycling map.

The Croydon Cycle Hub, in College Road opposite East Croydon station, provides free covered cycle parking for up to 80 bikes.

Next to it, the Brompton Bike Hire dock offers eight folding bikes for hire, and sees Croydon join Brompton’s rapidly expanding network of 35 docks across the UK. The hub, jointly funded by

the council and Transport for London, also includes a cycle work station for carrying out small repairs and inflating deflated tyres.

The Brompton Bike Hire dock requires a simple registration to reserve bikes via both web and SMS. Brompton Bike Hire membership is available on two tariffs to suit needs: • frequent – £20 annual membership fee, £2.50 daily hire charge; and • leisure – £1 annual membership fee, £5 daily hire charge.

Members are able to hire and return bikes to any dock up On his bike: Kasper Nalazek tries one and down the country, 24 hours of the new Bromptons a day, seven connects Croydon to the days a week, with no limit on UK’s most extensive public hire duration. bike hire network.

Harry Scrope, managing “The bike is specifically director of Brompton Bike designed to assist the Hire, said “We’re delighted to integrated journey; 75,000 have opened the first of our Londoners ride them daily, new generation of docking radically reducing commute stations in partnership with time and costs, and we’ll Croydon Council. open up to 10 new docking “Located outside East stations in central London Croydon station, the dock over the next 12 months.”

Council sprinklers save pensioner from fire Fire brigade gives the authority a pat on the back for “going the extra mile” in fire-safety measures.

Firefighters have praised Croydon Council after its investment in sprinklers saved an elderly man from a kitchen blaze.

Last year, the council spent £540,000 on installing sprinkler systems at Truscott House, in Broad Green, and five other special sheltered housing schemes, which accommodate residents with care and support needs.

The sprinklers help protect people who would not be able to evacuate by themselves in the event of a fire within their own flat.

When a toaster caught fire at Safe: Glennard Monk Glennard Monk’s first-floor flat in the block in Stanley Grove, ceiling sprinklers automatically doused the flames.

The 80-year-old said: “Water was everywhere because the sprinklers had gone off, so they obviously worked. I would say they’re essential, especially up here as you can’t

jump out of the window.”

Firefighters attended the incident around 4pm on Monday 14 September, but did not need to take any action.

Damage was limited to a small part of the corner worktop.

London Fire Brigade’s Scorched: The damage to the assistant commissioner for fire kitchen worktop safety, Neil Orbell, said: “This close call just goes to show how vital sprinklers are in care homes and sheltered accommodation – they not only stop fires from spreading, they save lives.

“Croydon Council should be commended for not only installing sprinklers at the block identified by our firefighters and fire safety officers, but also for going the extra mile and fitting them in five other similar blocks. This is setting a great example and one which we hope other housing providers will follow.”

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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Groundbreaking loan to fund new schools New schools, upgrades to existing facilities and a swimming pool are on the cards thanks to astute bargaining by council officers.

The challenges of a borough-wide school-expansion programme have been eased with the securing of a massive loan.

Croydon Council has become the first UK local authority to receive a multi-million-pound loan for schools expansion from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The council is part way through a three-year programme to provide 2,000 extra places to meet rising demand, and will fund the construction of 12 new schools and upgrade 18 others over the next decade or so thanks to the EIB loan.

Alongside internal financing and grants, the 25-year investment, the EIB’s first of its kind to a UK local authority, will be used to fund: • six new primary schools; • six new secondaries; • a new special needs school; and • upgrades to 17 other schools and a swimming pool.

Jonathan Taylor, the bank’s vice-president, said: “The EIB is committed to supporting long-term investment that improves lives and opportunities in London and across the UK. “This significant new loan will not only allow future generations of Croydon students to benefit from better schools, but also help to ensure that the borough can provide thousands of additional schools places required in the next few years.

“We expect to announce further support for UK schools soon.”

(Left to right): Nigel Cook (Croydon Council), Richard Simpson (Croydon Council), Jonathan Taylor (EIB vice-president), Bernard Gordon (EIB), Councillor Simon Hall, Croydon Council’s cabinet member for finance and treasury, Pierre-Emmanuel Noel (EIB) and Raisa Hemani (Croydon Council).

Richard Simpson, the council’s director of finance and assistant chief executive, said: “This loan helps us provide thousands more Croydon school places and even better facilities for years to come.

“It’s also £7.5m cheaper over 25 years than traditional loans, which is crucial in tough economic times.”

During a recent visit to Croydon, Mr Taylor was shown the type of new school facilities that the loan will fund during a tour of Harris Academy Haling Park primary, which opened last year to meet the demand for new, high-quality places in South Croydon.

Leading the way in exams – and design Adding to its list of accolades, a Thornton Heath school has scooped an international architecture gong, while an Addiscombe school has also been honoured.

Great exam results, great architecture – while not obviously related, two subjects that hold true of Croydon schools.

Almost simultaneous to the announcement of this year’s A level and GCSE results (see pages 8 and 9), the designs of two of the borough’s schools have scooped prestigious architecture awards, one on the international stage.

The “golden” extension of Whitehorse Manor School in Whitehorse Road, Thornton Heath, by Hayhurst and Co won the schools category at the Architectural Review Awards.

The international award is for

the best designed school in 2015.

The expansion, that provides space for 210 additional pupils, follows last year’s win in the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects design awards.

Meanwhile, Architype, the architect practice behind Robert Fitzroy Academy in Brampton Road, Addiscombe, has triumphed in the schools category at the AJ Retrofit Awards.

Robert Fitzroy Academy underwent a complex design and construction programme that accommodated buildings from the Edwardian era, 1920s, 1950s and 1970s.

© Hayhurst & Co

Whitehorse Manor School © Dennis Gilbert/View

Robert Fitzroy Academy

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October/November 2015 2015

Croydon pupils celebrate exams success Secondary school pupils celebrating GCSE and A level success across the borough have ramped up Croydon’s performance in exams.

Nationally, the A level pass rate from A* to E grade rose by 0.1% to 98.1%, while in Croydon 98.2% of 3,340 sixth-formers achieved the same target. This was better than 2014, when the Croydon pass rate was 97.23%.

Croydon schools collectively also got 69% at A* to C grade at A level, which compares to 63% last year. And while, nationally, there was a slight decrease in A*/A grades by 0.1%, Croydon’s students improved at this level by more than 1%.

There was also a significant improvement in GCSE results announced in August – while performance data has still to be validated and is subject to change, figures from Croydon’s schools indicate that 61% of pupils achieved five A* to C

GCSEs including English and mathematics this year compared to 56.3% in 2014, and a 2014 national average of 52.6%.

Councillor Alisa Flemming, the council’s cabinet member for children, young people and learning, said: “Croydon schools are on the up, and I’m delighted that the borough’s pupils did so well this year.

“Results like these, and with the council investing in 2,000 new school places and huge regeneration on the horizon, means that we can look forward to even better exam results in future years.

