W W W. C R O Y D O N . G O V. U K

ISS

UE

73

- D

EC

EM

BE

R 2

00

5

Value for MoneyHOW YOUR COUNCIL DELIVERS

COVER_v72 14/11/05 11:15 Page 1

FULL page from £799 297 x 210mm

HALF page from £350Horizontal- 148.5 x 210mm

QUARTER page from £175Vertical - 148.5 x 105mm

If you would like your business to benefitfrom advertising in one of the country’sleading community magazines and would likemore information, a copy of our rate card or abooking form, please call Paula Howell on:

☎ 020 8760 5644

advantageOF OUR NEWADVERTISING RATES

TAKE

L E A D E R ’ S

Repor t

2 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r Designed by croydondesign the in-house business within Croydon Council enquiries@croydondesign.com 50866/150M/10

Are you planning to get married? If so, did you know that you can nowbook an appointment to give notice of marriage – using our new online booking system? You can also book an appointment to see a registrar from9:30am to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday.

How to book: type inwww.croydon.gov.uk/noticeofmarriageand click on the words “Register to give notice of marriage here” under the “See also” heading. Follow the onscreeninstructions and once you have filled inthe relevant details, select a date andtime for your face-to-face appointment.

You can also book an appointment for the following services: register a birth, re-register a birth and to register a death.

HELPING YOU MAKE THE MOST OF THE COUNCIL WEBSITE

This magazine is printed on environmentally friendly, TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) paper, producedfrom a sustainable source. When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it.

Croydon’s value-for-money initiatives were discussed when Councillor Tony Newman met Chancellor Gordon Brown (left) recently

Providing you with value for moneyMore than two-thirds of the council staff who provide such excellent public services for

Croydon residents actually live in the borough. That’s a great vote of confidence in what

the council is doing and also means that there is a good chance that one of your

neighbours has a particularly personal interest in the state of the borough.

I am delighted to report that the high regard for our services is continuing to rise.

Each issue of Croydon Reports brings you news of some of the essential and valued work

that our staff undertake. Many have a highly developed sense of customer care and this

is reflected in the annual awards that reward staff who have gone the extra mile in the

work they undertake on your behalf.Awards are also a way of judging the performance of the council and gaining

independent recognition for our achievements. This is reflected on page 14 of this issue in

a feature which shows how Croydon Council is delivering outstanding value in return for

your council tax – which is still the sixth lowest of all 22 outer London boroughs.

On the question of council tax, I’m happy to be able to tell you that:

• the increase was kept below 5% this year; • it will be below 5% next year; • it will also be below 5% the year after that. But we know that what matters most is what you tell us. That’s why we consult,

listen and respond. So, when you told us the streets weren’t clean enough, we invested in

a new contract with a renewed focus on smartening your neighbourhood. And when you

said you were worried about crime, we invested in street wardens and neighbourhood

wardens and pushed for rapid deployment of safer neighbourhood policing teams

throughout the whole borough.Now, improved public satisfaction with recycling and street-cleansing performance

and a fall in the number of people harbouring a fear of crime are testimony to some of the

progress we have made in tackling public priorities.I am also very proud of those staff who are delivering top-quality services to assist

some of the more vulnerable members of our community. A recent, glowing inspection

report on the work done with those suffering learning disabilities is deserved recognition

for an unsung service. And our teachers have again excelled in helping to drive up school

exam results.So, at a time when we are planning next year’s budget – and as our auditors are

signing off another successful one for the year 2004/05 – I must remind you of the

importance I place on leading a council that puts an emphasis on providing value for every

penny that we spend.Let me also promise that we will remain relentless in our quest for greater

productivity and efficiency. We will never lose sight of the factthat your council is spending your money on things that mattermost to you.

Tony Newman - Leader, Croydon Council

2 & 3 new 10/11/05 11:33 Page 1

contents

CROYDON Reports - your local community magazine, full of news, views and information.

To contact Croydon Council:Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon, CR9 3JS email: contact.thecouncil@croydon.gov.uk Council website: www.croydon.gov.uk Community website: www.croydononline.org

To contact the editor of Croydon Reports:Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon, CR9 3JS email: croydon.reports@croydon.gov.uk

The next issue will be published on Wednesday, 18 January 2006. Commercial advertising is welcome, but inclusion of an advertisement does not indicate council endorsement of any products or services mentioned.

Please ask if you require a translation in a community language, in large print, on tape or in Braille.

☎ 020 8726 6000

☎ 020 8760 5644

3C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

14

12

4

20

4 Doing the businessAngelina Purcell is the chief executive of Croydon Business and her feeling

for the town is summed up in one word: “fantastic”.

8 Delivering the goodsListening to you and acting on your comments ensures the council continues

to offer unrivalled value for money.

12 A flavour of the eastThe sixth of our Seven Wonders of Croydon brought a touch of eastern mystery

to the architecture of the borough’s north-west.

14 Your prize-winning councilPatting ourselves on the back, we look at the awards and accolades

Croydon Council has picked up over the past year or so.

16 Looking after the penniesA simple breakdown of the council’s finances lets you see exactly how your

money is spent.

20 Picking on the carersBullying is not confined to the school playground and the workplace, often

it’s directed at those who least deserve it, the people who care for others.

2 & 3 new 10/11/05 11:34 Page 2

Born in Jamaica, brought up in Clapham and bullish for business inCroydon – that’s Angelina Purcell MBE, a one-time teacher andrestaurateur who, as chief executive of Croydon Business, is playinga leading role in developing a new sense of pride in the borough.

Her enthusiasm for Croydon is infectious. Her boundless energyand vibrancy are enough to convince the most hardened sceptic thatthe town really is about to turn the page on an exciting new chapter.

She exudes confidence about the product she is selling –Croydon, its businesses and its assets. She gets positive vibes frommuch of what she comes across, from living in Norbury, with itswonderful parks, restaurants and transport into town, to thechanging face of the town centre – a town centre which she canoversee from her office that is itself destined to disappear whenmaking way for the Park Place retail scheme.

The appearance of cranes on the skyline is a cause forcelebration, indicating yet more renewal on the horizon. Theproposals for Park Place, Gateway,Fairfield, Crystal Palace Park,extending the tram system, bringingthe East London Line to WestCroydon are all projects thatreinforce her belief that Croydon isgoing places.

But she does not see everythingthrough rose-tinted glasses. Shedidn’t get to her current position,representing the interests of 20,000businesses in Croydon, without a healthy dose of realism. She knowsthere is room for improvement and has lots of ideas about whatneeds to be done and how it might be achieved.

The town centre itself, she acknowledges, has some roughedges. It could do with smartening-up and some attention to detail.Better behaviour by some of the youngsters who unnecessarily trashthe place, and don’t show sufficient respect, would also be desirable.

Parking remains a key issue. Angelina has welcomedimprovements and is looking forward to the promised NCPinvestment as well as development of a tariff that meets the varyingneeds of those who work in the town and visit to shop and use theabundance of leisure facilities.

And, like many, she is concerned about the gulf between theperception of crime and the reality – something which she feels herbusiness colleagues need to address before the town’s reputation isirreparably damaged.

But for every low there are numerous highs and, having workedin the council’s economic development unit before becoming chiefexecutive of Croydon’s Chamber of Commerce, she has the contactsand confidence to make things happen.

Talk to her for half an hour and the word she uses most readily is“fantastic”. Norbury, where she shares a home with her twochildren, is “fantastic”. District centres scattered around the boroughare “fantastic”. This is a woman who sees strengths throughoutCroydon and whose vision is not limited to the centre of the town.

Above all, she sees the borough’s future as secure, if it makesfull use of the ‘“fantastic” potential of its talented workforce – eventhose who have yet to make their mark.

Angelina thrives on bringingpeople together, inspiring themthrough an evangelical passion andconvincing them to respond fully tothe opportunities Croydon affords.

