Labour on the backfoot over budget black hole and five teenage murders
Rachael Burford tests the temperature among voters in Croydon
CROYDON town centre is a mess, the council needs to sort it out, says Kathleen Harballou.
“There is so much crime. The children’s centres have all closed down.” The mother-of-three has lived in Croydon for 12 years and is unsure who will get her vote in the local elections.
Previously she has supported Labour, but in recent years she has seen services decline while council tax has increased and stories about alleged financial mismanagement at the heart of the town hall dominate the local press. “You hear all this stuff about what happened with the council. Maybe I’ll vote independent or for the Lib Dems. My family are Labour. I can’t vote Conservative. The cost of everything is going up. But with what’s gone on in the town hall, I can’t vote for that either.”
The dilemma is one that appears to be facing a number of Croydon voters, who will be electing a mayor for the first time on May 5. Elected mayors hold more power than council leaders because they can approve plans alone without support. It means whichever party wins the mayoral race will effectively run the council.
Croydon has always flipped between Conservative and Labour control, but has been held by the latter since 2014. Labour insiders told the Standard that the borough is “probably” the council they are “most worried” about losing. In the years the party has ruled it has been plunged into financial crisis.
After a number of reckless property deals, coupled with the pandemic, the town hall was forced to effectively declare bankruptcy in 2020.
What followed was a social housing scandal with the appalling conditions at a council-owned block in Regina Road prompting the Government to brand the flats unacceptable.
Then last month the Met confirmed it was looking into reports that the local authority had mishandled millions of pounds linked to the refurbishment of arts venue Fairfield Halls.
A report by Croydon’s own auditors found that “serious financial control and legal failings” led to the project going almost £30 million over budget.
Val Shawcross, who was leader of Croydon council from 1997 until 2000, is running as Labour’s mayoral candidate. Trust in the party to rebuild the borough’s finances is limited among some residents, she admits.
“It’s often brought up on the doorstep,” she said. “It’s because some of the services have been poorly managed. “That’s true for the council tenants. But I’m here to reset it. They want reassurance they are going to get a competent Labour council.”
Mrs Shawcross was elected as a Croydon councillor in 1994 — the same year as her Tory opponent Jason Perry.
The Tories had been confident they could take the council, but recently anger at national scandals, along with the cost of living crisis, has cut through. Partygate has sparked particular fury. Marjorie Morrison, 86, said: “It broke my heart when people couldn’t see their new grandchildren except through a window. It shows the Conservatives don’t care about ordinary people.”
The Croydon Tories will be listed on the ballot paper as “Local Conservatives” in what has been branded an attempt to distance themselves from the woes of the national party.
“The national party, what’s going on comes up a bit,” said Mr Perry. “But the main issue on the doorstep is bankruptcy, dirty streets, the graffiti, crime.” Crime is a particular concern among residents. Last year was the worst on record for teenage murders in London and Croydon had five — more than any other borough.
Hijrat Salem, 45, below, manages a shop opposite East Croydon station. He said: “In the last year we have had to close five or six times because of things happening.
“A murder, a stabbing, a car flipped over. I don’t know who is best or worst. But whoever wins needs to sort out crime.”
Dave Smith, 62, said he will be voting Conservative. “I don’t agree with those lockdown parties [in Downing Street],” he said. “But what Labour has done is criminal.”