“There’s no doubt that this borough really is ambitious for education.“

Thornton Heath secondary hits 100% Bensham Manor School celebrated record-breaking results in August’s GCSEs.

Lloyd Boateng-Bailey

The school, which supports students with moderate and complex learning difficulties and those with autism, saw 100% of its students gain entry level, functional skills or GCSE accreditation.

The special school prides itself on providing independence to its students by helping them achieve multiple skills needed in everyday life, combined with academic study.

Assistant headteacher Jason Hughes, who is also an Ofsted inspector, said: “We’re bucking the trend because, as examinations become harder, our students are doing better.

“The significant range of subjects we offer gives our students the skills they need for their next stage.”

Engineering his future Diligence and application paid off handsomely for one young would-be civil engineer who has his sights set on university.

Mohamed Mohamud, 16, has picked up a clutch of great exam results – three A*s, four As and four Bs – after studying at The Quest Academy, Selsdon.

He said: “My proudest moment was when I got my first test result in year 10 for English.

“It was good to see all the hard work pay off, as I constantly went to my teacher to ask for more work, and stayed after school to finish it to the best of my ability.”

Mohamed has nothing but praise for

his school: “The facilities are the best in Croydon; the students are always helping anyone in need; and, most of all, nothing would mean anything without the teachers, who will put 100% of their time in for you to succeed.

“I plan to go to university, as I need a further education to get the exact qualifications to do my dream job. The results I achieved in my GCSEs will also help me reach my dream job of civil engineering.”

Lloyd Boateng-Bailey, 16, achieved outstanding results including six GCSEs with C grades in English and film studies.

Lloyd said: “I’m delighted that I passed and achieved such good grades. It’s nice that everyone is so proud of me. I’m looking forward to Coulsdon Sixth Form College.”

Headteacher Phil Poulton said: “It’s fantastic to see these amazing results from our students.

“Achieving the best GCSE results, ever, really shows how Bensham Manor is giving the best possible future to our students.

“We’re incredibly proud of all of our students, and will continue to help each individual develop their life skills and achieve the best results possible.”

Mohamed Mohamud

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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Support and hard work An eye on the past Arriving in a foreign country and starting school in the middle of the academic year is far from the ideal way to pick up the reins of your education.

Hard work, a love of history and the support of dedicated teachers helped Kate Walker to take up a place at the University of Southampton.

That is the situation that Namrita Grewal found herself in, however, when she joined Virgo Fidelis Convent Senior School, Upper Norwood, after coming to England from her native India.

But the now-20-yearold made the very best of a challenging situation and

The 18-year-old sat her A levels at Archbishop Tenison’s School, in Park Hill, achieving great grades in spite of an age disadvantage.

She said: “My birthday is on 31 August, making me the youngest in my year.

“Despite being almost a year younger than most of my friends when taking my A levels, I never felt disadvantaged and the school helped me reach my full potential.”

Kate is full of praise for her teachers: “They were always so willing to go above and beyond to help – from replying to emails at all hours, to holding revision sessions even though they

Namrita Grewal

accrued sufficient exam successes, including an A level maths grade A, to land a place at the St George’s Medical School, in Tooting.

Namrita said: “Coming from India in the middle of the academic year and being allowed to join Virgo Fidelis was great.

“All my teachers supported me in all aspects of my studies and showed great kindness and understanding. They made my success possible.”

That support, coupled with her own hard work, helped Namrita realise her dream: “I’m at St George’s Medical School and will follow a course in biomedical science.”

weren’t your teacher.

“Even the teachers at the top made it their business to check on how you were doing and congratulate you on grades or achievements throughout the year.”

Kate is now at university, reading for a joint honours degree in English and history.

Kate Walker

Getting ready for the class of 2016 Apply now for a secondary school place next year – and be sure to use the full range of choices available to you.

With the autumn term well under way and many children beginning their new school careers, now is the time for families to start applying for secondary school places in 2016.

The closing date for applications is 31 October, and the council has made it easier than ever to apply online.

Details of the application process can be found on the council’s website, and in the Admissions to secondary schools 2016/17 brochure, featuring step-by-step guidance.

The council is ambitious for all children in the area, and finding good school places plays an important part in helping them achieve their full potential.

• Make use of all the information available. Croydon has a diverse range of good schools, but individual schools are different, just as individual children are different, and you should seriously consider which ones best suit your child.

• When making your choices, be sure to read the admissions criteria for all the schools you like, to see if you meet them, as these will be used by the school to decide whether they can offer you a place.

• Be sure to use all six preferences, and consider them carefully before submitting your form. To be offered a place, your child must meet the admissions criteria of the school. If you do not get your first or second choices the council needs to know which schools would be your other choices. Without this information, you could be offered a

school that you would not have selected.

Paul Greenhalgh, executive director, people, said: “We understand this is an important time for families with children looking at the next stage of their education.

“We are ambitious for our children; we want them to achieve their full potential and we recognise that finding a school place plays an important part in starting off this process on the right foot.

“We are proud that Croydon has a diverse range of good schools. Individual schools are different, just as individual children are different, and we encourage people to seriously consider the schools that would best suit their child.”

For further information, visit: www.croydon.gov.uk/admissions.

Case study – Mr Z Mr Z’s application to the local authority for his granddaughter’s preferred school was not successful. When he enquired why, Mr Z was told that he lived further away than the last successful applicant. Mr Z challenged this decision on the basis that two years before, his friend’s grandchild was offered the same school from the same road two doors away. Had Mr Z read the admissions criteria he would have known that the furthest straight-line distance can change year on year, as it depends on the number of applications that were considered under this criterion.

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October/November 2015

Drop your litter in Croydon – and get a criminal record Littering, fly-tipping and other antisocial acts are not tolerated in Croydon, and the list of offenders at the local magistrates’ court on one recent afternoon bears testimony to the fact.

Don’t mess with Croydon is more than just a council slogan – as 17 people found to their cost when their littering and fly-tipping saw them hit with penalties totalling almost £5,000.

And one of those was guilty of the possibly even more antisocial act of urinating in the street.

On one early-September afternoon at Croydon Magistrates’ Court, the council prosecuted a range of offences, including: • the Purley man found urinating in North End; • a New Addington woman who twice dumped waste in Central Parade; • an instance of spitting; and • multiple dropping of cigarette butts.

The prosecutions fell under the umbrella of the council’s Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign, which involves enforcement action targeting fly-tippers and littering, as well as encouraging local people to help out with council-backed community clean-ups.

The 17 latest prosecutions have been added to the council’s Hall of Shame webpage, which can be viewed here.

Since launching the Don’t Mess campaign in summer 2014, the council has issued more than 800 fixed-penalty notices and prosecuted fly-tippers through the courts, including, in May, a man jailed for six months for dumping 42 tonnes of waste in Waddon.

For more information about the campaign, look here.