A champion of partnership, sheregularly meets with directors ofsome of Croydon’s biggestemployers, encouraging them tosupport embryonic business andnurture the talent which runs in a

rich vein through Croydon’s young people. “Give them a chance, givethem a steer and they will deliver”, is her mantra.

“Partnership”, she says, “means working together: largercompanies supporting smaller ones, public and private sectorsunderstanding what makes the other tick.”

But she doesn’t see why civic responsibilities should cease awayfrom the workplace and is very much in favour of everyone playingtheir part for the good of the borough.

Having taught business studies in the classroom, she switched toan adult education role that introduced her to the long-termunemployed and disaffected young people. She knows that theborough needs to improve its skills base if the potential of youngpeople is to be fully realised. That is why she is strongly supportingLegi – the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative that aims to support andpromote a culture of enterprise and economic opportunity within themost deprived parts of the borough. Legi, she believes, could be thelaunch pad for new local businesses.

But, mindful of her own close family upbringing in the Caribbean,she also feels that a return to traditional home values would give agreater sense of direction to young people.

As someone who is constantly bubbling with ideas, Angelinaroutinely seeks out kindred spirits and embraces anyone with aninterest in making Croydon a better place. Her main frustration iswith bureaucracy and inflexible red tape.

Croydon is a town of great potential, and if there’s one person to help it realise that potential it’s the chief executive of Croydon Business

Partnership... means workingtogether: larger companies

supporting smaller ones, publicand private sectors understanding

what makes the other tick.

4 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

4 & 5 10/11/05 10:39 Page 1

“Take procurement, for example. Having worked in the public sector, Iknow the rules. But imagine the difference it would make if organisationsbased in the borough, including the police, council and health trust, had adeliberate policy requiring a percentage of their procurement budget to bespent buying goods and services from within Croydon.

“That would send a strong message of support and keep moneycirculating in the town.”

Her background working in economic development means she has a goodunderstanding of how local authorities can drive area development economy.Her unique contribution to Croydon’s development is her private and public-sector experience, enabling her to see things from both sides of the fence.Her aim is to build bridges, broker introductions and get people to dobusiness together – all with the aim of making Croydon a better place.

And it would be “fantastic” if people could succeed with a smile on their face.

Angelina PurcellJob: Chief executive, Croydon BusinessBorn: JamaicaHome: Norbury since the age of 19Education: Greenwich University as a mature studentCar: Peugeot 206Recreation: GymCurrently reading: 1984... againBest thing about Croydon: Its people, places and varietyMost satisfying work achievement:Seeing businesses I helped startyears ago, still trading and employing othersPersonal ambition: To run abrasserie bookshop on a beachsomewhere in the Caribbean

5C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

4 & 5 10/11/05 10:40 Page 2

W

The 200th anniversary of Lord Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar was marked in Croydon with the raising of the White Ensign at the town hall.

In the presence of the Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Maggie Mansell, and Captain Robert Avis, the Assistant Deputy Lieutenant, members of Croydon’s sea cadets raised the Royal Navy’s premier flag from the balconyoverlooking Katharine Street.

The White Ensign istraditionally flown only from ships or premises of the RoyalNavy but special dispensation was given by the Office of the First Sea Lord for the flag to beflown in Croydon in honour of the historic event.

Guests at the event includedtwo of Croydon’s MPs, MalcolmWicks and Richard Ottaway;Councillor Tony Newman, theleader of the council; Councillor Ian Atkins; cabinet members andformer councillors.

Navy flag raised to mark Battle of Trafalgar bicentenary

The club has been awarded the Sport England Clubmark, a prestigiouskitemark acknowledging the fact that it is a quality sports club; it is one ofonly a handful in the south to receive it.

The club has also earned the British Judo Association’s BronzeRecognition Award, marking the high standards achieved by the club in thepromotion and delivery of judo.

And, to crown a successful year for the club, it isshortly to move to a new international-standard dojo,at the newly rebuilt Sir Philip Game Centre, inMorland Avenue, Addiscombe.

Club chairman Alan Rickard received the awardsfrom the council’s cabinet member for culture andsports, Councillor Stuart Collins (pictured recentlywith club secretary Sheila Hearsey (left) and instructor Danny Harper (right) outside the club’s almost-completed premises).

Alan, who refereed at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics and the ManchesterCommonwealth Games, said: “This is a great honour for our club, whichhas worked hard to ensure high standards are achieved by its membersand volunteers, whether in competition or in organising tournaments.

“We have one player training hard for Olympic qualification andseveral young referees and scorers who we hope will be able to fully contribute at the 2012 Olympics.”

White EnsignFLIES ON TOWN HALL

66 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

Judo club sets sights on 2012With two awards under its black belt and a new home in the offing, Croydon Judo Club is set to make its mark on the London 2012 Olympics

If you do, now is the chance to nominate that person for anaward and to have their stand officially recognised.

As part of its “Together – Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour”campaign, the Home Office has launched the Taking a StandAwards to recognise members of the community who havetaken positive action against anti-social behaviour.

Due to be held in January, they offer the chance for membersof the public to be recognised nationally for their achievementsand 500 winners will net £1,000, with the overall winner taking£5,000, to be put toward improving their local area.

The Safer Croydon Partnership, which works to tackle crimeand anti-social behaviour in Croydon, recognises how importantit is for members of the community to stand up against issuessuch as graffiti, fly-tipping, noise and disorder. Safer Croydonwants to support any nominations as these residents help makeCroydon safer for us all.

If you know somebody who has made an effort to improvetheir community and who deserves to be recognised, you cannominate them by completing a nomination form and returning itbefore 13 January.

More information and nomination forms are available fromLaura Holbeck by email at laura.holbeck@croydon.gov.uk or bycalling

Do you know somebody, an ordinary member ofthe community, who has taken a stand againstanti-social behaviour?

Take a Stand

☎ 020 8726 6000 extn 63021

6 & 7 10/11/05 11:24 Page 1

WINDOWS • DOORS • CONSERVATORIES • FRENCH DOORS • PORCHES

Limited offer - call NOWTerms and conditions apply

■ Ten Year Guarantee■ ISO 9001 Certified■ FMB Approved■ Fensa Registered

Why pay more when you can buy direct from your local doubleglazing manufacturer?

FREE WINDOW OFFER!!

7 windowsfully fittedfrom only

£1,399 + VAT

0800 037 1317020 8239 00950800 037 1317020 8239 0095www.synsealwindowcentre.co.uk

SYNSEAL... The SEAL of Excellence.

UNBEATABLEUNBEATABLESYNSEAL WINDOW CENTRE

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A helping handJUST THE PRESS OF A BUTTON AWAYAlarm service for the vulnerable signs its 1,000th clientIt’s been an alarming 20 months for Croydon Careline. Sincelaunching in April 2004, Croydon Council’s community alarm team hasbeen busy connecting to the service residents who, for one reason oranother, might need help in the event of an emergency.

And now Croydon Carelinehas connected its 1,000thborough resident, a SouthNorwood pensioner – to ascheme which is growingrapidly and proving very popularamong people of all ages.

The service helps residentsfeel safe and secure in theknowledge that, in anemergency, they can get thehelp and assistance they needat the press of a button.

From less than 40p a day,an alarm unit is connected to their telephone line and a nearbyelectrical socket. A pendant is worn, like either a necklace or a

bracelet, and, if assistance is needed atany time of the day or night, pressing thependant’s button will immediatelyconnect the wearer to the contact centre.Experienced operators will reassure thecaller and contact a response team whichwill go to the address and give thenecessary assistance – usually within 30minutes of the call.

Croydon Careline can provide pendantalarms for people who live alone, arefrail or have a disability, those suffering domestic violence, race hate,harassment or who are victims of crime.

The 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year service is unique in Croydon,providing staff who receive ongoing training to enable them to dealwith a variety of emergencies.

