Croydon Council met on 16 July 2025, and among other business, agreed to changes to the council's constitution, and debated petitions relating to plant-based food and local issues. The council also discussed concerns raised by residents in Croydon Question Time.

Tributes and Congratulations

Councillor Richard Chatterjee, Civic Mayor, began the meeting by acknowledging the passing of former mace bearer Anthony Carlos, who served Croydon council for 30 years, and the deaths of four Croydon residents in the India Ahmedabad plane crash.

He also congratulated Croydon residents Dolores Collins, Bishop Mark Nicholson and Rosalind Frances Barbara Jones, who were recognised in the King's Birthday Honours List.

Urgent Business

Councillor Richard Chatterjee advised that a member petition, submitted before the deadline but initially rejected due to issues with the validity of the signatures, would be included in the evening's agenda as item 7. The issues had since been resolved.

Croydon Question Time

Members of the public and councillors raised questions to Mayor Jason Perry and the executive.

• Council Finances: Mr Costa Dixiades asked when Croydon Council's finances would be back in the black. Councillor Jason Cummings, Cabinet Member for Finance, responded that without significant government intervention, the council would not exit its current deficit position at any time in the future. Mr Dixiades expressed his frustration at the council's financial situation, stating that the only people suffering were the residents of Croydon.
• Housing Repairs: Mr Andrew Robertson asked why the council could not change the housing repair system, stating that he had called officers multiple times to fix his boiler since January 2025, and nobody responded. Councillor Lynne Hale, Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes, responded that the heating was restored, and that the council had apologised and offered redress in recognition of the service failure. She also stated that the council had reviewed its service offer and introduced outbound calls from contractors to residents 48 hours prior to their appointment.
• London Mayor's Policies: Mr Peter Morgan asked the council to list the six policies of the London mayor that the council considers most important and that it fully supports, and the six policies that it does not support. Mayor Jason Perry responded that the council supports and challenges a broad range of policies from the mayor of London and works with London councils and the Greater London Authority on many of these policies.
• Pension Fund Investments: Ms Ita Gallagher asked Councillor Callton Young OBE, chair of the council's pension committee, to honour his commitment to meet with members of Croydon Divest to discuss the council's pension funds, which are invested in companies complicit in war crimes and apartheid. Councillor Young responded that he was still very much interested in meeting, but that he must await background advice from officers. He proposed that they meet on 25 July.
• Climate Change Training: Mr Sam Baker asked how many council staff and how many councillors have completed carbon literacy or climate-free workshops. Councillor Scott Roche, Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, responded that the climate team is carbon literacy certified, and that there are 11 officers and one councillor who have attended the climate frisk training.
• Housing Retirement Complex Heating: Mr Paul Brady asked when his heating would be fixed. Councillor Lynne Hale responded that the main communal boiler at his housing complex broke down last October, and that the council quickly installed a temporary boiler to restore heating and hot water. She stated that the council is now preparing for a major upgrade, starting in the next few weeks, and that she would personally visit him in the next few weeks to make sure that it is being done.
• Climate Change Risks: Ms Tracy Haag asked if the council is now incorporating climate change risks into all council risk assessments, plans and policy documents. Councillor Scott Roche responded that the council's climate action plan introduced a commitment to conduct a climate risk assessment to address adaptation challenges, and that further work is required to fully integrate climate considerations into all relevant policies and strategies.

The Croydon Debate

The council debated a public petition and two member petitions.

Public Petition: Plant-Based Croydon

Catherine Drake-Wilkes presented a petition calling for the council to declare itself a plant-based council, committing to serve only plant-based food at council meetings and events. She argued that agriculture contributes as much to global emissions as all forms of transport, and that livestock farming is a major source of river pollution.

Councillor Yvette Hopley, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, responded that the council is currently engaged in the design of a new Croydon Food and Active Life Strategy, which is exploring key themes such as the promotion of sustainable and healthy diets, support for local food production and procurement, and improved food accessibility and equitable choice.

Councillor Scott Roche stated that the council recognises the environmental and health benefits of plant-based food, and that this is already reflected in the climate action plan. He stated that the council is taking practical, evidence-based steps in that direction, but that it is important that the council brings residents and staff with it on this journey, rather than imposing blanket restrictions.

Councillor Christopher Herman, Shadow Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, spoke as someone who recognises the spirit in which this petition is brought forward, and that it raises important questions about how local authorities can use their influence to support broad goals around health and sustainability.

Ms Drake Wilkes closed the debate by urging the council to set a powerful example by making this small but impactful change, and joining a growing movement proving that sustainability can be affordable, practical, and healthy.

Mayor Jason Perry responded that there will be a Croydon Food and Active Lives strategy with consideration around better food and farming, food waste reduction, food sustainability, and indeed food options, and that the guiding principle should be that options will be available, but it should ultimately be a matter of choice.