Hall of Shame newcomers • Pauline Fraser, aged 45, of Central Parade in New Addington, was ordered to pay a total of £720 for two counts of dumping household waste in Central Parade on 4 April and 3 May. •

Natalie McDermoth, aged 24, of Beulah Road, Thornton Heath, was ordered to pay a total of £420 for dropping a cigarette end in North End on 18 April.

• Billy Irving, aged 64, of Montacute Road in New Addington, was ordered to pay a total of £520 for dumping waste in Central Parade on 18 May. • Shagufta Bhatti, aged 41, of Alderton Road, Addiscombe, was ordered to pay a total of £270 for dumping household waste in Blackhorse Lane on 12 March.

•

Gia Nguyen, aged 27, of Russell Hill Road in Purley, was ordered to pay a total of £270 for urinating in North End on 26 March.

•

Rozita Tando, aged 22, of Onslow Road, Broad Green, was ordered to pay a total of £270 for spitting in North End on 19 March.

•

Justice Crentsil, aged 54, of Oak Bank in New Addington, was ordered to pay a total of £370 for dumping waste in Oak Bank on 9 April.

• Yasir Abel-Halim, aged 45, of South End, Croydon, was ordered to pay a total of £270 for dropping a cigarette end in George Street on 27 March.

•

Ibrahim Barre, aged 43, of Adams Road, Tottenham, was ordered to pay a total of £270 for dropping a cigarette end in Lansdowne Road, Croydon on 27 March.

• Corrie Hobbs, aged 45, of St Leonard’s Road in Bexhill, East Sussex, was ordered to pay a total of £270 for dropping a cigarette end in North End on 2 March.

• Carrie Gardiner, aged 28, of North Walk in New Addington, was ordered to pay a total of £132 for dropping a cigarette end in Central Parade on 19 February.

•

Paul Havelock, aged 43, of Napier Road, South Croydon, was ordered to pay a total of £132 for dropping a cigarette end in High Street, Croydon, on 11 March.

ders n e ff o ’ ess ‘Don’t M ht, g u a c n e have be have w o n d n a ed prosecut ord c e r l a n a crimi

• JC Soto Hernandes, aged 45, of Chipstead Avenue in Thornton Heath, was ordered to pay a total of £150 for dropping a cigarette end in North End on 18 March.

•

Louise Canavan, aged 44, of Greyfields Close, Purley, was ordered to pay a total of £132 for dropping a cigarette end in Park Lane, Croydon, on 19 March.

• Andreea Bortan, of Church Lane, East Finchley, was ordered to pay a total of £150 for dropping a cigarette end in High Street, Croydon, on 8 April.

• Sayed Mujtaba Ali, of Streatham High Road, was ordered to pay a total of £270 for dropping a cigarette end in North End on 13 March.

• Tisha Mattus, aged 28, of Maberley Road, Anerley, was ordered to pay a total of £150 for dropping a cigarette end in North End on 6 April.

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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Residents take pride in local clean-up Great work carried out by residents who rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in saw a tonne of dumped rubbish cleared away from the neighbourhood.

Community volunteers have contributed to the council’s Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign by clearing an alleyway targeted by fly-tippers.

Around a dozen residents joined forces with council staff to clear a tonne of household waste dumped in a private alleyway behind Pollards Hill South, Norbury.

The operation also led to lost or stolen bins being replaced.

The work was coordinated by the local street champion, one of more than 200 across the borough who pledge to get their neighbours involved in helping to keep their local area tidy.

Community champions form a key part of Croydon Council’s Don’t Mess campaign, which combines enforcement action against fly-tippers with encouraging local people to take pride in their neighbourhood.

Tracey Bellamy, the council’s Don’t Mess community champion coordinator, said: “It was a positive day, with bonds formed and dates planned for future clean-ups in the area. This clean-up will be followed up with trade waste visits and a letter-drop to residents.”

Interested in becoming a community champion? All you need to know can be found here.

Before and after: the garages behind Pollards Hill South before and after the clear-up.

Green waste charging proposal Changes planned for garden collection service from next spring.

Savings to council taxpayers amounting to £1.6m per year will be achieved under proposals to introduce a charge for the collection of green waste from homes across the borough.

From next spring, the council plans to start charging about £60 annually for collection of green waste, such as grass cuttings and hedge prunings. The move comes as the council faces the need to save £100m by 2018.

For people using a 140-litre bin, the proposed charge is £55 per year, with 240-litre bins costing £60 per year.

From November, the council will be contacting everyone who currently uses the service so they can be prepared for the changes.

Steve Iles, the council’s director for the environment, said: “Every household in the borough currently pays for this service even though less than a quarter of them actually use it. This proposal is about continuing this service for those who use it while saving up to £1.6m a year.

“We have to save £100m by 2018 while demand for vital services increases, and most other London councils have already introduced something similar.”

Fridge fly-tippers top wanted list Council looks to round up two midnight cowboys who dumped a fridge on a residential street under cover of the night.

Two men caught on camera coolly dumping a fridge in a South Norwood street are being sought by the council.

CCTV operated by council enforcement officers recorded a Mercedes Benz estate car pulling up to the junction of Sunny Bank and Manor Road at about 12.30am on 1 August.

Two men got out and carried the fridge from the car, leaving it on the pavement before driving off.

The council is appealing for witnesses to come forward. The footage shows a pedestrian walking past the men as they carried the fridge, and an orange hatchback and a white van that also passed the scene.

Convicted fly-tippers can face a maximum £50,000 fine and a year in prison.

Using the council’s bulky waste collection service costs no more than £40 for fridgesized goods.

The appeal comes as part of the council’s Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign, which has already prosecuted more than 25 people for flytipping, dog fouling, littering and spitting.

More than 230 local people have signed up to be community champions, leading extra cleanups across the borough.

Click here to view the footage, and for more information click here.

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October/November 2015

Clara gets a taste of market life Taster days offer new businesses the chance to start trading in Surrey Street Market at minimal cost. Your Croydon spoke to a trader who found it the ideal way to get up and running.

Do you prefer working in the open air to being sat in an office?

Do you like meeting, and interacting with, people?

Have you ever considered starting your own business?

If you answered “yes” to those questions, here’s another – could you fancy life as a Surrey Street market trader?

When she asked the questions of herself, Clara Adade’s firm response was in the affirmative and she is now the newest stallholder in one of the country’s oldest street markets.

Clara recently started trading for a couple of days a week and is the first graduate of a taster-days scheme designed to give would-be traders a chance to see if market life is for them.

Clara, who lives only a few minutes’ walk from her new place of work, has been an Avon representative for a number of years, but she was keen to try a different way of selling her wares.

“It occurred to me that a stall in Surrey Street might be a good idea. I know the market well, living so close by, and could see that it might offer me the chance to expand my business,” she said.

“The thing is, I didn’t know what to do to get started, so I contacted the market inspector, Fiona Woodcock, and told her that I was interested in trading in the market. We met up and she told me about what I’d need.”