For further information, or to arrange a Careline demonstration or installation at a time convenient to you call

☎ 020 8645 7166 or 020 8726 6500

6 & 7 10/11/05 11:25 Page 2

8 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

We have our own 1,000-strongcitizens’ panel, comprising a

representative cross-section of ourcommunities which we frequently use as asounding board for service development.

One of the most significant studies inwhich we regularly participate is a pan-London survey commissioned by theAssociation of London Government (ALG)that asks the same questions each yearacross the whole of the capital. Thisenables accurate comparisons to be drawnwith similar councils and also helps trackprogress over a period of time.

Results of this year’s study – againinvolving more than 1,000 residents – havejust been released. They show that:• Refuse collection remains the top-rated

service with 70% rating it as good orexcellent;

• Ratings for street cleansing, lightingand policing all up;

• Nearly two-thirds believe the council isdoing a good job – higher than London average;

• More people think the council is doingbetter at keeping residents informed,making the area a better place to live,having friendly and polite staff, andlistening;

• There is reduced concern about crime,litter and traffic congestion.

But:• There is more concern about affordable

housing;• In common with Londonwide results,

and in part attributable to high-profilenational news coverage, level ofcouncil tax is a concern to 44%;

• Graffiti, dumped rubbish andabandoned vehicles remain a worry forresidents;

• Litter on streets is seen as a bigproblem by 28% and a lesser problemby 47%.However, it’s not just public feedback

that the council uses to ensure it issatisfying public demand.

How you can make surewe’re delivering

As a listening council, Croydon constantly monitors public feedback on its performance

In 2005/06 we will bespending £436,678,000on public services –

that’s £1,316.48for every resident

8 & 9 10/11/05 10:37 Page 1

We also undertake sophisticatedperformance monitoring, measuring ourperformance on a quarterly basis againstnational “best-value performanceindicators”. Regular progress reports aresubmitted to elected councillors and theirdiscussions on the subject are webcast sothat they can be seen and heard byanybody with internet access.

We are subjected to a rigorous regimeof independent inspections andassessments including routineexaminations by auditors.

And, as if this wasn’t enough, we alsovoluntarily select activities for nationalaward schemes which seek out bestpractice from councils around the country.

The results of this can be seen in thepanel below.

★ Beacon Council status★ Investor in People award★ Commendation for introduction of

Croydoncard, the borough’ssmartcard – awarded by LocalGovernment Chronicle

★ Audit Commission’s granting of“four out of four” status for thecouncil’s benefits team

★ Top-ranking status achieved by thehousing service

★ Two top awards from Campaign forLearning for Family Learning Week

★ Top rating for Local StrategicPartnership

★ Most Innovative Initiative forProduction of Travel Plans toBusiness – awarded by Transport forLondon

★ Silver medal in Large City category,London in Bloom

There is one over-riding reason forvolunteering for peer judgement andtreating inspections and assessments withthe highest regard and that is to ensurethat Croydon Council can be seen to becontinuing to deliver excellent value-for-money services.

In 2005/06 we will be spending£436,678,000 on public services – that’s£1,316.48 for every resident. Much ofwhat we spend comes from Government. Infact, only 25% is raised locally thoughcouncil tax. Most of the balance comes ingrant from the Treasury, either in support ofgeneral activity or as a ring-fenced grantthat can be spent only on key services suchas education or social services.

Our job, as guardians of a very largesum of public money, is to ensure it is spentwisely in support of our vision which is:

To help achieve our vision we have sixcorporate priorities:• Providing better and fairer access• Achieving better outcomes for children

and young people• Improving health and social care• Reducing crime and disorder• Improving the environment• Regenerating the borough.

With the Audit Commission, the townhall watchdog, poised to set toughertargets in its annual assessment, it isalready known that every local authoritycan expect its job to become harder thanever to receive top scores for individualservices and overall categorisation.Councils will be told their new scores later this month when the commission publishes its league tables.

For three consecutive years we havebeen judged “good” and we have missedthe top ranking “excellent” category byonly a very small margin.

In the meantime, it may be worth noting:• Council tax: sixth-lowest in outer London.• Efficiency targets: £11.8 million

efficiency savings already reported,exceeding Government target by morethan £5 million.

• Balances: increased by £1 million in2004/05 and we are on course toincrease them by a further £2 millionthis year.

• Central support costs: low incomparison with other London councils.

• Balance sheet: debt cut by £10.2million in 2004/05.

• Pension fund: best UK councilperformance in 2004/05.Thanks to the introduction of robust

monitoring arrangements, the council isnow preparing detailed budgets over athree-year period, designed to underpin thedelivery of priority services to residents.

The council’s bottom line, then, is thatoverall performance continues to improve,and this has not gone unnoticed by thosebest placed to judge us – residents,customers and Government andindependent inspectorates.

But that doesn’t mean there is anyroom for complacency. Leading membershave already called for a productivity drivein all departments to maximise the returnenjoyed by the public from each member ofstaff and to reflect a determination toachieve further improvements.

Croydon Council’s annual performanceplan can be seen on our website alongwith Serving Local Neighbourhoods,our performance plan for 2005/06.

C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r 9

To create a place which issafer, healthier, more

prosperous and sustainable – a place where people

choose to live, work, visit and socialise, andwhich is addressing the

needs of the future

8 & 9 10/11/05 10:38 Page 2

Disabled people have often felt the reporting of crimes against them has not been treated as seriouslyas it should be

It was standing room only as Croydon North MP MalcolmWicks, the minister for energy, said he believed that the UK's school children can act as a positive force for renewable energy.

He said: “The climate-change challenge isn’t just aboutnational or global targets, new initiatives or newtechnologies. It’s also about winning hearts and minds,especially young hearts and young minds.

“Our schools and our children may become the mostdecisive force for change – a green vanguard urging theirelders on.”

And it was children that played a major part in the day’sproceedings as groups of pupils from local schools acceptedSmarter Croydon awards from the Mayor of Croydon,Councillor Maggie Mansell, for environmental work they havedone in their communities.

Other awards were presented to the winners andrunners-up of Croydon Reports’ Cleanerand Greener in Focus photographiccompetition (pictured are Christopher

Toomey and Richard Scott-Holtwho grabbed the top two placesin the 12 to 18 years category).

Another highlight of the daywas the Encore Fashion Show,featuring garments made fromrecycled materials by UnderCroydonwith the Rainbow Blitz Kids – anexplosion of noise, colour andinnovative design that held theattention of the packed Arnhem Gallery.

The afternoon’s event included thepresentation of awards to the winners

of this year’s Croydon in Bloom competition.

They have long suffered in silence, enduring verbal abuse, spitting,ridicule, intimidation, physical attacks, theft, damage to property,bullying and harassment at school and in the street.

Things, though, are set to change as the first of two eventsaimed at addressing crime against disabled people is scheduled forTuesday, 6 December, in the Arnhem Gallery, Fairfield.

Organised by Croydon Council, Croydon police, CroydonDisability Forum and Victim Support, the conference, running from10am to 4pm, is looking to involve disabled people in improvingservices to victims and in finding ways of reducing these crimes.

The day will involve workshops where disabled people anddisability organisations can help prepare new initiatives. Staff of avariety of agencies will be present to discuss how they can help andwhat is expected of them.

Accessible transport can be arranged to and from theconference, sign language interpreters will be present and there is aloop system in the venue.

For further information, or to book your place, email Sue Jones at Croydon Council at sue.jones@croydon.gov.ukor call

10 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

The recent Greener Croydon one-day conference, held in Fairfield,proved a resounding success as a Government minister, recyclingexperts and clothes designers of tomorrow stressed theimportance of adopting a sustainable lifestyle

☎ 020 8726 6000 extn 64049

☎ 020 8604 7114

Recycling Q&AQ: Is it true that we shouldn’t put usedaerosols in our kerbside-collectionrecycling boxes? I don’t use many butnow that we’re recycling so much ofour household rubbish, I feel guiltyevery time I put an aerosol in the bin.

