Author: croydonconstitutionalists

Press Release – CROYDON CONSTITUTIONALISTS TEAM UP WITH TAXPAYERS’ ALLIANCE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON WASTEFUL COUNCIL SPENDING

TPA Town Hall Rich List reveals massive 6 figure salaries paid to fat cats at Croydon council.

Despite a bumper salary of £212,000 for the Chief Executive we still have an ’Inadequate’ Children’s Services department, a Westfield Shopping centre development going nowhere and ongoing bin collection problems in Croydon.

Croydon Council has been a calamity in recent years, but even more shocking we pay a king’s ransom for senior staff that often hinder rather than help the front line.

That’s not just our view that’s the feedback we’ve had from the two Road Shows the TaxPayers’ Alliance held in Croydon (https://croydonconstitutionalists.uk/the-taxpayers-alliance-town-hall-rich-list-roadshow-croydon/) and Addiscombe (https://croydonconstitutionalists.uk/the-taxpayers-alliance-town-hall-rich-list-roadshow-in-addiscombe-saturday-13th-july/).  So overwhelmed by the feedback the TaxPayers’ Alliance are holding a third stall in the borough.  This time in Selsdon on Saturday 7th September, between 10:30am and 1pm.

“Many locals are outraged that council bosses are receiving six-figure pay packets whilst front line services are in disarray. Council tax rose by four per cent last year and many will wonder where taxpayers’ money has gone. Spending on council fat cats needs to be brought under control immediately.”

Harry Fone the TaxPayers’ Alliance’s Grassroots Campaign Manager. 

In Selsdon we will be asking people to sign an open letter to the leaders of all political parties in Croydon, asking them to agree in future that no newly appointed council employee will earn more than the Prime Minister.  We have made contracts with those already in post, but surely we can all agree, with all its challenges running Croydon shouldn’t pay more than running Britain.

Members of the Croydon Constitutionalists and TaxPayers’ Alliance’s staff will be available for interviews and photo ops on the day.”

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Michael Swadling or email at CroydonConstitutionalists@gmail.com.

Full Press ReleaseDownload
Letter to local political partiesDownload

Podcast – Episode 10 – Boris, Brexit & his Cabinet, DEMOC, Taxpayers Alliance & Leavers of Croydon

We discuss Boris Johnson’s first weeks as Prime Minister, the implications for Brexit and his interesting Cabinet appointments. Mike talks about DEMOC, a new local campaign for an elected Mayor of Croydon and we reflect on our recent Taxpayers’ Alliance Street Stalls, our upcoming event in Selsdon and our next Leavers of Croydon social in Purley.

YouTube

Spreaker

iTunes

Sputnik Radio – “They are attempting to subvert democracy.” – Analyst on MPs who wish to block a no deal Brexit.

With reports of MPs engaged in talks on plans to amend parliament’s standing orders allowing the House of Commons power to block a no deal Brexit. Sputnik spoke with Michael Swadling from the Croydon Constitutionalists.

“the MPs effectively are in their last chance saloon with the people they are meant to represent, they have to get out on 31 October, and I think most MPs when it comes to it, will realise that”

“the thing you do when the vote comes out, and you’ve not won, is in my experience go up to them, shake their hand, and you accept the democratic outcome.
These MPs are only prepared to accept when they win”

“Labour simply don’t understand the <working class> people and areas, and they fail to understand why people might vote for Brexit, and why people feel passionate about their country”

Full article https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201908121076532517-rebel-mps-are-attempting-to-subvert-democracy—analyst/

Audio https://soundcloud.com/radiosputnik/they-are-attempting-to-subvert-democracy-analyst-on-mps-who-wish-to-block-a-no-deal-brexit

Leavers of Croydon drinks

Meet-up with fellow leavers and enjoy a summer drink.

Leavers of Croydon next meet-up, Wednesday 21st August, from 7pm in the Foxley Hatch Purley.  https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/london/the-foxley-hatch-purley

8–9 Russell Hill Parade, Russell Hill Road, Purley. CR8 2LE.

We hope to see as many of you as possible.

https://leaversofbritain.co.uk/events/leavers-of-croydon-drinks-21st-august/

Motion to Block Proroguing Parliament ‘Another Attempt by MPs to Ignore People’s Will’ – Analyst

Michael Swadling from the Croydon Constitutionalists reflects on whether there are any chances of this to happen and what a no-deal Brexit would mean for the UK.

“It’s an appointment; we didn’t elect the President of Europe, we don’t know what manifesto she ran on, I don’t know where I can run to get rid of her, it’s an appointment, the EU is not a democracy and it’s really important to underline that.”

“if the EU changed the withdrawal agreement that gets us nowhere, if they just sat down and said you’re a free and sovereign nation, let’s talk sensible terms, then we can get somewhere.”

“They are globalists; I think many do not believe in the nation-state, they do not believe in Britain, they don’t have the confidence of the people who elected them, unfortunately, they’ve proven themselves to be a bunch of liars.”