Fiona and market development manager Roy Wayre, told Clara of the National Market Trader Federation’s Taster Membership scheme, granting her 10 days’ trading so that she could be sure that the market life was for her.

“I’ve had help in setting up, I was loaned a gazebo until I got

one of my own, and I’ve had advice on what to do and how to go about things. The other traders have been very supportive, Avon calling: Clara at work chatting and asking me how I’m doing, that sort of thing.

“I’ve been here a few weeks now and I’m really having fun. I’m out and talking to people and building a good customer base – it’s been amazing!”

Roy realised the opportunity the scheme could offer potential traders keen to convert their business idea into a reality.

He said: “The NMTF scheme is a great way to give wouldbe traders a leg-up and a chance to experience, first-hand, the realities of day-to-day market life.

“As anybody who’s been a stallholder for any length of time will tell you, the life isn’t for everybody, but it can be a fun and relatively affordable way for anybody who wants to run their own business to learn the ropes.

“Thanks to the taster days we’re able to offer people an insight they won’t get by simply being a customer in the market, and Clara has proved that the scheme works.”

A liked and respected character in Surrey Street for years, Fiona is always keen to welcome new blood.

She said: “Clara has demonstrated that setting up a small business in Surrey Street is all about service with a smile, regular trading and having the right commodity.”

If the taster-days scheme appeals to you, send an email to roy.wayre@croydon.gov.uk or fiona.woodcock@croydon.gov.uk or call 07776 992677.

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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Bidding for an improved Purley Businesses in Purley are to be asked to vote on whether they would like to see a business improvement district established for the town.

Improving Purley as a place to live, shop and work would be among the benefits that setting up a business improvement district (Bid) would bring.

Defined as a geographical area in which businesses are invited to decide how to improve their trading environment, a Purley Bid would sit alongside those already established in central Croydon and New Addington Voting will run from 15 October to 15 November, with results announced on 18 November.

If the majority is in favour, the Purley Bid will launch on 1 Februrary, focusing on improving accessibility and parking; image and marketing; a cleaner and

greener environment; safer streets; and business engagement.

The Bid would offer services that complement those already provided by the council. These could include anti-crime and community security measures, higher levels of street cleaning, and business support services.

The plans to create a Bid are part of the council’s regeneration plans for Croydon’s district centres.

The council has been working closely with the Purley Business Association to bring about the proposals for a Bid, which will deliver economic growth and create high-quality public spaces for Purley.

For more information, click here.

The Streets set to transform the streets South Norwood’s shopping centre is set for a shake-up as music and art prepare to take over empty shop units.

A new arts programme is set to take over South Norwood later this year, and will see empty shops and cafes in the high street taken over by live music and performance.

The Streets, organised by events producer Serious, comes to SE25 in November as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival.

It aims to reinvigorate high streets through cultural activity and staging spectacular performances.

The programme was launched in sensational fashion in July when Station Road shook with the rhythms pounded out by percussionist Ben Walshplaying eight drums mounted in a giant wheel.

Croydon band Da Groove Station also rocked the crowds at the launch.

Other boroughs taking part in The Streets are Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Wandsworth, Richmond and Kingston-upon-Thames.

Claire Whitaker, director of Serious, said: “The Streets is a fantastic opportunity to bring some magic to high streets and town centres in outer London boroughs and to showcase

the dynamism and creativity there is to be found all across the capital.

“Serious is looking forward to working with artists and performers, as well as the boroughs themselves, to develop exciting new work that will entertain

and stimulate audiences, while bringing new life to parts of the capital that have less of a profile than central London.”

For more information, click here.

Slave to the rhythm: Ben Walsh drums up support

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October/November 2015

Throwing open the borough’s doors The recent annual Open House London weekend saw Croydon playing its part and letting people see the parts that are usually behind closed doors.

Photo: Taylan Tahir

Members of the public saw the best of Croydon’s heritage and some of the major redevelopment work taking place in the borough during Open House London weekend last month.

The council’s offices, Bernard Weatherill House, welcomed 60 visitors who enjoyed panoramic views of Croydon’s skyline, while more than 100 went on tours of the Croydon Town Hall and Clocktower complex.

There was also a Connected Croydon tour with about 40 people seeing some of the main public realm and infrastructure projects taking place in the town centre.

Other Croydon buildings and spaces that took part included Airport House, Fairfield Halls, Old Palace, Ruskin Square, Shirley Windmill, St Bernard’s Houses, Stanley Halls, Thornton Heath Library, Whitehorse Manor Schools, and the Whitgift Almshouses.

The Seven Hills (or car parks) of Croydon One of the highlights of the weekend was the annual Seven Hills of Croydon event, an architecture walk of the town centre from the vantage point of seven multi-storey car parks.

Croydon’s Vincent Lacovara, who leads the tour, spoke to Your Croydon: “You may be surprised to learn that Rome and Sheffield are not the only great cities that can boast seven hills.

“Croydon has seven hills of its own, except ours are hills with a difference. This was the 10th year that I’ve led a group of intrepid (sub)urban explorers on a tour of the Seven Hills of Croydon for Open House London weekend.

“The tour takes in new and often surprising perspectives of central Croydon’s unique and everevolving urban landscape

from the top of its seven multi-storey car parks.

“From Croydon’s postwar ‘Mini-Manhattan’ of modernist towers, to Old Town’s Venetian-style Victorian pumping station, the tour reveals how special Croydon is, and why it’s always worth taking a closer look at a place, even if you think you know it like the back of your hand.

“Over the past 10 years of leading the tour I’ve watched the views from the top decks evolve.

From the evidence of this year’s walk, the pace of

change is accelerating, with cranes over East Croydon and new buildings, spaces, businesses, popup cinemas and saffron farms being created in the space of just one year.

“Meanwhile, some things remain more-or-less constant – valuable anchors to Croydon’s unique sense of place – the Whitgift Almshouses, the ‘thruppeny bit building’, Surrey Street and Croydon’s busy bustling shopping streets and transport interchanges.

I can’t wait to explore again next September.”

Photo: Andrew Smith

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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Pretty in pink – meet Croydon’s new ambassadors Ready to offer visitors a warm welcome and a helping hand, Croydon’s new ambassadors are easy to spot in their distinctive uniforms.

In eye-catching pink jackets emblazoned with a large “I’m here to help you” message, it’s fairly difficult to avoid noticing members of the new on-street concierge service.

With the town centre set to undergo major redevelopment, Croydon’s Business Improvement District (Bid) team has introduced the new ambassadors in anticipation of a rise in demand for information and help in getting around from visitors and businesses.

Nilupa, Josh and Michael are being deployed nine hours a day, five days a week, from Tuesday to Saturday, with the main aim of meeting, greeting and assisting those in the town centre.