A: The good news is that it’s convenientand easy to recycle aerosols in Croydon –just treat them as you would any other canand pop them into your recycling box forcollection. Alternatively, you can put theminto any of the can banks dotted around theborough. Remember, to take off the plasticlids and spray buttons before putting themetal aerosols in with your recycling.

Q: I live in a shared house and we’reall keen on recycling but we can’t fitall our old paper, bottles and cans into the one box for our fortnightlycollection. We could take the items toa recycling bank but the nearest oneisn’t that convenient. What can we do?

A: It’s great that you and your housemateshave got into the recycling habit, it’simportant that we all do. Now that CroydonCouncil is collecting a variety of recyclablematerials – and is likely to add to the list –it’s little wonder you can’t fit them all in onebox. The council can supply extra greenboxes; you could keep one for bottles, onefor cans, one for paper, etc. If you don’thave space for more boxes, just put outyour extra recyclables in bags labelled“Recycling” and leave them out with yourbox by 7.30am on collection day. To order extra recycling boxes, call

Green

“Our schools andour children maybecome the mostdecisive force forchange – a greenvanguard urgingtheir elders on.”

Green is the colour

10 & 11 10/11/05 10:33 Page 1

This is necessary in order to:• continue to raise achievement for all

Croydon’s young people• encourage more young people to stay in

education after 16• reduce the distances some young

people need to travel to get theeducation they want – at ages 11 and 16

• make Croydon secondary schools thenatural choice for all Croydon parents.To guide future planning, some general

principles need to be agreed about howsecondary schools should be developed tomeet these aims. The council wants tohear views about the suggested principlesfrom local people and local organisations.

What principles are being suggested?In summary:

Every secondary school-aged student ina Croydon school should be offered aneducation suited to the needs of the 21stcentury and which helps them to achievetheir full potential.

Decisions by schools to becomespecialist schools in particular subjects,(which most already are), or to add newspecialisms, should be coordinated acrossthe borough to offer the best possible rangeand distribution of opportunities.

Secondary schools should be of asufficient size, or have sufficiently strongcollaborative arrangements, to offer broadeducational experiences at a reasonablecost per pupil, and should have facilitiesthat meet modern expectations.

More post-16 provision shouldbe developed, in places where youngpeople want it, including on school andcollege sites, and this should includecourses at a range of levels to encouragemore young people to stay in educationbeyond 16.

There should be more opportunities forstudents currently attending specialschools to gain experience of learning in amainstream setting for part of their timewhere this would be beneficial.

All secondary schools should beencouraged to offer extra services andfacilities to their students beyond thenormal school timetable, and schools insome localities should become accesspoints for other public services.

How to get involvedThe consultation runs until January, and

will be reported in February. Remember, thisis just the first stage, dealing with generalprinciples – it is not about individualschools. But it is important to get theprinciples right, so all contributions to theconsultation will be extremely valuable.Leaflets and questionnaires will bedistributed to parents of primary schoolpupils. A number of meetings will also betaking place around the borough withstakeholders

To find out more, visit the council’swebsite www.croydon.gov.uk, where youwill find further information and aquestionnaire, or telephone

Secondary School development:

Croydon Council has set out on a review of the borough’s secondary schools

The pupils of Oakwood School in Purley have proved they’ve got whatit takes to cope with everyday dangers safely and effectively.

The youngsters from the Godstone Road school were recentlypresented with the winner’s award in this year’s Croydon YoungCitizens Scheme.

The event, spread over six weeks at Fryland Scout Camp inAddington, saw 61 schools taking part, with 3,092 year-six childrenattending.

The scheme provided ten scenarios covering safety on the road,in the home, on trams and buses, with electricity and fire, strangerdanger, drugs and emergency 999 calls.

The children, aged between 10 and 11 years, participated inshort scenes with a common safety theme, be it meeting a stranger,crossing a road safely, dealing with fire or an ill person, knowingabout the dangers of drugs, staying safe on trains and buses, in thestreet and at home.

These provide them with realistic challenges and life skills in asafe and stimulating environment. The emphasis was on theirdiscovering how to deal with such issues themselves with the helpand guidance of the professionals running the scenarios.

Runners-up were pupils from Croydon High School Junior Prep,Selsdon, and third was St Aidan’s Primary School, Coulsdon.

C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r 11

☎ 020 8604 7096

Purley pupils bag young citizens awardYoungsters show they have the ability to deal with dangerous or threatening situations

10 & 11 10/11/05 10:33 Page 2

Heading north out of Croydon town centre, on the A235 London Road,you pass between two eye-catching buildings that each, in its ownway, plays a significant role in Croydon life.

On the right is the sprawling white mass of Mayday UniversityHospital, the borough’s principal medical centre.

Opposite, on the corner of Dunheved Road South, is the creamand red brick edifice that is the Croydon Mosque & Islamic Centre.

The spiritual centre for some 18,000 Muslims from across theCroydon, Mitcham, Waddon, South Norwood and Norbury area, thecurrent building has been on the prominent corner site since workbegan on its construction in 1987.

What might be surprising to many, however, is the fact that amosque had stood on the spot since 1978 when a rather ordinary four-bedroom house was taken over and used for prayers by Muslims.

Before that, the area’s Muslims prayed in a Wellesley Roadproperty rented from Croydon Council and it was during that timethat the Croydon Mosque Association came into being.

Democratically run, with an elected committee and guided andadvised by a team of Trustees, the association oversaw thepurchase of the London Road house and immediately applied forplanning permission to build an Islamic centre.

In addition to needing somewhere to attend daily prayers, thearea’s Muslims were keen to establish a bespoke centre that wouldmeet educational, welfare and social needs.

Research and consultation with architects and the local Muslimcommunity resulted in plans being drawn up which incorporated thebasic ingredients of Islamic architecture while ensuring that thebuilding blended with the environment in which it would sit.

To be a Muslim, one has only to sincerely say: “I know thereis no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet”.

Initial fears expressed by local residents that an amplified callto prayers would regularly ring out across the neighbourhood froma minaret were quelled when the association said that, whilecommonplace in eastern countries, the practice was rare inthis country.

Although the original plans for the mosque included a minaret,the traditional tower never saw the light of day as the progress ofthe design and construction saw changes made.

The building work was carried out in two phases, with eachcosting about £600,000, money that was raised from a variety ofsources, including the local business community, members of thecongregation and overseas contributions. At one stage, however, itlooked as though the project would not be finished as funds ran out.

Among the overseas donations was a surprise gift of £5,000,received from the then-president of Pakistan, General Zia, after theCroydon Mosque Association had sent money, via the DeputySpeaker of the House of Commons and Croydon MP BernardWeatherill, to aid Afghan refugees.

The first phase of the building work ended in 1987 but it wasanother seven years before the mosque was completed with theconstruction of the wing that fronts London Road.

We’re keen to embrace the widerCroydon community and we’re currentlylooking to other organisations to set up

partnerships; for example, to help us with our youth work.

When it was decided to build Croydon’s first bespoke mosque, the £1.2 millionprice tag nearly proved too much of a hurdle. But the money was found and nextyear the Croydon Mosque and Islamic Centre celebrates its 20th anniversary

LOOKINGLOOKINGto the East

12 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

12 & 13 10/11/05 10:44 Page 1

A major consideration when equipping and furnishing thebuilding was establishing the exact direction of Mecca, whichMuslims must face when praying. Surveyors were contracted and,using coordinates based on the Crystal Palace radio masts,ascertained that the niche occupied by the mosque’s senior member,the imam, when leading prayers was in the corner of the main hall.

The centrepiece of the split-level main hall is a magnificentchandelier, suspended from the ceiling of the floor above andthrough a circular opening. The hall’s ground floor is where theimam leads the men in prayer, while the galleried upper floor iswhere the women and children assemble.

Currently, the mosque has two imams – Imam Yusef Danka andImam Muhammad Ashraf Hansrot – to serve the large andwidespread congregation. And they oversee a wide range ofactivities carried out within and around the building.