Member Petition 1: Waddon Park Avenue Parking

Councillor Simon Fox presented a petition from residents of Waddon Park Avenue requesting the introduction of a permit parking zone on their street. Mr Brent Keith, a resident of Waddon Park Avenue, spoke about the parking issues on the street, including multiple households with multiple vehicles, commuter parking for Waddle Park Trams and Wadden Rail Station, and residents obstructing the highway with bins or cones to save parking spaces.

Councillor Scott Roche responded that Waddon Park Avenue and neighboring roads were recently subject to a parking stress survey earlier this year, and that the council is minded to take steps to introduce parking controls with shared use permits and payment bays similar to nearby schemes.

Member Petition 2: School Road Safety Officers

Councillor Claire Bonham presented a petition from residents concerned about the potential loss of their lollipop man in April. Ms Lisa Castagna stated that cars feed down Sylvan Hill where their local lollipop man Robert works, and that without him that speed and recklessness will be unchecked.

Councillor Scott Roche responded that the council will not place savings above children's safety, and that a road safety assessment has been undertaken on the safety around the crossing points leading to each of the schools impacted by the removal of the school and crossing patrol officer.

Reports to Council

Proposed Changes to the Constitution - Tender and Contract Regulations Refresh

Councillor Sean Fitzsimons moved the recommendations as contained in the report. He stated that the change came about because there needed to be a more efficient and up-to-date set of standing orders in regards to procurement. He thanked the officers for the work that they put in beforehand and the briefings and the explanations they gave to the group of councillors who worked on it. The recommendations in the report were agreed.

The council approved the adoption of the proposed Contract Standing Orders (CSOs), which will supersede the existing Tender and Contract Regulations in Part 4H of the Council's Constitution and be implemented with effect from 21 July 2025. The council also approved that the Monitoring Officer be authorised to update the Constitution and any Scheme of Delegations to make any consequential changes, and that the Head of Strategic Procurement & Governance will monitor the compliance of the Contract Standing Orders (CSOs) and present a compliance report to Cabinet on an annual cycle.

Health and Wellbeing Board Annual Report

Councillor Yvette Hopley introduced the Health and Wellbeing Report for 2024, which sets out the council's priorities for the year and also details its statutory duties and functions. She stated that closer working and integration with key partners has never been so important, and that it is important to note the alignment of the council's priorities with the Mayor's business plan, and in particular the shared ambition that people can live healthier and independent lives for longer.

Councillor Patsy Cummings asked what practical steps the board is taking to ensure that all five strategies, priorities are delivered, particularly those around prevention, neighbourhoods and older people, and that there are measurable benefits to those experiencing the worst health outcomes, and how success will be reported publicly. Councillor Hopley responded that the health and wellbeing board has a refreshed strategy, and a newly refreshed Joint Strategic Needs Assessment¹, so all of those priorities are monitored.

Councillor Michael Neal asked how partners were involved in the refresh of the health and wellbeing board strategy. Councillor Hopley responded that the council had taken a genuinely partner-led approach, with a workshop in November 2023 with the health and wellbeing board and care board, and a six-week formal public consultation to take on board all of the information through surveys.

Councillor Esther Sutton stated that the Croydon Health and Wellbeing Space, does a fantastic job of supporting over 650 residents each month from a very wide demographic base, but that it is carrying a 16-week wait for therapy and relies on a single underfunded assistant psychologist for triage. She asked what immediate steps the council will take to secure sustainable funding for at least two full-time assistant psychologist posts and significantly reduce the waiting time. Councillor Hopley responded that the council had a specific focus on mental health, and that partners from the health and wellbeing board were integrated in a system with mental health delivery partners, council officers and key partners across the whole system.

Councillor Clare Bonham asked how the council is going to make sure that the voluntary and community sector has all of the resources it needs, as they're sometimes picking up the slack from reduced council services. Councillor Hopley responded that the ICB who fund those mental health services will continue funding many of the mental health projects.

The recommendations in the report were agreed.

Pension Committee Employee Representative and Employee Representative Appointment

The council agreed to appoint Ishbel Fraser to serve as the non-Council Employer representative voting co-opted member and Kay Oshin to serve as the Staff representative voting co-opted member of the Pension Committee.

Report on the Use of Special Urgency for Key Decisions and Exemption from Call-in for the Period

The council noted the use of Special Urgency for key decisions and Exemption from Call-in for the period.

Questions to Mayor and Executive

Mayor Jason Perry announced that Croydon has been awarded four green flag awards this year, and that works have now concluded at Sycamore House, and the lettings team have commenced occupation of the 72 units there.

Councillors then posed questions to the Mayor and Executive.

• Government Intervention: Councillor Stuart King asked Mayor Perry if it was time to accept the independent panel's judgment and the government's intervention and work with commissioners to resolve the council's financial challenges, or to choose to maintain his hostility and opposition to both the government and its representatives. Mayor Perry responded that he chooses to stand up for the residents in this borough, and that he does not choose for any political priorities ahead of that.