With other ambassadorial colleagues, they are also helping with the promotion of events, and informing people of what’s on and what’s available in the town, and of all that it has to offer.

They will be responding to the day-to-day needs of businesses, ensuring that any cleanliness and safety issues

are quickly addressed.

The service is being delivered in partnership with visitor-welcome and street-management service provider, the Welcome People, which runs similar services in 13 towns and cities across the country.

Bid chief executive

Matthew Sims said: “Croydon town centre is, without doubt, an extremely exciting place to be at present.

“As transformation continues, we fully expect the demand from businesses, visitors and employees for up-to-date information and advice on getting into and

around the town to be greater than ever.

“Our street ambassadors will play a vital role in meeting that demand as well as ensuring Croydon is regarded as a friendly, welcoming place to be, with lots going on and exciting developments taking place.”

Here to help: Croydon’s ambassadors, in their vibrantly coloured jackets

Making Croydon a great place to live Do you have ideas on how Croydon should develop over the next 20 years? If so, the council wants to hear them.

Residents are to be asked their views on a 20-year vision that sets out how the borough will meet housing need and make its neighbourhoods great places to live.

Known as the Croydon Local Plan, it lays the foundations for increasing the supply of homes, including affordable housing, and regenerating district centres.

It has a particular focus on making sure neighbourhoods flourish and support existing and future communities in daily life.

People will be invited to

have their say on the proposals which go out to public consultation during November.

Details will be announced here.

With Croydon on the threshold of unprecedented growth, the local plan has allocated land for development and set out the detailed policies to guide this over the period 2016 to 2036.

It is estimated that approximately 30,000 homes will be needed to meet Croydon’s growth needs over the next two decades.

Councillor Alison Butler, cabinet member for homes,

regeneration and planning, said: “This is about your neighbourhood and improving the place where you live.

It is about changing the appearance of areas the moment you walk out of your front door.”

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October/November 2015

Fighting theft with forensics: Brian Udell of Croydon Neighbourhood Watch, Councillor Mark Watson, and the SmartWater roll-out team

GET SMART with property marking An innovative forensic property marking system designed to reduce burglary has been rolled out across the borough.

A team of specially trained Safer Neighbourhoods officers has been delivering free SmartWater kits to residents in target areas, as part of the London-wide MetTrace programme.

The kits contain an invisible property-marking solution that contains a unique forensic code.

Residents paint the solution onto their possessions, and also display warning stickers to deter burglars.

The code can then be used by the police to trace the items, should they ever be stolen, and link suspects to crime scenes.

Created by SmartWater, the solution, which is virtually impossible to remove and can be viewed only under ultra-violet light, has resulted in significantly reduced burglary rates.

During a recent police trial across five boroughs, burglary rates reduced on average by 49%, with some areas seeing a reduction of more than 70%. More than half of residents involved in the pilot said they felt safer having applied the liquid to items in their homes.

PC Nick Swan, the lead on MetTrace in Croydon, said: “The delivery of SmartWater kits in targeted areas will have a significant impact on burglary reduction and other crimes in Croydon.

“We can’t make this a success without the help of residents, so I’d ask that, when officers come to their home, they sign up and protect themselves and their neighbourhood.

“If nobody’s home, we’ll leave a MetTrace card.

Please don’t throw it away

as it has our contact details so that we can visit at a time that’s convenient.”

Programme coordinator, Commander Simon Letchford, said: “Our pilot has proved the concept of forensic property marking works and we’re delighted the technology will benefit 440,000 homes across London, which we estimate will prevent a further 7,000 properties from being burgled.

“The Met is committed to driving down burglary and is working hard every day to reduce offences, arrest offenders and support victims, using innovative technology to help us achieve this.

“We’ll use the kits as effectively as possible to create a hostile environment for burglars and to make our communities safer.”

The forensic code within every SmartWater kit is unique and, together with your name and address details, is stored on the SmartWater offline secure database.

Should any of your valuables be stolen and subsequently recovered by the police, forensic scientists will analyse traces of SmartWater on the item to link them to their true owner.

Get it now If you would prefer not to wait, SmartWater forensic marking kit are available by: • joining a local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme (they are supplied kits at around one third of the regular price); or • getting the product direct from SmartWater – visit www.smartwater.com

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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Making Croydon safer At a recent public meeting, someone told me that they are still fearful because of the 2011 riots and last year’s rave.

I think that we have listened and made a number of changes since both events and in fact, the borough is safer as a result.

We now have 115 additional officers, compared to four years ago and, as a result, we can respond more quickly and visibly to any developing situation.

We are also now far more adept at monitoring social media to try to disrupt events before they occur.

Since last year’s rave, we have disrupted at least three similar events, and arrested people as a result.

As the nights draw in,

London sees an overall increase in housebreaking.

You can significantly reduce your chance of becoming a victim by doing simple things like leaving a light and radio on.

If you put yourself in the shoes of a burglar, would you break into the house with the lights and radio on, or the one next door which is in darkness? Criminals are not clever and doing the simple things can deter crime.

As a result of the “you said, we did” campaign, we have been focusing our attention on the town centre.

Working with the council,

we have closed down, or reduced the opening hours of, a number of problematic venues and we are working in partnership to tackle issues of littering in the area.

We have increased our visible presence in and around the shopping centre and are actively working with other agencies to refer some of our homeless and street drinkers into specialist care and treatment services.

Finally, to follow on from my last column, I would like to give you an idea of how little crime there actually is in Croydon.

Over a recent 24-hour

period, reported to us were one mugging, three house-breakings and only five thefts from cars.

These are still clearly too many crimes, but I think these relatively low numbers put into perspective how safe Croydon actually is.

Keep safe and let me know what you think of policing in Croydon by emailing me at andy.tarrant@met.police.uk

Andy Tarrant

Chief Supt Andy Tarrant Croydon borough commander

Anti-DV work puts Croydon on the map The White Ribbon campaign, that aims to see the end of domestic violence in Croydon, has stepped onto the international stage.

A Kenyan delegation met with representatives from the British Council, Croydon Council and Crystal Palace Football Foundation to share ideas of how to tackle domestic abuse and sexual violence.

The Premier League is working with the British Council to run the Premier Skills programme, which aims to address violence against women and girls through football.

The White Ribbon campaign work being undertaken by the council and foundation came to the attention of the Premier League, which brought the international group together at the team’s ground to learn from each other’s experiences.

The campaign encourages men to end violence against

women, and the foundation continues to support the council’s commitment to these values through education programmes, and publicising the campaign’s aims in matchday programmes and with supporters at half time.

Susanna Carmody, the British Council’s senior project manager for sport, education and society, said: “The energy, enthusiasm and commitment communicated during the meeting were contagious and I know that the group will remember meeting all of you for a long time to come.”

Croydon College, police and the Business Improvement District have also got behind the campaign.

Croydon is seeking

support to establish a national register of DV offenders to help the council and police tackle the symptoms and causes of domestic violence far more effectively The petition, requesting that the government creates a national register

of domestic abuse offenders, now has almost 2,000 signatures, but needs more support.