Worship and religious studies, of course, constitute the mainwork but, in addition to those, funeral rites, education, exhibitionson Islamic culture, youth work, language classes, IT studies andcounselling have a role to play in the day-to-day life of the mosque.

And, with its close proximity to Mayday Hospital, most days seeone of the imams visiting patients or talking to patients’ relatives,offering sympathy, advice or just listening. Links with the hospitalare strong and a recent collection among the congregation raisedfunds for a children’s ward.

If in a financial position to be able to do so, a Muslim isrequired to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least

once during their lifetime.

This year has, of course, seen two major disasters strike areasof the world with large Muslim populations. Following the tsunamiwhich struck south-east Asia at the beginning of the year, themosque raised £25,000 for the relief fund. And £35,000 wascollected to aid those caught up in the south Asian earthquake in October.

Many worshippers either knew or had relatives involved in thedisasters and the imams spent a lot of time with those affected.

The mosque has in place a well-structured management systemcomprising a council of 100-plus members and an executive teamthat sets policy.

And a good relationship with Croydon Council is consideredparticularly important, with regular meetings with councillors todiscuss issues of concern.

Muslims pray five times a day, from before sunrise to nightprayers, wherever possible gathering the family together.

But Tanveer Sajjid, the mosque’s general secretary, concedesthat more bridge-building work is required: “There are areas inwhich we need to improve relations, particularly in light of recentevents. We’re keen to embrace the wider Croydon community andwe’re currently looking to other organisations to set up partnerships;for example, to help us with our youth work.

“Generally, though, we don’t have any gaps in our relationshipsand whenever we have an issue it’s usually resolved in an amicable fashion.”

This is the sixth of Croydon Reports’ Seven Wonders ofCroydon. The five featured so far are Beanos, All Saints’Church in Sanderstead, South Norwood Country Park, WhitgiftAlmshouses and Fairfield. With only one more to go, this is yourlast chance to consider what your personal Wonder of Croydonis. We hope to take the total to 10 and numbers eight,nine and 10 will be decided on the numberof votes your choices achieve.The names of all whovote for the most popularselection will go into ahat and the winning namewill, provisional uponpermission being granted,visit their choice with theMayor of Croydon, CouncillorMaggie Mansell, on amutually agreed date.

13C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

12 & 13 10/11/05 10:46 Page 2

Top awards from yourIt’s been a bumper prize year for Croydon Council with the hard work we’ve put in to ensure that wedeliver and continue to improve a range of services that we can be proud of and that you have toldus you want

With the sixth-lowest council tax of all the outer London boroughs, Croydon is proud to boastit continues to offer its residents services of an exemplary standard which deliver almostunequalled value for money.

But it isn’t just the council saying that – a string of awards and commendations over the past year show that Croydon Council’s efficiencies and prudent management have beenrecognised as models of excellence that can be held up as examples to local authoritiesacross the country.

The housing service achieved itstop-ranking status thanks to a series

of excellent results includingreturning 260 private-sectorvacant dwellings intooccupation; rent collectionexceeding the set target, rising to97.3%; and by lifting the council intothe top 25% of local authorities forcarrying out responsive repairs.

The benefits team walked off with the first-prize trophy from The Institute ofRevenues Rating and Valuation for the

great work it did in taking the service back in-house from an outside contractor.

At a gala dinner held in Manchester, guest host andformer Great Britain athlete Roger Black announced that Croydon Council employees had scooped the Excellencein Education, Training and Development award, beating stiff competition from other finalists fromWolverhampton, West Gloucestershire and Sefton.

14 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

Arguably the mostnotable achievement was attaining BeaconCouncil status, back inMarch. This was not the firsttime the council had beenawarded the prestigious “localgovernment Oscar” – in 2001 Croydon won double Beaconstatus, for its work in the areasof health and town-centreregeneration.

This time, however, theaward underlined the council’scommitment to the people thatmatter most – its residents –and the authority acknowledgedthe part played by partnerorganisations and voluntarygroups in gaining it. The officialline was for “Getting Closer toCommunities” and, to win it, thecouncil had to provide evidenceof how it is supporting thedevelopment of communities.

Croydon’s commitment to sport and the 2012 Olympics has beenrewarded with funding of £150,000per year on behalf of the SouthLondon Partnership (SLP). The councilhas agreed to be the AccountableBody for SLP’s hosting of the newSouth London Sports Partnership,which, once set up (by next April), will play a significant role incoordinating plans for London 2012 insouth London. With Croydon as thehost, it will be spearheading the wayfor south London’s Olympic plans.

As a lead agency, Croydon willautomatically have a place on theboard of the new South LondonSports Partnership and be in a betterposition to receive any additionalfunding from Sport England that links with sport plans for the sub-region and more locally.

14 - 15 new 9/11/05 18:10 Page 1

councilprize-winning council

The internationally recognised Investor in People award was won by Croydon Council for a second time after each of itsdepartments went through a rigorous assessment which saw 120 staff at all levels questioned about their experience of working for the council.

The council’s green policies led to itsdrawing up new travel plan guidelinesfor businesses and, such were theireffectiveness, they won the Transportfor London title of the Most InnovativeInitiative for Production of Travel Plansto Business. The title may be amouthful but, as a consequence ofCroydon’s efforts, TfL is likely to drawon the council’s enterprise when

preparing London-wide guidance for businesses.

Croydon’s transportbosses were unable to find

existing clear and uncomplicatedguidance and went back to thedrawing board to look at the issuefrom a business angle to producesimple advice on promoting cleanerand greener staff travel choices.

TfL judgeswere alsoimpressed bythe council’ssupport tobusiness, inparticular itsone-stop shop EnvironmentalBusiness Excellence (Envibe) whichalso runs a local award scheme forborough businesses that develop and excel in environmentallyresponsible activity.

And, underlining Croydon’s commitment to recycling andsustainability, in mid-November Mayor Ken Livingstone presentedthe council with the trophy for winning the Best Public SectorOrganisation category in his Green Procurement Awards. As well as helping the environment by using recycled products, the policy saves council tax payers’ money.

Social services slotted into the “Best” band by exceeding targets forthe number of households whichreceived intensive home care, andachieving more than 90% of targetfor an acceptable waitingtime for clients receivingcare packages.

The planning department achieved its best results for the speed in which it processes planning applications. Over a four-month period 82% of minor and 93% of other applicationswere determined within the statutory eight-weekperiod, figures well in excess of Government targets.The total number of decisions taken in the sameperiod, at 1,183, was also a record figure.

And delegates at the Annual Sustainable Development Conference in September weretold that Croydon is one of the country’s top authorities in matters of green policies, withits planners, in particular, being praised for their “excellent pioneering work”.

The council’s embracing of computer-based technologyresulted in a top award for its introduction of a smartcard

that includes numerous local applications. Croydon was the only London borough to receive a commendation in the

e-government category of the annual national awards for localgovernment run by the magazine Local Government Chronicle.

The computer-chipped multi-function Croydoncard can be used in local libraries, and leisure centres and, byincorporating Transport for London’s oyster card, can also be used as a season ticket or for one-off journeys by bus, tram and theLondon Underground.

Campaign for Learning, the national lifelonglearning charity, decided no other authority could

match Croydon’s efforts when it came to organisingevents for the annual Family Learning Week. Each year,Croydon Family Learning Forum organises a week of freeactivities around the borough as part of the nationalcampaign to raise the awareness of the important role thefamily plays in learning at all stages in our lives. The 2004

event was recognised for the bestFamily Learning event for sports andleisure and, for the second yearrunning, the Family Learning event in a town centre.

