Issue 53 - March 2012 Your primary source of community information www.croydon.gov.uk WIN Tickets to see Sweeney Todd page 17 Council tax - held at 0% again See page 6 The Diamond Jubilee - cooking up a great day See page 8 2 yourcroydon March 2012 | Your Croydon Contents Useful contacts For police, fire brigade, ambulance, call: 999 or 112, Text phone 1800 Working harder for you . .6 Croydon Council general enquiries Despite a financial climate that 020 8726 6000 continues to be hostile, with no immediate change in sight, Croydon’s Croydon NHS Walk-in Centre council tax rise stands at 0% – for the 020 3040 0800 second year running. NHS Direct 0845 4647 Celebrate the Queen’s big date . 8 Croydon University Hospital 020 8401 3000 The borough is on celebration alert for 2012 as people get set to mark the Queen’s diamond Get in touch jubilee with the biggest and best To get in touch with the Your Croydon street parties. editorial team, email: yourcroydon@croydon .gov .uk or call 020 8760 5644 Wish you were here? . 12 If you have any concerns or observations The Frank Denning Memorial Trust is once again regarding the distribution or delivery of offering help to students keen to undertake Your Croydon, please send an email to natalie .rogers@satellitedistribution .co .uk foreign travel. or call 020 7372 4776 Your Croydon welcomes letters for publication. Civic awards . 14 They should be no more than 200 words. Receipt of a letter (in print or by email) does not guarantee Your chance to vote for your local hero – a volunteer, inclusion. The right to edit letters is reserved, as or voluntary group, who has provided an exemplary is the editor’s right of reply. Letters from known service to others in the community. politicians and political groups will not be published. Post your letters, including your name and address, to Your Croydon, 7th Floor, Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 3JS. Competition . .17 . You could win tickets to see Take advantage of our the ever-popular Michael Ball starring in a new West competitive advertising rates End production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. 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When you have finished with this newspaper please recycle it. borough children. 111043/150M/3 www.croydon.gov.uk yourcroydon 3 Council tax – it’s 0% for second year running One of the most The town centre will benefit from substantial regeneration investment, important tasks I face as making it more accessible and leader of the council is attractive to outside investment. the annual setting of the We’ll continue to deliver on our council tax . In addition commitment for major investment in our roads, along with the replacement to taking into account of all our street lighting and the services that you, as improvements to our parks. We’ve put a residents, have highlighted Also, a new swimming pool, leisure lot of effort into as priorities, I have to centre and affordable housing are keeping council tax being built in Waddon; there are new consider the borough’s bills down because trams for our hugely popular and we know from current and future needs . much-admired network; and we’ll help people celebrate two major events speaking to people A balance has to be struck between who work hard to these factors and the need to keep this year – the London 2012 Olympics household bills down in these difficult and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. pay their way that financial times. We’ve put a lot of effort into they expect us to There are real pressures on public keeping council tax bills down because deliver value for services and this is why I asked, we know from speaking to people money – and they through our consultation processes, who work hard to pay their way that they expect us to deliver value for have a right to hold for your assistance in helping me make us to account on the right decisions. Your responses will money – and they have a right to hold mean that we continue to prioritise us to account on that promise. that promise. the resources of the council, on your Therefore, for the second successive behalf, on the services which most year, I’m pleased to say that there will matter to you. be no increase in council tax. This has not, however, been easy. Difficult decisions have had to be made – and further tough choices will be required in the future. We’ve been able to balance the budget for 2012/13 through a relentless focus on efficiencies, and Councillor Mike Fisher continuing to trim waste wherever Leader of the council we find it. This has enabled significant investments for our borough in your priority areas. Education will benefit from a considerable programme of capital investment delivering extended primary schools, new secondary schools and a new school for children with special educational needs. 4 yournews March 2012 | Your Croydon Blue badges overhauled Help with new TV signal The blue badge disabled The key changes include: parking permit scheme that • badges being produced Cost and the loss of for six months or more; allows people with disabilities centrally, with none produced favourite TV programmes or are registered blind or to park close to where they by local councils; are major concerns when partially sighted. need to be, has recently • a new design and format TV signals switch from The scheme’s website undergone major changes making forgery more difficult; analogue to digital. (www .helpscheme .co .uk/ following a government • changes to how medical With the switch en/eligibility) contains a review. eligibility is assessed. scheduled for April in the checklist detailing who may There are about 11,000 Consultation with the London region, people, have to pay. blue badge holders in borough’s permit holders elderly residents in To find out what your Croydon, and the changes has produced a series of particular, are concerned as digital options are, visit ensure that those who are recommendations that the to how they will be affected. www .digitaluk .co .uk or call entitled to a badge receive council will consider before The switchover will Digital UK on 0845 650 one, while, at the same time, deciding if charges need to be enable virtually all homes 5050 . reducing the potential for reviewed. to receive digital TV free via • (See Don’t get duped in the fraud and forgery. For information on matters their existing aerial. switch to digital, page 18) Previously, permits were including eligibility and badge The Switchover Help handwritten and made from renewals, visit www .croydon . Scheme can help to convert card, but the new design is gov .uk/bluebadge the TVs of people aged 75 or electronically printed, much older to digital. like a driving licence, and Others who may be has security features such eligible are those who as a hologram, digital photo receive disability living and serial number. allowance, attendance The new features allow allowance, constant parking attendants to attendance allowance or check for genuine badges mobility supplement; or more easily through the have lived in a care home windscreen. Asthma resources Get Up & Go! A special pack for people asthma is, its triggers and with learning disabilities treatments, and how to look With the days getting longer All have fully qualified who have asthma has been after your asthma; as we pull away from the instructors and are held made available by a national • an Asthma Attack card clutches of winter, what better in a fun and relaxing charity. detailing what to do in the time to take the first steps to a environment. Using easy-to-read event of an asthma attack; fitter, healthier future? The programme offers a language and illustrations, • an Inhalers Card – a handy To help achieve that, the range of community-based the pack helps people with tool to remind people when to council’s sport and physical exercise classes, costing from learning disabilities manage take their inhalers. activity team has published £4.20 to £5. their asthma more effectively. The free pack can be the third edition of the Get Up The benefits of physical The All About Asthma pack ordered at www .asthma .org . & Go! physical activity guide. activity are many, including contains: uk/easytoread or by calling Packed with a variety of improved energy levels • a booklet explaining what 0800 121 6255. physical activity opportunities and decreased stress levels; in the borough – from free weight loss and control; cycling lessons to outdoor gyms improvements to mental Meet up at The Big Meet – the guide can be picked up, health and wellbeing; New friendships, new skills courses – including basic free of charge, increased and new opportunities – computer skills, health and SPORT & PHYS CALI ACT V TY from libraries, I I fitness levels; these are just some of the exercise, crime prevention GP and dental PHYS ICAL ACT V TY GU DE a boosted I I APRIL - SEPTEMBER 2012 I things on offer to the over and arts and crafts – The surgeries, and the immune 50s at The Big Meet.