Some 100,000 signatures are needed for the issue to be debated in the House of Commons. To show your support for this important issue, click here.

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October/November 2015

Good cheer on tap for craft beer festival Festival designed to showcase the best of London’s small breweries.

Lovers of good beers and ales will be well served by the inaugural Croydon Craft Beer Festival.

The produce of more than 20 London breweries, including the borough’s own Cronx, will be on offer beside bottles and cans from around the world.

The explosion in the number of breweries in the capital has prompted organisers to launch the festival and bring the best beers to Croydon for the first time to celebrate the quality and creativity on offer.

Held on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October, in Croydon Clocktower’s Braithwaite Hall, the festival will feature Croydon’s own The Cronx Brewery, as well as beers from Belleville, By the Horns, London Beer Factory and other London breweries at the forefront of the current hop renaissance.

Mark Russell, Cronx director and brewer, said: “The beer revolution has swept London by storm, and we thought it was about time we brought London’s best beers to Croydon.”

Seal of approval: Prince Charles pulls a pint of Cronx in 2012

Doors will open on the Croydon Craft Beer Festival from 5pm to 10pm on the Friday, and noon to 10pm on the Saturday.

Tickets, costing only £3, are available from: Freshfields Market, 86-88 Church Street, Croydon CR0 1RB The Oval Tavern, 131 Oval Road, Addiscombe CR0 6BR The Wine Cellar, 9-10 Station Parade, Sanderstead CR2 0PH Brgr&Beer, Matthews Yard, 1 Matthews Yard, Croydon CR0 1FF

Croydon means business The biggest fixture in the Croydon business calendar returns this month.

Croydon Business Month will be launched at the We Mean Business Expo, south London’s premier annual business exhibition and network opportunity, at Fairfield on October 14.

This year’s event boasts a busy programme of events comprising surgeries, workshops, seminars and conferences, aimed at start-ups and established companies in the borough.

The council has teamed up with key business partners, including the Chamber of Commerce, Croydon Business Ventures, Croydon Partnership, the Federation of Small Businesses, GLE One London and NatWest Bank, to stage the events.

These include Setting up a Social Enterprise at MyOutSpace Business Centre in Middle Street, central Croydon, from 5 to 7pm on 20 October.

GLE will be hosting a finance drop-in surgery in Matthews Yard, Croydon, from 10am to 1pm on 4 November.

There will also be a First Steps in Exporting seminar at Weatherill House Business Centre, Whitestone Way, Waddon, from 9.30 to 11.30am on 21 October, aimed at established businesses.

Toward the end of the programme, the Develop Croydon Conference takes place on 18 November at Fairfield.

The full list of events is available at here.

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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Licensed to rent Improved standards of accommodation fortenants of private landlords will result as thousands sign up to new scheme.

More than 13,000 private rented properties in Croydon have been signed up to the council’s new landlord licensing scheme that became law from 1 October.

Croydon Council has created the scheme to tackle bad landlords and raise housing standards in London’s most populous borough, with prosecution or fines for anyone caught breaking the rules.

The five-year licence was discounted to £350 per property from July to 30 September, with around 7,200

private landlords signing up.

The price rose to £750 per property on 1 October.

Any private landlord caught renting a property without a licence from now on can face fines of up to £20,000, while anyone breaking licence conditions can be prosecuted and fined up to £5,000.

Most landlords applying now will pay a one-off £750, but there are a few exceptions such as those who are new to the sector or renting out newbuild properties, who will pay £350 for the five-year period.

Those failing to meet their licence conditions may have to pay £750 each year. All applicants must prove they are fit and proper.

The council’s cabinet approved the scheme in March in response to a rise in privately-rented properties, with negative consequences for tenants including antisocial behaviour and poor-quality homes.

For more information on the scheme or to apply for a licence, click here.

Working flexibly for the good of all Adopting a flexible working culture will be good for local employers and people who have found it difficult to fit work around a busy life.

Making work more accessible, particularly for parents and carers, is the primary benefit of Croydon becoming a Flexible Working Borough.

In addition, the council will be seeking accreditation from Timewise, a company that works with local authorities to influence employers and increase flexibility in the job market.

The new status will see the council encouraging other employers in the borough to follow its lead and implement a flexible working culture within their own organisations.

Timewise will be working with the council to develop an improvement plan to encourage more flexible working, based on the experiences of other local authorities.

Working flexibly can relate

to working time, working location or pattern of working. This includes parttime, term-time, job-sharing, flexitime, compressed hours or annual hours. It can also mean working from home on a regular basis, mobile working or teleworking, and career breaks.

By increasing flexible working opportunities, more chances are expected for the most disadvantaged, including single parents who would otherwise not be able to find work.

A survey of single parents in Croydon was carried out last year by the council in partnership with Jobcentre Plus and children’s centres. It found parents reporting high childcare costs and the lack of flexible job opportunities as barriers to finding employment.

Flexibility at work Amanda Tuke and Sam Taylor share the role of head of partnerships and children’s integrated commissioning at the council.

Amanda said: “When I started this post I was already on a flexible working arrangement with reduced hours but it quickly became evident that 24 hours a week just wasn’t enough time to do the job. With my home family commitments and music interest commitments I wasn’t keen to take on more hours so I suggested reducing my hours and job sharing.”

Sam said: “I have a couple of businesses that I run in my own time so a job-sharing role was perfect.

“We both have individual projects that we lead on as well as things we work on together so, even though we share one role, we still get the independence and personal responsibility you would without job sharing.”

Amanda added: “We’ve been job sharing this post now for almost a year and it’s really working for us, so I’d definitely recommend it.”

My

report

CROYDON

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My Account reaches

100,000 milestone

apply

October/November 2015

My

My CROYDON CROYDON

report report

More and more people are learning, and taking advantage, of the benefits of signing up to My Account.

The easiest and quickest way of accessing council services, the online My Account facility, has hit the 100,000 jackpot.

Nearly a third of the borough’s population is now registered on My Account, accessible via the council’s website, which allows residents to carry out a range of transactions in one place, such as paying council tax bills, viewing

their place on the housing register or ordering new bins.

My Account was launched two years ago, and in recent months has seen around 200 new registrations a day.

Each week about 30,000 visitors access My Account, which offers residents a total of 41 council services.

With more people using My Account, and the consequent reduction in

telephone and face-to-face transactions, the council has been able to save £4m, to be reinvested in what have been identified as key services.

Not using My Account?

Register and access council services today.

The 100,000 milestone comes as the council launches its latest online service to get more residents involved in what’s happening

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in their community.

The Get involved website is a chance for people in Croydon to share their views and help shape decision-making in their local area by taking part in consultations and surveys, as well as finding out about upcoming events.

Residents can log in here using their My Account details.