15C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

14 - 15 new 10/11/05 13:44 Page 2

Services paid for by council tax payers & business rate payers

How Croydon compares

How the money was spent – £730.1m Where the money came from – £730.1mI N C O M EE X P E N D I T U R E B Y S E R V I C E

Outer London Average

Croydon

Sutton

Lewisham

Merton

Bromley

Kingston

Council Tax (£)

Population (000)

Area (hectares)

1000

1200

1400

800

600

400

200

0

1000

1400

1200

800

600

400

200

0

£1,040.49

£1,141.29

£1,180.17

£1,209.43

£1,308.69

£1,165.47

£1,201.02

238.3

180.9

253.8

296.8

194.2

150.2

341.2

3,724

3,758

15,015

3,516

4,386

6,36

2

8,650

Interest £1.0m (0.1%)

Council Tax£112.7m(15.5%)

Revenue Support Grant£165.1m (22.6%)

Government Grants£227.4m (31.1%)

Housing General Fund

£175.7m (24.1%)

Social Services£146.5m(20.1%)

Fees andCharges & Other£129.9m(17.8%)

Highways &Transport Services£34.0m (4.6%)

Other £75.4m(10.3%) Education

£298.5m(40.9%)

BusinessRates

£94.0m(12.9%)

• Croydon has the 6th lowest council tax inouter London.

• Croydon’s council tax was £1,165.47 perband D property for 2004/05.

• The number of band D equivalentproperties was estimated to be 127,106.

• The population of Croydon is the highestin outer London.

• Net revenue expenditure for Croydon in2004/05 equalled £1,087 per person.

• Gross expenditure per band D equivalenthousehold was £5,744.

• Council tax is the council’s mainindependent source of income.Properties are placed in eight valuationbands (A-H), with householders withproperties in higher bands paying morethan those in lower bands.

facts

E X P E N D I T U R E B Y T Y P E

Running Expenses£433.0m(59.3%)

Staff Costs £292.6m (40.1%)

Cost of Borrowing £4.5m (0.6%)

16 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

16 & 17 finance 05 9/11/05 18:05 Page 1

Social Services£2.2m (4.1%)

Grants and OtherContributions

£11.8m (21.7%)

Environment£7.6m (14.0%)

Education£9.0m (16.6%)

Planning &Transportation£2.8m (5.2%)

Housing £25.0m (45.9%)

Other General Fund Services£7.7m (14.2%)

Other £5.6m (10.4%)

Education3,944.27(53.9%)

Central 831.62 (11.3%)Social Services

1,174.72 (16.0%)

Capital Receipts£8.7m (16.0%)

Loans£28.2m (51.9%)

What Croydon spent on capital projects 2004/05 – £54.3m

Housing 355.78 (4.9%)

Capital projects refer to money spent onmajor construction, refurbishment, newroads, purchase of land, buildings andvehicles, and civil engineering works. Theexpenditure is mainly financed by loans,grants and capital receipts from the sale ofland and buildings. An example of this is Thornton Heath Leisure complex.

H O W T H E E X P E N D I T U R E W A S F I N A N C E DE X P E N D I T U R E B Y S E R V I C E

facts

Availability of informationTo promote access to the accounts and make themunderstandable to all users we will be holding anopen day on Thursday 8 December 2005 in the One-Stop Reception at Taberner House between 9am and 4.30pm.

Finance staff will be available to answer questionsfrom visiting members of the public or anyinterested party about the content or format of thecouncil’s accounts or more generally about thecouncil’s finances.

Annual Accounts 2004/05 For your free copy of Croydon’s annual accountsplease write to:

Corporate Finance, Finance and Resources Department, Croydon Council, Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 3JS.

They can also be viewed at the website:www.croydon.gov.uk/councilanddemocracy/finance/MainAccounts/

Staffing distribution 31 March 2005Total staff numbers 7,323.96

expressed as Full-Time Equivalents

Environmental,Cultural & SportsServices 870.69 (11.9%)

Planning &Transportation146.88 (2.0%)

17C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

16 & 17 finance 05 9/11/05 18:05 Page 2

18 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

Talking to people and taking note of what they say is at the centre ofCroydon Council’s way of doing things.

To drive that message home, Councillor Tony Newman, theleader of the council, has undertaken a programme of walkaboutswhich will see him visit all of the borough’s 23 neighbourhoods,having already taken in Waddon, Coulsdon,Shirley and Norbury.

Joined by fellow councillors, includingPaul Scott and Ian Atkins, and localrepresentatives, the visits have revealed thatmany of the concerns voiced are largelycommon across the borough – but,encouragingly, that solutions are often inplace and that people are noticingimprovements.

There will always be things that needfurther improvement, but the important message is that, as long asthe council listens to people’s views and communicates properly, theywill usually understand why things are as they are.

The most common points raised concerned the behaviour ofresidents and businesses – and fortunately Croydon has a wholerange of initiatives under way to tackle those who make lifeunpleasant for others!

Typical complaints included littering, dog fouling and graffiti.Croydon’s responses to these problems are generally effective and,once we have been notified of a particular problem, a solution canoften be found.

The council’s newly supplied wheeled bins sparked favourablecomments, with the vast majority of residents delighted with the new service.

Mainly positive feedback on the green box kerbside recyclingscheme was gratifying. Councillor Newman is very aware that we

have a huge challenge ahead of us to meet theGovernment’s ambitious recycling targets, andit is largely down to residents to help improveour current performance in this important area.

Council leader steps out on first wave of walkabouts, giving him a first-hand opportunity to hearwhat concerns the borough’s residents.

Down your way

Croydon culture gets a boost over the Christmas period when thetown hosts a theatrical world premiere.

Renowned for its exciting and alternative Christmas shows, theWarehouse Theatre, in Dingwall Road, is to stage Woody Allen’sMurder Mysteries, adapted and directed by Janey Clarke, from Friday,9 December, to Sunday, 19 February.

In the 1970s and 1980s Hollywood legend Woody Allen wrote aseries of short stories for the newspaper The New Yorker, boasting asharp, black, very condensed humour with a wicked, irresistible bite.

This is the first time Allen has given permission for his work to beadapted in this way. Seductive songs with original live jazz will linkthese comic dramas set in 1940s’ New York.

With a unique twist on prohibition, art deco, organised crime andblonde bombshells with a brain, Woody Allen’s Murder Mysteries is abig razzle-dazzling, jazzy, sensational evening.

Kaiser Lupowitz, Private Eye, has seen it all, then a dynamiteblonde asks him to find “Mr Big”. How will he hunt down the First

Cause of All Things, the Underlying Principle, the Most Elusive Guy in the whole of New York City? With his sharp mind and deadly charisma, Lupowitz takes up thechallenge and sees through the mysteryblonde’s disguise after dinner and drinks.

The Warehouse Theatre offersyou the chance to wine and dinewhile enjoying the show. Lupowitz’sNew York Diner Menu can beordered before the performance andthe menu is available on thewebsite atwww.warehousetheatre.co.uk For tickets and table reservations,call

Woody Allen short stories get the Warehouse treatment

☎ 020 8680 4060

18 &19 new 9/11/05 18:36 Page 1

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

19C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

Usual collection day

Monday 26 December

Tuesday27 December

Wednesday28 December

Thursday29 December

Friday30 December

Altered collection day

Tuesday27 December

Wednesday28 December

Thursday29 December

Friday30 December

Saturday31 December

As well as being a time of festive joy and happiness, Christmas canbe a bit of a headache when it comes to dealing responsibly withthe mountains of waste that can build up.

This year Croydon Council will be doing more than ever toensure that as much recyclable material as possible isdisposed of in a responsible manner and won’t be going to abig hole in the ground somewhere in the countryside.

Shops in the borough, including WHSmith and Tesco, will have special bins to accept Christmas cards for recycling.

While people are encouraged to consider moresustainable alternatives, those opting for the traditionalChristmas tree will be able to put theirs out for collectionbetween Monday, 2 and Monday, 9 January. The tree will

then be collected by Friday, 13 January. If leaving a tree out forcollection, it should be left in a clearly visible position at the frontof your property.

Trees left for collection will be taken to the council’s facilityat Conduit Lane to be chipped and used as compost.