Full article: https://sputniknews.com/europe/201907191076299192-motion-to-block-proroguing-parliament-another-attempt-by-mps-to-ignore-peoples-will–analyst-/

Audio: https://soundcloud.com/radiosputnik/blocking-the-proroguing-of-parliament-another-attempt-to-ignore-will-of-the-people-analyst

The TaxPayers’ Alliance Town Hall Rich List Roadshow in Addiscombe – Saturday 13th July.

Croydon Council taxpayers were rightly surprised that 19 staff in the council are paid over £100,000, especially when compared to the service we receive. 

We spread the word at The TaxPayers’ Alliance Town Hall Rich List Roadshow in Addiscombe on Saturday 13th July.  Photos and Video from the day below.

Press Release – TAXPAYERS’ ALLIANCE TOWN HALL RICH LIST ROADSHOW – CROYDON

The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) are focusing on Croydon as part of their Town Hall Rich List Roadshow.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign for lower taxes and against government waste.  Focus on value for money in public finances is something we desperately need in Croydon.

So good was the response to the street stall, we held on the 22nd June we plan to hold two more over the summer.

Croydon taxpayers are rightly surprised that 19 staff in the council are paid over £100,000, especially when compared to the service we receive. 

You might wonder with all these highly paid staff and councillors, if someone might have had the time to provide some scrutiny over the £10,000 of taxpayer money given to an ‘entertainer’ to defecate on stage.  Meanwhile Croydon’s Children’s Services Department is still rated Inadequate by Ofsted.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance Town Hall Rich List Roadshow street stalls will be in Addiscombe on Saturday 13th July and Selsdon on Saturday 7th September, both between 10:30am and 1pm.

If you’re interested in knowing more about tax in Croydon, their national campaigns, or covering the stall, contact the Croydon Constitutionalists or come and see the TaxPayers’ Alliance Roadshow in Addiscombe on the 13th July.

PressRelease-TPA07July_webDownload

Croydon’s Cultural Growth Fund and Community Ward Budgets

Croydon Council is obliged to publish details on all payments made over £500.  The figures make interesting reading.  We’ve reviewed the spending from the Cultural Growth Fund and Councillors Community Ward Budgets for the years 2017, 2018 and Jan-Apr 2019.

You may be interested with some of the findings below.

2018 Highlights

  • The Residents Association in Sanderstead one of the richest parts of the borough received £18K in council funding.
  • We rouse up and paid the Rise Gallery £9,600 from one fund and a further £4,370 from another.
  • Given the level of violent crime in Croydon we’re not sure the £9,500 on a Peace Festival was money well spent.
  • The £5,000 spent at the Oval Tavern was an expensive round.
  • Remarkably no one seems to know what the £51,000 paid to the Remarkable Productions Company Ltd got us.
  • At £5 a pint and £7-8 for lunch it’s not clear how the £160,000 paid to Boxpark benefited the working class council tax payers who helped fund it.

Meanwhile, Croydon Council spends only about £200,000 a year fixing potholes.

So far this year

  • Boxpark has had to struggle by on £40K.
  • We all ‘Love Norbury’, and apparently we love it to the tune of £12,296.80.
  • The ‘CROYDONITES FESTIVAL OF NEW THEATRE’ which puts on a number of political plays (see https://www.croydonites.com/programme-for-2019.html) has received £7.5K of our ‘netural’ taxpayers’ cash.

Cultural Growth Fund – Top 5s

Top 5 payees receiving funding from our council tax.

Vendor Name SumOfAmount 2017
Boxpark   £160,000.00 1
Turf Projects   £38,777.01 2
Kier Highways Ltd   £28,227.73 3
Remarkable Productions Company Ltd   £22,000.00 4
Croydon Town Centre Bid   £18,500.00 5
Vendor Name SumOfAmount 2018
Boxpark   £160,000.00 1
Remarkable Productions Company Ltd   £51,000.00 2
Croydon Pride Ltd   £35,000.00 3
We Made That   £29,996.72 4
Turf Projects   £20,000.00 5
Vendor Name SumOfAmount 2019
Boxpark   £40,000.00 1
Croydon Pride Ltd £30,000.00 2
Cellar Door Promotions Ltd £22,800.00 3
Croydon with Talent Ltd   £20,000.00 4
London & Partners Ventures Ltd £20,000.00 5

Community Ward Budgets – Top 5s

Top 5 payees receiving funding from our council tax.

Vendor Name SumOfAmount 2017
Thornton Heath Community ActionTeam   £20,550.00 1
Redacted £13,871.00 2
People for Portland Road   £12,570.00 3
Topcare Network   £12,000.00 4
Croydon Pride Ltd   £11,250.00 5
Vendor Name SumOfAmount 2018
Sanderstead Residents Association   £18,167.00 1
People for Portland Road   £17,000.00 2
CROYDON BOROUGH NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH ASSOCIATION   £10,500.00 3
Cacfo Education Centre   £10,190.73 4
Rise Gallery   £9,600.00 5
Vendor Name SumOfAmount 2019
The Chartwell Cancer Trust Ltd   £30,192.00 1
LOVE NORBURY   £12,296.80 2
Purley Youth Project   £7,000.00 3
Stanley People’s Initiative   £6,736.01 4
SOUTH NORWOOD COMMUNITY FESTIVAL GROUP   £5,500.00 5