Hitting the right notes with direct debit Amateur singer Gavin Evans was massively shocked when told he had won a council tax-free year – and he has firm plans for the money he’ll save.

Some might regard the annual council tax bill as something of a necessary evil For the next year, however, one central Croydon resident won’t be sharing that view.

Gavin Evans is this year’s winner of the council draw that sees one lucky direct debit account holder have their council tax paid for the entire year.

News of his win was doubly sweet because the money he would have been paying to the council will help him realise a long-held dream.

He said: “In my spare time I’m a classical singer and the money will go toward course fees for an evening opera school.

“I’m very pleased to have won my council tax for a year.

I wasn’t aware there was a draw for council tax direct debit payers, so it was a massive shock.”

Gavin has been paying his council tax by direct debit since moving to the borough four years ago from the West Midlands and is a firm believer in the advantages it offers.

He said: “It splits the cost over a year, and makes regular budgeting easier.

“It means that I don’t have to worry about remembering to

Winner: Gavin’s co uncil tax is waived for the ye ar

pay my council tax bill and, if something goes wrong with the payment, I’m protected.

“I’d certainly recommend others to sign up to pay via direct debit. It’s the easiest way to pay – and you could end up being as lucky as I was.”

To find out how you can pay your council tax by direct debit – and possibly find yourself in Gavin’s position this time next year, visit www.croydon.gov.uk/dd One other lucky resident won a council tax-free year from another draw, of My Account holders. While delighted with her win, she requested that her details not be publicised.

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

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Looking for the funny side of quitting Four comedians are using their own experiences to help others quit their addiction to smoking.

Breaking the smoking habit, as any who have done it can confirm, is not much of a laughing matter.

Four of the country’s leading comedians, though, are putting a smile on the faces of all who are looking to trash the ash as part of this year’s Stoptober campaign.

Quitters will get a personal touch from Bill Bailey, Rhod Gilbert, Al Murray and Shappi Khorsandi, each of whom has been inspired by their personal experiences with smoking.

They will be sending messages of support and encouragement straight to quitters’ phones and emails throughout October.

This year, Croydon was one of only 10 UK towns to host the Stoptober Roadshow, an accolade bestowed thanks, in part, to the success of Croydon’s quit-smoking team.

Latest figures from the Health & Social Care Information Centre show that, in the year 2014-15, Croydon supported 2,147 residents to stop smoking for four weeks – more than any other London borough – as well as about 800 for 12 weeks.

The figures include a 20% increase in the number of residents who were from priority groups of high need, such

as those who are pregnant or have a long-term illness.

The numbers exceed London and national averages for quit rate, and were achieved with one of the smallest teams in the capital.

The Stoptober Roadshow (pictured left), which visited the town centre at the end of September, offered a range of aids and advice to help smokers make a break from their addiction, and featured hilarious performances from dynamic entertainment troupe Faces of Disco, the Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists.

The council’s free walk-in service at the Healthy Living Hub in the Central Library, Katharine Street, is open throughout the week, encouraging even more people to quit.

No appointments necessary.

For more information click here, or call 0800 019 8570 for local stop-smoking services.

Don’t delay – beat flu today With winter on the horizon, now is the time to think about getting a flu vaccination – especially if you’re in a vulnerable group.

Flu can be serious – it is not just a heavy cold, it is a highly infectious winter disease that can lead to even more serious illnesses, such as pneumonia.

The flu virus changes from year to year and an updated vaccine, that can beat the new strains, is needed every year.

For this reason, it is very important that anybody in a number of at-risk groups, who are more vulnerable to the effects of flu, gets their vaccine as soon as possible.

The flu vaccination is free of charge to all in the groups listed. More information is available here.

The nasal spray flu vaccine (pictured right) will be offered routinely on the NHS to all children born on or after 2 September 2011, and on or before 1 September 2013.

Children at risk of flu are already offered an annual flu injection. However, as the nasal spray is effective and easy to give, children aged between two and 18 with long-term health conditions will be offered the annual flu nasal spray instead of the injection.

Your GP may advise you to have a flu jab if you have asthma, are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or are the main

carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill.

To get your flu jab or nasal spray, visit your GP’s surgery – most doctors organise special flu vaccine sessions in the autumn – or call to arrange an appointment.

Some pharmacies are also offering the flu vaccine as part of this free programme. Ask for details at your local branch or visit www.myhealth.london.nhs.uk for a full list of pharmacies near you offering the service.

Finally, if you are a health care worker or work with any of these groups of people, please protect yourself, too – for their sake and yours.

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October/November 2015

October is national Black History Month, a time when important people, places and events of African origin that have made a historical impact are remembered and celebrated.

Internationally recognised stars, dance, storytelling, poetry and costumes will help Croydon mark this year’s Black History Month.

Black history will be celebrated with events taking place across the borough, promoted and supported by the council.

Running throughout October, this year’s theme is Croydon Celebrates Black History: Women in Leadership.

The full programme of events can be viewed here with printed copies available from Croydon libraries.

Croydon celebrates black history by: • r emembering people, places and events from the African Diaspora that have made an historical impact; • profiling women who are making history today; • d ocumenting or preserving this heritage to pass on to future generations, with a reference to local history; and • c elebrating the traditions of communities through stories, festivals, crafts, dance and costumes to enhance cultural understanding and appreciation.

The celebration of black history is ongoing in Croydon throughout the year, with a range of community events and activities.

This year’s theme also profiles women in leadership, and this is reflected in the scheduled events.

These will include opportunities to discover historical events through thought-provoking discussions, performance, music, storytelling and song.

Many events are free, all take place in Croydon, and the breadth of variety means there is something to interest everybody.

Highlights include poetry, story readings, workshops and live performances, featuring: • Discussions about topical issues • Black history lecture: Black women in the origin and evolution of music” – 4 November • Lorna Liverpool, author talk workshop – 24 October For full information, email yvonne.gaye@croydon.gov.uk or call 020 8726 6000 ext 47209.

Park Hill stag do ends with move to new home The arrival of an unexpected guest forced the closure of a central Croydon park for 10 days until safe alternative accommodation could be found.

Normal service at Park Hill recreation ground was put on hold at the beginning of October when a red deer stag took residence, sparking a week of investigation into where he came from, and where he might go.

The stag, boasting an impressive set of antlers, was ushered into the park after being spotted wandering along the adjacent railway lines. It remains unclear as to how he found his way onto the tracks.

It was decided to close the park, both to contain the stag and ensure his, and the public’s, safety. There was a fear that he might become aggressive were he approached, and possibly cause injury to himself or inquisitive onlookers.

There followed a week’s negotiation and seeking of professional advice as officers looked into the best way to proceed, and to find the stag a secure new home.

And, while those behind-the-scenes talks on his welfare were going on, staff ensured the stag remained undisturbed and had a supply of food and water.

It was decided to tranquilise the stag, have a specialist vet assess his health and check him for injury, load him onto a trailer, and then, when he’d recovered consciousness, transport him to his new home.