Refuse collections in the week after Christmas – Tuesday,27 to Saturday, 31 December – will take place one day later

than usual. If, for instance, your collection is usually on aTuesday, that week it will be on the Wednesday; Friday’scollection will be moved to Saturday.

Green kerbside recycling box collections during thatweek will also be a day later than usual.

Collections the following week, beginning Monday, 2 January, will be as usual.

We’re dreaming of a GREEN Christmas

Christmas holiday period refuse and recycling collections

Excess food, gift wrappings, wilting Christmas trees – all have to be dealt with once the last crackerhas been pulled. This year Croydon Council is trying to make it all as easy as possible for you

18 &19 new 9/11/05 18:31 Page 2

Bullying is high on the agenda of manyagencies thanks to the amount of publicity ithas received from the general news media.

Those media tend to concentrate onbullying in schools and, to a lesser extent,workplace bullying.

An area that has been largelyoverlooked, however, is that of bullyingwithin local communities, particularly thataimed at disabled people, and its effect ontheir families.

A not untypical case is that of 13-year-old James, who lives with his mother, Elena,on a Croydon housing estate.

Elena has cerebral palsy and notablelearning difficulties and her visible disabilityhas made her a target for a local gang,which torments the family daily. They aresubjected to verbal abuse, bricks thrownthrough their windows and the gang waitingnear their home to torment them if they popto the shops. Living with such a high level ofdisability is hard enough; the family doesnot need the added torment of living inconstant fear.

Young carers face a range of difficultiesin relation to life outside the home. With a

continual burden of care, many young carersdo not have the time to play or simply hangout at a friend’s house.

Young carers can find they don’t haveopportunities to develop social skills andcan spend a lot of time feeling very muchalone. Most children and young peoplecannot relate to the amount of adultresponsibility assumed by their young carer peers.

The caring role is not the norm for theirage group. They need support. Splitting upthe family is rarely the answer. Somefamilies need a little more help than others,

and they certainly don’t need the harassmentthat comes from ignorant prejudice.

But it is not only young carers who facedifficulties; adult carers also experiencebullying within their neighbourhoods.

“M” cares for his wife, who suffersfrom severe depression and epilepsy, aswell as a child with Global DevelopmentDelay, which means the child has both aphysical and learning disability. “M” alsohas responsibility of care for two otheryoung children.

After long negotiations with the housingdepartment, the family moved from a centralCroydon flat to a dream house in SouthCroydon and was happy.

Unfortunately, the dream lasted only ashort time as his disabled child became avictim of bullying by local children. “M”challenged the bullies but received a back-lash when the parents of those children got involved and started abusing the whole family.

Stones and eggs were thrown at thedoors and windows of the family home and“M” was subjected to constant verbal abuseuntil the police got involved.

It’s not only in the playground or office that bullying takes place – people doing a valuablebut often unheralded job can also suffer at the hands of the tormentors

20 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

“I thought I had theright to live in this

community with dignityand respect as anyoneelse does, but I felt Ihave no protection.

20 & 21 9/11/05 18:28 Page 1

☎ 020 8721 2906

☎ 020 8407 1385

21C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

Crystal Palacegets first cross-borderpolice teamThe first cross-border SaferNeighbourhood Team recently went live in Crystal Palace Triangle,covering parts of Lambeth andBromley, as well as Croydon. Initiallybased at Gypsy Hill Police Station, it is hoped the team will move intopremises at the heart of thecommunity in nearby Westow Street early in the new year. The team comprises: Sgt Spencer Ogilvie,Pc Charles Tresham, Pc Sally Roberts,PCSO Lillian Wiliamson, PCSO ChrisHoryna, PCSO Emma Leaman andPCSO Andrew Haynes. The public can contact the Crystal PalaceTriangle Safer Neighbourhood Team on

Croydon’s newplanning systemThe Government has introduced a new planning system which requires local authorities to preparea collection of important planning policy documents called the LocalDevelopment Framework (LDF). This new system places an emphasis on early engagement with local communities, businessesand organisations in developingideas and options to include in these plans and documents. If you would like to find out moreinformation about Croydon’s LDF,including how you can becomeinvolved in its production, thenplease visit www.croydon.gov.uk/ldfor call Croydon’s policy and strategy team on

CorrectionIn the key to the Tramlink map (page 18, November edition CroydonReports) the unbroken red line wasincorrectly captioned. The captionshould have read: “Tramlinkextensions under consideration”. Weapologise for any misunderstandingthis may have caused.

ne

ws

in b

rief

According to his own statement, he felt he was vulnerable due to his familymembers’ disability and his ethnicbackground. He could not speak up forhimself because he has language barriersand was treated as a foreigner.

The situation has improved since he hasreceived support from the council, policeand Croydon Carers Contact.

When asked about the safety andsecurity of himself and his family living in acommunity ‘“M” said: “I thought I had theright to live in this community with dignityand respect as anyone else does, but I felt I have no protection.

“I wish I was English andnot a foreigner.”

The majority offamilies coping withdisability handle life’schallenges admirably.However, they areoften more vulnerableto crime. As acommunity, we should begiving as much focus andattention as possible to help keepthem safe, particularly within their ownneighbourhoods and homes.

Croydon’s Better Understanding Group(Bug) is run by people with learning

disabilities and supported by social services.It is currently working on a project toproduce a video/DVD and hopes to use thisto form part of a training pack aboutkeeping safe from crime.

It is hoped that the video will helppeople with learning disabilities to keepsafe from crime and abuse. A communityliaison officer from the police will also beinvolved in the production of the video.

Also, the council’s equalities unit, intandem with the police, will be launching asafety campaign in December. Theequalities unit has asked Bug to contributeto this by assisting with a crime survey ofpeople with learning disabilities on behalf

of the Metropolitan Police.The information gathered from

the survey will assist the police tounderstand better the effects ofcrime and bullying on people withlearning disabilities. It will alsohelp them to decide what action to

take in order to help this group ofpeople to keep safe from crime and

abuse in the future.A further advantage is that the

information gathered will support bids forfunding for projects linked to keeping safeand protecting people with disabilities fromcrime, abuse and bullying.

20 & 21 9/11/05 18:02 Page 2

Neighbourhood Partnership meetingsDate Meeting Venue

18 Jan South Norwood andSelhurst

25 Jan Sanderstead, Crohamand Selsdon & Ballards

1 Feb Addiscombe, Woodsideand Ashburton

8 Feb New Addington andFieldway

22 Feb Broad Green andWaddon

Polish Community Centre,Oliver Grove, South Norwood

St John’s Church Hall, UpperSelsdon Road, Selsdon

Ashburton Community School,Shirley Road, Addiscombe

Applegarth School, Calley Down Crescent, New Addington

TBC

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Do you receive benefits?

Are you looking for replacement furnitureor a safe and reliable fridge or cooker?

Croydon residents are lucky to have access to two trustworthy sources of dependable, second-hand goods.

The Cherry Orchard Furniture Project runs a furniture shop atthe rear of Strand House, in Nursery Road, Thornton Heath. The shop is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays,between 10am and 2:30pm, and is run by project staff andvolunteers, with help from people with disabilities who attendthe Cherry Orchard Day Centre.

For more information, email project manager Dave Ward at dave.ward@croydon.gov.uk or call him on

ARC (Appliance Re-use Centre)The showroom and warehouse, in Grafton Road, Waddon, offersrefurbished, guaranteed electricalappliances and reused furniture to people in need.

If you are on a low income and need furniture orappliances, phone ARC for information on how to access the service.

To donate your unwanted appliance or item of furniture,call to discuss our collection service.