• Inefficient IT Systems: Councillor Gail Gander asked how Mayor Perry is standing up for the people of Croydon by ensuring that dedicated officers have the modern tools that they need to work efficiently and deliver on the outcomes of the target operating model². Mayor Perry responded that it was agreed under the previous council that there should be a refresh of laptops and IT, which wasn't actually carried out, but that it has been carried out under this administration, and that there is a four-year rollout of new devices.

• Town Centre Cleanliness: Councillor Esther Sutton asked when Mayor Perry will prioritise the cleaning up of the town centre. Mayor Perry responded that the town centre is being cleaned up on a daily basis, and that he believes that the town centre is looking cleaner.

• Void Properties: Councillor Claire Bonham asked what Mayor Perry is doing to improve the turnaround of void properties so that more Croydon residents can be properly housed. Mayor Perry responded that the council is currently doing works on the block at Southbank on Grange Road, and that they anticipate that block coming back into use later this year.

• Improvement Insurance Panel: Councillor Callton Young OBE asked how the meeting with the improvement insurance panel went, given the central message in their final report to government that the finances were in a perilous state. Mayor Perry responded that it was a fairly normal meeting, and that they went through the stabilisation plan and discussed the actions within the stabilisation plan.

• Blue Badge Fraud: Councillor Daniel Denton asked how the council is standing up for the honest people of Croydon by cracking down on blue badge fraud. Mayor Perry responded that the council has already seized 40 fraudulent blue badges, and removed 19 vehicles as a result of the work that they've been undertaking.

• Youth Services: Councillor Rowenna Davis asked what will replace Croydon councils from youth service, and when it will come into effect. Mayor Perry responded that what will come next is the half program, and that there is investment going into youth services still in this borough.

• Greenbelt Land: Councillor Lara Fish asked Mayor Perry to share more about the steps that he is taking to protect Croydon's Greenbelt. Mayor Perry responded that he has always defended Mayor Khan because he actually stood up to his previous Labour Council and said, no, you can't take away the Greenbelt in Croydon when this Labour Council wanted to do that, but that unfortunately, he's now gone back on his position and he does now feel that Greenbelt is up for grabs.

• Violence Against Women and Girls: Councillor Enid Molyneux asked when the Labour motion passed at Council December 2024, which set out four key actions that proactively seeks to reduce violence against women and girls be fully addressed in Mayor Perry's plan. Mayor Perry responded that this administration has made that very much a priority, bringing forward the first action plan that this council has had to tackle violence against women and girls.

• Town Centre Regeneration: Councillor Joseph Lee asked how Mayor Perry will stand up for the borough against the naysayers by making Croydon an attractive place to invest and do business. Mayor Perry responded that it starts with the fixing the broken windows, dealing with the graffiti, the fly tip, the cleanliness, and then actually having a plan about how to investment into the borough, how to tie in with the London growth plan.

• Alleyways: Councillor Dr Manju Shahul-Hameed asked if the mayor or the cabinet member will join broad green councillors in visiting Rochford Bay and the surrounding areas, engage directly with the residents and take urgent action to restore cleanliness and the safety. Mayor Perry responded that he is always happy to visit and regularly visited and had walkabouts down in broad green with Councillor Shahul-Hameed and Councillor Collins as well.

• Business Rates: Councillor Simon Brew asked if Mayor Perry thinks it was the right move for Croydon Labour to vote in favour of the Labour government's decision to more than double taxes on retail and hospitality, thus causing significant harm to Pearly's businesses. Mayor Perry responded that he was surprised that the Labour councillors would try and did vote down a motion to protect our traders against business rates.

• Lollipop Staff: Councillor Patsy Cummings asked if Mayor Perry will consider looking at measures to save the money to retain the lollipop staff. Mayor Perry responded that when he stands up for the residents of this borough, he includes the children in that as well, and that they are here to provide a decent future for them.

• Colesdon Improvements: Councillor Mario Piccio asked Mayor Perry to explain how the Colesdon blitzkleen and money from the Shared Prosperity Fund initiatives come about and how they are specifically tailored to individual communities. Mayor Perry responded that the Colesdon blitzkleen is underway as they speak, and that this is very much a scheme that introduced the blitzkleen around restoring pride in our district centres.

Council Debate Motions

The council debated two motions, one from the Conservative Group and one from the Labour Group.

Conservative Group Motion: Green Belt

The Conservative Group motion stated that the council notes Mayor Sadiq Khan's plans to review the green belt in Croydon, potentially opening up green spaces for development, and that the council believes that the green belt is precious and deserves protection. Therefore, the council rejects this plan. The motion was passed with 34 votes in favour, 0 votes against, and 33 abstentions.

Labour Group Motion: Selhurst Blitz Cleans

The Labour Group motion stated that the council believes that Selhurst should be added to the schedule of Blitz Cleans in Croydon. The motion was carried with 35 votes in favour, 32 votes against, and 0 abstentions.

Appointments

The council agreed to appoint Councillor Ellily Ponnuthurai for the Croydon Arms Houses and Councillor Maddie Henson for the Church Tenements' Chancey.