Issue 50 - August 2011 Your primary source of community information www.croydon.gov.uk changes to your I BIn collect Have a ball see pages 14 I&on 15 ! this summer I See pages 8 to 11 Marking Lanfranc’s darkest hour See pages 12 & 13 2 yourcroydon August 2011 | Your Croydon Contents Useful contacts Your For police, fire brigade, ambulance, croyDoN Your call: 999 or 112, Text phone 1800 Quizzing the decision Say makers . 6 Croydon Council general enquiries 020 8726 6000 Residents across Croydon have grabbed the opportunity to grill Croydon NHS Walk-in Centre senior council figures on the 020 8274 6000 questions that directly affect them. NHS Direct 0845 4647 Summer fun in Croydon . 8 Croydon University Hospital Suggestions, tip and ideas on how this year’s 020 8401 3000 summer break can be enjoyed to the full without having to stray across the borough boundaries. Get in touch Remembering a tragedy . 12 To get in touch with the Your Croydon editorial team, email: It was 50 years ago this month that a plane full of yourcroydon@croydon .gov .uk boys from a Croydon school or call 020 8760 5644 crashed into a Norwegian If you have any concerns or observations mountain top, killing regarding the distribution or delivery of everybody on board. Your Croydon, please send an email to natalie rogers@satellitedistribution. co. uk. Saving through recycling . 14 or call 020 7372 4776 With charges for taking the Your Croydon welcomes letters for publication. borough’s waste to landfill They should be no more than 200 words. Receipt sites likely to increase, of a letter (in print or by email) does not guarantee inclusion. The right to edit letters is reserved, as the council takes steps to is the editor’s right of reply. Letters from known ensure recycling is easier politicians and political groups will not be published. for everybody. Post your letters, including your name and address, to Your Croydon, 7th Floor, Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 3JS. Binning the fly-tippers . 19 Take advantage of our Residents’ calls for cleaner competitive advertising rates streets result in council crackdown that sees a fly-tipper prosecuted after he is filmed dumping dozens of tyres on a quiet Croydon lane. FULL HALF QUARTER page from £1,260 page from £630 page from £315 183x270mm 183x127mm 90x127mm Competition . 21 If you would like your business to benefit from advertising in one of the country’s leading community publications and Thinking of giving your home a bit of a make over would like more information, a copy of our rate card or a before autumn arrives? Here’s your chance to win booking form, please call: Paula Howell & 020 8760 5644 £150-worth of Shabby Chic. This publication is printed on environmentally friendly, TCF (totally chlorine free) paper, produced from a sustainable source. When you have finished with this newspaper please recycle it. 110296/150M/05 www.croydon.gov.uk yourcroydon 3 Much done, more to do We’ve increased recycling, too. Three It’s been almost two years years ago, the figure was 20%, compared since we launched our biggest with a current total of 33.5%. And the consultation to find out what rollout of food waste collections this sort of borough you wanted year aims to take that up to 46% next to live in – with almost 20,000 year – saving you money as we avoid government charges for burying waste in people taking part in the landfill sites. (See article, pages 14 and 15.) Imagine Croydon survey . Public satisfaction with parks has risen sharply on the back of real investment Since then, the council has been through our Parks to be Proud of working toward targets set by you, campaign – which saw you choose how When it comes aiming our resources at providing the we spend £1.5m on new park facilities. services you said would improve the area to looking after All these figures are well above the the most. the borough’s most targets we set a year ago. We review these targets every year vulnerable, our When it comes to looking after to ensure we’re making the right impact the borough’s most vulnerable, our care services are locally – and, while we clearly need to care services are rated in the top five, rated in the top do more in some areas, the latest review nationally – and we’re proud to say that has shown that real progress has been five, nationally – 100% of council houses in the borough made over the past 12 months, despite and we’re proud to meet the government’s Decent Homes the funding reductions that have made standards. say that 100% of headlines nationally. However, there is always more to do, council houses in the Your biggest priority was cleaner, safer and there are areas where targets have streets, closely followed by core services borough meet the not been met. But we’ve already begun like high-quality schools, leisure facilities government’s Decent work to focus on these areas. and parks. You also wanted us to make You said you wanted more of a say in Homes standards. sure we looked after vulnerable people local issues, and we’ve now launched our such as disabled residents, older people Question Time events which have been and vulnerable children. really well received by residents, with So, how have we done? 100% of those attending saying they are Overall, crime is down by 2.5%, and a great way to get things done with we’re aiming to make Croydon even the council. safer by replacing every streetlight in the So, as the old school report saying borough, starting this month. We know goes: much done, but can always do there remains an issue with burglaries, better. We know that, and we’re working which we’re making a priority this year – to ensure your priorities are addressed. but, in general, Croydon is a safer place In the meantime, don’t forget you can now than a year ago. either contact me or my colleagues School performance has gone up, direct, talk to your local councillor or get too, with GCSE pass rates increasing by in touch via the council’s website. almost 10%. Latest figures also show that Croydon’s streets are the third-cleanest in London, aligned with a 20% reduction in fly-tipping – though I know this is an Councillor Mike Fisher area where you want us to do still more. Leader of the council (See article, page 11.) 4 yournews August 2011 | Your Croydon Recycling on the go New recycling litter bins separate their newspapers, straight to landfill. are expected to reduce magazines, cardboard, plastic This initiative will save the rubbish that Croydon bottles, cans and glass while council taxpayers about currently has to send to on the go. £10,000 in landfill tax every landfill by 100 tonnes a year. The distinctive bins will be year if the bins are used The 14 new recycling a boon to those who are often properly, and unsuitable bins have been placed at key frustrated by the thought that objects, such as take-away locations around the borough the litter they put into the food scraps, are not put to make it easy for people to traditional street bins goes into them. New hub named after former Speaker The borough’s most the borough’s most famous Aged 86, and suffering revered public servant is names, was elected as the prostate cancer, he to be remembered with Conservative MP for Croydon passed away in 2007. the naming of the new (North East) in 1964, and His widow, Lady public sector complex. remained in post until Weatherill, welcomed The Public Services his retirement in 1992. the recognition of his Delivery Hub, currently under He served as the 154th enormous contribution to construction in Fell Road Speaker between 1983 and the borough: “My husband (left), will become Bernard 1992 – and became world- was enormously proud to Weatherill House, in honour famous when television have represented Croydon. of the former MP and Speaker started broadcasting Prime “The family is immensely of the House of Commons. Minister’s Questions. touched that the council is Due to be opened in 2013, After standing down doing him the honour of the new building will save as an MP he was given a naming such an important council taxpayers £1m a year. life peerage and became a new building, in the middle Lord Weatherill, one of Freeman of Croydon in 1983. of Croydon, after him.” Notice of Review of Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations Croydon Council is conducting a review of polling districts and polling places as required by the Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places (Parliamentary elections) Regulations 2006 that came into force on 1 January, 2007. Additionally, the returning officer for Croydon Council will make comments on proposed polling stations. Electors within the parliamentary constituencies of Croydon Central, Croydon North and Croydon South may make representations to Croydon Council. The council would also welcome any person or body with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability to make a representation or to comment on the council’s proposals, the returning officer’s When residents of Hartley turn up, saying: “They’ve representation or any other matter. Persons or bodies making representations should, if Way, Coulsdon, asked that been polite, cheerful and possible, give alternative places that may be used as polling places. speed humps be reinstalled have gone out of their in their road, the council way to keep driveways The postal address, email address and website address at which relevant information and took note.