At a meeting of Croydon Council, the lead commissioner gave a statement on behalf of the commissioners, the council approved recommendations regarding external audit findings and extension to the term of the Independent Chair of Audit and Governance Committee, and councillors debated traffic calming measures on Spa Hill and improvements to Courtwood Park. The council also discussed a range of questions from the public, including concerns about building safety at The Fold and Malcolm Wicks House.

Here are the key topics discussed:

External Auditor's Statutory Recommendation

Following concerns about the council's financial sustainability, Grant Thornton, the external auditor, issued a Section 24 Statutory Recommendation Report for 2024-25. The report highlighted the council's continued reliance on government Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) and the need for a sustainable solution to the debt issue.

Paul Dossett from Grant Thornton addressed the council, emphasising the need for collaboration with commissioners and the government to improve the financial position. He described the situation as a legacy of what the Section 151 officer¹ had called 'toxic debt'. Councillor Stuart King, Leader of the Opposition, questioned the adequacy of the council's response to the report, while Councillor Helen Redfern asked whether the council was making progress. Councillor Esther Sutton asked about processes to identify underperformance in transformation initiatives. Councillor Clare Bonham sought clarification on the difference between a key and a statutory recommendation, and Councillor Rowena Davis asked how much of the financial deterioration was beyond the council's control.

Mr Dossett explained that a statutory recommendation required a detailed action plan, which would be monitored. He acknowledged improvements in the council's governance arrangements but stressed that extreme financial challenges remained. He also noted that the council needed to demonstrate transparently how its transformation programme was working.

Following the debate, the council voted to accept the statutory recommendation and approve the actions in response.

Building Safety at Queen's Quarter

Several questions were raised regarding building safety at the Queen's Quarter development, particularly concerning The Fold and Malcolm Wicks House.

Mufango Simwaka asked about the council's investigation at The Fold and its alignment with statutory responsibilities under the Fire Safety Act 2021, the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Housing Act 2004. Rosam McQuacqua sought clarification on the council's responsibilities as a freeholder.

Councillor Lynne Hale, Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes, explained that Legal and General (L&G) were responsible for The Fold, while the council was responsible for Malcolm Wicks House. She added that the council was working with the London Fire Brigade to address concerns.

Davis Marengayi asked about reviews undertaken to assess the safety and quality of the buildings following the collapse of Henry Construction. Councillor Hale confirmed that necessary surveys and safety checks were being put in place at Malcolm Wicks House.

Irwin Stewart questioned why The Fold was approved with only one staircase, despite post-Grenfell recommendations. Councillor Hale responded that the building design was approved under regulations in force at the time of the application, which preceded the Building Safety Act 2022.

Lauren Fordham-Gothie asked what the council had proactively done to support residents and why there had been no visible communication. Councillor Hale stated that the Corporate Director of Housing and the Director of Assets and Repairs had met with Sarah Jones MP, and that the council had written to residents at Malcolm Wicks House.

Petition Regarding Spa Hill Road Safety

Hazel Freeman presented a public petition concerning speeding and dangerous driving on Spa Hill. She described numerous collisions and near misses, and called for traffic calming measures and CCTV speed enforcement cameras.

Councillor Scott Roche, Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, acknowledged the concerns and stated that the council would investigate additional measures, refresh road markings, and liaise with Transport for London (TfL) to explore funding opportunities.

Councillor Patsy Cummings said that collisions on Spa Hill had not been captured on the road safety data report.

Councillor Chris Herman supported the petition and called for CCTV speed enforcement cameras.

Petition Regarding Courtwood Park

Councillor Andy Stranack and Samantha Blakeman presented a member petition calling for the improvement of Courtwood Park in Forestdale. Ms Blakeman highlighted the park's importance to the community and the need for inclusive and accessible play equipment.

Councillor Scott Roche responded that the council was investing in green spaces and would reassess Courtwood Park for potential improvements.

Appointment of Commissioners

Mayor Jason Perry announced that commissioners appointed by the Secretary of State had started work. Jackie Belton introduced the team, including Jed Curran, Councillor Abbey Brown, and Debbie Warren, and outlined their roles and responsibilities. Ms Belton emphasised that the commissioners would work closely with councillors and officers to help Croydon improve. She also clarified that the council remained responsible for setting the budget and council tax levels.

Resignation of Chief Executive

Mayor Jason Perry announced the resignation of the Chief Executive, Catherine Kurzweil, with her final day being 31 October 2025. He thanked her for her work in stabilising the organisation and rebuilding public confidence. Elaine Jackson, Assistant Chief Executive, was covering the role of Chief Executive in the interim.

Pride in Place Programme

Mayor Jason Perry mentioned Natasha Irons MP's enthusiasm for the Pride in Place programme, which aims to empower local communities. He confirmed that New Addington had been selected to receive up to £20 million over the next 10 years.

Public Questions

Several members of the public posed questions to the council, covering a range of topics:

• Attila Whitmore asked about repairs to a garage door and a refund of rent. Councillor Lynne Hale apologised for the delay and offered a full refund of rent plus an additional rebate.
• Costa Dexiades asked about protecting adult social care services. Councillor Yvette Hopley highlighted Croydon's good rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Adults Living Independently transformation programme.
• Martin Post asked about unclear branding on parking permit renewal letters. Councillor Scott Roche apologised and confirmed that the council was working to update the letters.
• Connelly Duxbury asked about Croydon Council's spending of money from the Mayor of London's Carbon Offset Fund. Councillor Jason Cummings said that Croydon was above average across London in terms of how much money had been spent that had been collected in this way, and that the council had made noticeable progress on carbon reduction.
• Ayan Mahamud asked about council-owned homes managed by private management companies. Mayor Perry responded that the council does not engage with private management companies to manage council-owned jobs.
• Erwin Stewart asked about the building's approval with only one staircase. Councillor Hale said that the building design was approved under the planning and building regulations, which were enforced at the time of the application.

Extension of Term for Independent Chair of Audit and Governance Committee

Council agreed to extend the term of Dr Olu Alasadeh as Independent Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee for a further two years.

Annual Report of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee

Councillor Leila Benhassel, Chair of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee, introduced the committee's annual report. She highlighted significant overspends across demand-led services and cautioned that the factors leading to last year's cost escalations had not been fully addressed.

Questions to the Mayor and Executive

Councillors asked questions of the Mayor and Executive on various topics, including:

• The government's appointment of commissioners.
• The Wondell Park Cafe contract and business rates.
• Safety issues at The Fold and Malcolm Wicks House.
• Cancellation of speech and language therapy services.
• The use of live facial recognition cameras.
• The outgoing chief executive's notice period.
• Funding for New Addington and a banking hub.
• Conditions at Truscott House.

Council Debate Motions

Due to time constraints, the council did not debate the motions submitted by the Conservative and Labour groups.