☎ 020 8681 6721

☎ 020 8689 2625

☎ 020 8662 800222 C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

To submit a question to a cabinet member at a Scrutiny Sub-committee Q&A session, email it to scrutiny.public.questions@croydon.gov.uk,fax it to 020 8760 5657, print and complete the form at www.croydon.gov.uk/scrutinyquestion and post it to Scrutiny Public Questions,Democratic and Legal Services,Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 3JS or telephone

Details of all Croydon Council meetings, including those to be webcast, can be found on the council website atwww.croydon.gov.uk/meetingsofthecouncil

Deadlines for forthcoming Scrutiny Sub-committee public question sessionsNoon on each relevant deadline dateDate Meeting Deadline

6 Dec Safe and inclusive communities in Croydon 7 Nov

13 Dec A clean and green Croydon 14 Nov

10 Jan Working and living in Croydon 12 Dec

17 Jan Healthy and caring n/a

24 Jan Learning and leisure in Croydon 23 Dec

31 Jan A clean and green Croydon n/a

7 Feb Council tax 9 Jan

21 Feb Safe and inclusive communities in Croydon 23 Jan

☎ 020 8726 6000 extn 62529 or 62315

22 & 23 new 9/11/05 17:54 Page 1

www.croydon.gov.uk/leisuredecember

ONin croydon

23C l e a n e r S a f e r G r e e n e r

december

The Constant Gardener Thumbsucker Madagascar The Intruder Mrs Henderson PresentsFactotum Oliver Twist Murderball

It’s a Wonderful Life Adventures of Shark Boy Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-RabbitWhere the Truth Lies Nanny McPhee

Thursday 1 DecemberMitcham Common midweekmeanderCome and join the Mitcham CommonPreservation Society for a gentle 90-minute stroll around this importantwildlife site. Meet at Mill HouseEcology Centre, Windmill Road,Mitcham, at 10.30am.Nearest Bus: 264,118.Nearest Tram: Beddington Lane

Sunday 4 December Winter bird walksChoose between two times for thiswalk looking at the many birds thatwinter at the lake at South NorwoodCountry Park. Meet the countrysidewardens at 7.30am or 11am for a 90-minute to two-hour walk. Meeting point for both walks is the Visitor Centre.Nearest Tram: ArenaNearest Bus: 312

Sunday 4 December Winter wonderland in the quarryJoin a local geologist and theRiddlesdown to Whyteleafe countrysidewarden on a tour through theRiddlesdown Quarry. Due to populardemand, early booking is essential for this two- to three-hour walk. Call to reserve your place.

Wednesday 7 DecemberWinter wander in Birch & Rowdown WoodsLearn the history of these two ancientboundary woods and enjoy the freshwinter air. This is a linear walk and youwill need a bus pass to get back to thestart point or Croydon. Meet thecommunity partnership officer, for thistwo- to three-hour walk, at the entranceto Rowdown Wood, between KestrelWay and Rowdown Crescent. Nearest Bus: T32

Sunday 11 DecemberSunday mornings on MitchamCommon.Come and enjoy this surprisingly variedwildlife site on this two-hour walk.Meet at the Ecology Centre, WindmillRoad, Mitcham at 10.30. Nearest buses: 264, 118.Nearest tram: Beddington Lane.For more information contact

Sunday 18 DecemberHappy Valley winter tree ID and folkloreJoin the warden for a 90-minute, two-mile walk looking at the trees of HappyValley & Devilsden Wood. Learn how toidentify winter trees from their bark, budsand twigs, and find out why Boy Scoutsnever camp under elm trees! Meet at the Farthing Downs car park at 2pm.Nearest Bus: 60, 405Nearest train: Coulsdon South, walk one mile up Downs Road.

UPFRONT COMEDY CLUB:The Good, The Bad and The FunnyThursday 1 December 8pm – first act on stage 8.30pmSardonic Brummie John Simmit is“streetwise yet silly” (Evening Standard),he crosses comic swords with thedistinctly humorous worldview of DJturned bouncer, turned comedy wideboyQuincey. Plus guests.£10, £7 concessions.

Juan Martin, Flamenco Guitarist – In Concert2 December 8pmA celebrated virtuoso of the flamenco guitar,Juan Martin has beenvoted one of the topthree guitarists in theworld by the US magazine, Guitar Player. “Guitarist Juan Martín reminds us of thepower and the beauty of flamenco pureand simple…”The Independent.£11, £7.50 concessions

Dracula Wednesday 7 to Saturday 10 December 8pm. (Matinees Thurs. 1.30pm. Sat. 3pm.)Company F.Z lead you on a dark,grotesque journey through the psychologyand mythology of Dracula, blood sucker.Beautiful and frightening by turns, weinvite you to experience the threat andsuspense of Dracula through a fusion ofmovement, theatre and live music. £11, £7.50 concessions, (Friday matinee 1.30pm £7.50, £5.50concessions)

Lynn Manning in WeightsMonday 12 December 8pmLynn Manning is an American award-winning playwright, poet, actor,Paralympic silver medallist and formerBlind Judo World Champion. Heaccomplished all of this after being shotand blinded in a Hollywood bar at age 23.Weights is a one-man show telling thestory through characterisations, tightprose, poetry and humour of that fatefulnight and how Lynn deals with this twist of fate.£11, £7.50 concessions

F I L M S I N T H E D A V I D L E A N C I N E M A

L I V E E V E N T S A T T H E C L O C K T O W E R

12A

U U

U

U

U

☎ 07771 715812

☎ 07771 715812

Mrs Henderson

presents

G U I D E D W A L K S & W I L D L I F E E V E N T S

15

18

15

15

15

15

PG

Wallace & Gromit

22 & 23 new 9/11/05 17:55 Page 2

Most of the work we do for you can be grouped in to just a dozen areas. So we’ve set up 12 distinct phone numbers –each of which will be answered by staff with specialist knowledge.

From now on you can get straight through to someone who really understands your specific needs. This will makecalling the council quicker, simpler and more efficient.

If you’re not sure who you need to speak to, call our new general enquiries number – 020 8726 6000.

Housing

Environmental Reporting

Registration Services

Children, Youth, FamiliesSchools

Social Services for Adults

Business Advice &Council Partners

Life in the Community

Planning &Building Control

Leisure &Continuing Education

Revenues & Benefits

Streets & Transport

General Enquiries

020 8726 6100

020 8726 6200

020 8726 6300

020 8726 6400

020 8726 6500

020 8726 6600

020 8726 6700

020 8726 6800

020 8726 6900

020 8726 7000

020 8726 7100

020 8726 6000

For all council tenancy issues, housing options and private sector housingenquiries.

For reporting pests, dead animals, litter, dog mess, leaves, graffiti, noise,missed rubbish collection and fly-tipping, to arrange bulky waste collectionsand get information about trade waste and recycling.

To notify change of address, arrange for the registration of births, marriagesand deaths, find out about Croydon crematorium and cemeteries, arrange toattend a citizenship ceremony and get information about election matters.

For information and assistance concerning child protection, drug and alcoholservices, adoption and fostering, children with a disability and other familysocial services issues.

For information about school places, Early Years and childcare, special needseducation, general education enquiries, bullying and harassment, studentloans, youth services and making complaints about education.

For information and assistance concerning homecare, residential care, drugand alcohol services, mental health, domestic violence, learning disabilitiesand physical disabilities (including sensory impairment).

For business advice (for rates contact Revenues and Benefits) and working inpartnership with the council.

For consumer advice, health and safety, crime and disorder, antisocialbehaviour and harassment issues.

For advice and application information on planning and building control issues.

For information and assistance concerning libraries, parks, sports and leisurecentres, leisure events, continuing education training services (CETS) andfurther education.

For advice and applications on housing and council tax benefits, business rates and other benefits, payment of council tax.

For reporting street lighting, street cleaning issues, road damage and safety,trees, abandoned vehicles and parking issues; and advice on supported travel services.

For ‘Who do I contact?’ enquiries, asking for someone by name, generalinformation requests, council job vacancies, council and community meetingsinformation, language support services and Minicom communication.

Croydon CouncilWe’re making it easier for you to contact us

Calling�

24 10/10/05 12:25 Page 1