All of which happened early on the morning of Sunday 4 October with the help of a team of wildlife experts, and the stag is now happily taking in his new surroundings on a huntfree private estate in one of the Home Counties (below).

For up-to-the-minute council news visit www.croydon.gov.uk/news

Council meeting dates

Useful contacts

Deadlines for public questions for the forthcoming full council meeting (starting at 6.30pm) – noon on the relevant deadline date.

For police, fire brigade, ambulance, call: 999 or 112, Text phone 1800

Meeting: Monday, 19 October Deadline: Monday, 5 October Meeting: Monday 7 December Deadline: Monday 23 November Questions (maximum number of words: 50) for consideration at a full council meeting, can be sent by email; alternatively, print and complete the form here and post it to Questions for the council, Democratic and legal services, 4th floor, Zone G, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon CR0 1EA; or call 020 8726 6000 extn 63876.

Unless otherwise stated, cabinet meetings start at 6.30pm, in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall.

Meeting: 20 October For information on meetings, minutes and agendas, click here. For information on cabinet and shadow cabinet members, click here.

Unless otherwise stated, scrutiny meetings start at 6.30pm, in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall.

Meeting: 13 Oct Children and young people scrutiny

sub-committee (7pm, Room F10, Town Hall) Meeting: 3 Nov Scrutiny and overview committee Meeting: 10 Nov Health, social care and housing scrutiny sub-committee (Addington Community Centre, Central Parade, New Addington) Meeting: 17 Nov Children and young people scrutiny sub-committee Meeting: 24 Nov Streets and environment scrutiny sub-committee For information on scrutiny, click here or email.

Meetings of the Safer Neighbourhood Board are held in the venues indicated. For further information, look here.

Forthcoming public meeting dates are: Meeting: 11 November at 6.30pm Community Space, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon CR0 1EA Details of all Croydon Council meetings can be found on the council website here.

Guided Walks For full details, visit: www.croydon.gov.uk/leisure/ parksandopenspaces/walks October Friday 16 October – Autumn on

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Croydon Council general enquiries 020 8726 6000 Croydon NHS Walk-in Centre 020 3040 0800 Non-emergency urgent care - 111 Croydon University Hospital 020 8401 3000

Get in touch To get in touch with the Your Croydon editorial team, email: yourcroydon@croydon.gov.uk or call 020 8760 5644 If anybody you know isn't receiving the online version of Your Croydon, tell them that they can ensure delivery by subscribing at www.croydon. gov.uk/subscribe

Central Library and Museum of Croydon Katharine Street, Croydon CR9 1ET Open: Monday to Saturday (see website for daily hours) Library – www.croydon.gov.uk/central-library Telephone: 020 8726 6900 Email: libraries@croydon.gov.uk Museum – www.museumofcroydon.com Telephone: 020 8253 1022 Email: museum@croydon.gov.uk Fairfield Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1DG Details: www.fairfield.co.uk Telephone: 020 8688 9291 Email: boxoffice@fairfield.co.uk fields, and look for edible fruits and nuts, and make a leaf crown while sitting round the campfire. Event for children aged fiveplus and their families.

Sunday 10 October – Fungus foray Join The Friends of Littleheath Woods and an expert on fungi to roam the woods for up to two hours.

Riddlesdown Common Enjoy the scenery of chalk grassland and woods, the colours of leaves and fruits, ancient fields, and paths.

Sunday 18 October – Happy Valley jungle explorer Join the warden to explore the history and wildlife of some of the less welltrodden paths. The 90-minute walk covers some steep, uneven and overgrown ground; good footwear and long trousers recommended!

Sunday 11 October – Autumn fruit and fungi Meet the Friends of Selsdon Wood at 10am for this 90-minute wander.

Saturday 17 October – Family afternoon on the Sanderstead to Whyteleafe countryside area Join us for an afternoon wander over the

Saturday 31 October – Hallowe’en in Haling Grove Join the Friends of Haling Grove for a spooky spectacular from 3pm to 5pm.

Show off that fancy dress, carve a pumpkin and more. For more information email friends@haling-grove.org.uk

November Sunday 15 November – Winter work at Whyteleafe Come and lend a hand helping to remove ash trees from The Dobbin to create glades for rare chalk flora and fauna.

Sunday 22 November – What makes a woodland?

In King’s Wood there are many trees, shrubs and small plants. But what else is there, and how is woodland different from a park or a plantation?

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October/November 2015

Your A to Z of council services The council provides a comprehensive range of services designed to offer help and advice to residents. Below is only a small selection of those services – for the full list, visit www.croydon.gov.uk and follow the “A-Z” link at the top of the home page.

Adoption Find out how to adopt a child or young person living in Croydon.

Dustbins Information about household waste collection, your wheelie bin, and reporting a missed collection.

Antisocial behaviour What to do about antisocial behaviour.

Benefits Information about some of the help and benefits available to you in Croydon.

Recycling

Council car parks Where they are, what they cost and when they are open.

Education Information on schools and colleges, pre-schools, adult and community education, extra-curricular activities.

Councillors General information on your local councillors, including their role, allowances and interests.

Energy advice Help and advice on the Green Deal Cashback Scheme, energy efficiency and how you can make a difference.

Dropped kerbs and crossovers How to apply for a dropped kerb outside your home or business.

Fly-tipping Details on the council’s Don’t Mess with Croydon campaign, how flytipped rubbish affects an area and what the council is doing to counter this antisocial crime.

Trees & Lansdscape

Guided walks There are more than 80 free guided walks and events on offer in Croydon every year.

Healthy living events Timetable of events designed to help you live longer and more healthily.

Improvement grants for private property General information about loans and grants available to owner occupiers, private tenants and private landlords for essential repairs and improvements.

Libraries Free to join, with a wide range of up-to-date books, music, journals and much else.

Libraries

Meeting dates of the council See dates, minutes, reports and agendas of past and future meetings.

Nursery school education We ensure one year of free nursery education for children in the borough.

Older people support services A new online directory of services, is now available providing information about care and community services and resources, and details of registered care and support.

Planning – online services View current planning applications, decisions, appeals and enforcement cases, and link to the planning portal for online submissions.

Recycling – sites Where to find our waste and recycling sites, and what can be recycled at each.

Register office General information about Croydon register office.

School complaints procedure Advice on how to go about lodging, and proceeding with, complaints regarding your child’s school.

Trees and landscape Find out about trees and related issues, including tree preservation orders, trees in conservation areas and on development sites, and problems with neighbours’ hedges.

Wheeled bins Information about your wheeled bin, household waste collection and reporting a missed collection.

Youth projects Voluntary organisations providing young people aged 13 to 19 with something to do, somewhere to go, and somebody to whom they can talk.

Zoo licence You need to apply for a licence to run a zoo – should you really want to!

www.cro ydon. gov.uk/atoz