ISSUE 64 - AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014

Your primary source of community information www.croydon.gov.uk

Your open and transparent councilPage 3

A fairer Croydon for allPage 8

Free swimmingPage 14

Hello, and as the still relatively new leader of the council, allow me to welcome you to the first edition of the online Your Croydon. While having many of the features of the old, print version, this electronic form avoids such associated costs as printing and distribution, offering even greater value.

I hope you might already have had the opportunity to see some of the policy changes we, the new administration, have put in place as we nudge past the two-thirds mark of our first 100 days.

They include free summer swimming, for anybody aged 16 and under, at all the council’s pools; a new licensing scheme for private-sector landlords, play streets; and, of course, our Don’t Mess with Croydon campaign, designed to end the fly-tipping and litter crisis that has blighted our town for too long.

Your Croydon will be a key means by which the council will exercise the policy of openness and transparency that we have also introduced and put in motion.

Visitors to the Town Hall, in Katharine Street, will have already seen one way in which the policy is working. Where, previously, they had to negotiate the electronic barriers installed just inside the main entrance, they now find those barriers are permanently open, admitting all to what is, after all, the council taxpayers building.

We are determined that as much as possible of the mystery of the council’s workings is dispelled, and that residents have far greater input to the decision-making process.

Town Hall meetings of the cabinet and full council are now being webcast, meaning anybody can follow proceedings on their computer or smart device, and greater citizen participation will be possible thanks to our decision to hold five cabinet meetings a year at venues around the borough.

I’ll finish here by underlining our commitment to making the council more accountable to the people who really matter – the council taxpayers of the borough who I and my fellow councillors have been elected to serve.

We think it’s important that those taxpayers are aware of what decisions are being made on their behalf, and can be sure that they’re being made with the best interests of them, and the future of Croydon, uppermost in our thoughts.

So, don’t be shy, get involved and make sure we know how you feel.

HighlightsYour new council . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4May’s local elections saw a change of administration – we feature the redrawn ward map, detail the new cabinet and shadow cabinet, and introduce you to the new Mayor.

Don’t Mess with Croydon . . . . . . . .6Take pride in your street and neighbourhood by helping the council in its crackdown on the criminals who fly-tip their rubbish without a thought for the community.

Remembering the Great War . . . .10The centenary of the beginning of the First World War is being marked locally with a series of events designed to keep alive the memories of the war to end all wars.

Dive in for free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14The school summer break just became more interesting with the council’s reintroduction of the free-swimming offer for all borough residents aged 16 and under.

Keeping active over the summer 16The school summer break just became even more interesting with a programme of events and activities designed to keep youngsters engaged and occupied.

New borough commander . . . . . .17Croydon has a new top cop and he’s keen to build on his predecessor’s good work in bringing down crime in the borough – meet Chief Superintendent Andy Tarrant.

Open and transparent

Councillor Tony Newman Leader of the council

yourcroydon August/September 2014 | Your Croydon2

A “people’s Town Hall” is the promise as steps are taken to make the council an open and transparent organisation.

Making the Town Hall more open and accessible to the people of the borough, and the webcasting of council meetings are just two of a range of changes being introduced to make the council an open and transparent organisation.

The new measures have been approved by cabinet members keen to see improved access and more information made available to borough residents.

Webcasting will be one of the key features of the drive toward openness. Each meeting of the full council and cabinet will be viewable online and downloadable, making them more convenient for residents, who will no longer be limited by the times and venues of the meetings.

For information, go to

www.croydon.gov.uk/webcast

Additionally, permitting the use of social media during meetings will enable members of the public to become citizen reporters, as long as they are not disruptive.

As part of the decision to present a “people’s Town Hall”, improvements will be made to disabled access and signage around the Katharine Street building.

In a move designed to take democracy to the people, five cabinet meetings each year will be held in different communities across the borough.

The location of each will be determined by the issues raised by that community. Up to three cabinet members will speak to, and take questions from, members of

the community on the issues affecting it.

The new way of working is based on a series of principles and initiatives that will also see more information in the public domain, and the creation of an adult-to-adult relationship with residents as service users and consumers.

A formal forward plan for major decisions will be published, making

residents aware of, and able to participate in, major decisions to be taken by the council’s executive.

In addition to an increase in the time allocated for public questions at full council meetings, the structure of those meetings is to be reviewed with the aim of reducing bureaucracy and making them informative to, and inclusive of, the public.

With costs in the capital leaving many struggling to get by, council takes first steps to become a London living wage borough.

Fair pay for all is the aim of Croydon Council – and, to kick-start its adoption across the borough, the council has pledged to support the London living wage.

The move will see every

council employee paid a minimum rate of £8.80 per hour, or £16,518 for a 36-hour week. This is £2.49 per hour more than the national minimum wage, and is calculated as the amount people need to cover the basic costs of living.

Over recent years, rising costs and falling wages have seen many full-time workers, particularly across the capital, trying to get by on incomes below the official poverty line.

Wherever possible, the council, Croydon’s

largest employer, will make it a requirement of its contractors that their staff are paid at least the living wage.

Negotiations will take place with firms who currently deliver services on behalf of the council and, in future, new arrangements will have the living wage principle built into contract terms.

Community schools will also be encouraged to sign up to the scheme.

The London living wage is a voluntary initiative ensuring workers aged over 21 are

paid substantially more than the legal minimum of £6.31.

The council aims to achieve accredited London living wage status once the plans have been implemented.

Breaking down the barriers

Working for a living wage

www.croydon.gov.uk yourcouncil 3

xxx

The electorate decides

Croydon’s culture and diversity celebrated by Mayor

The local elections held in May saw Labour regain control of the council for the first time in eight years.The count, overnight on 22-23 May at Shirley’s Trinity School, saw Labour win 40 seats, and the Conservatives 30.

With counting staff, invigilators, candidates, agents, police officers, observers, news reporters, and council officers, the school’s sports and main halls were alive with overnight general election activity until the final declaration at 10am Friday 23.

A large number of mixed ballots caused a delay to the final declaration, for the East Coulsdon ward.

Despite what was a huge deviation from everyday school life, Trinity’s boys took it all in their stride and classes continued throughout the Friday.

Overall voter turnout was a creditable 38%.

Croydon’s new Mayor was born and brought up in Kerala, in India, and achieved a first-class degree in mathematics.

Manju Shahul-Hameed came to the UK in 1996, and has worked as a software engineer since obtaining a Masters degree in scientific and engineering software technology from the University of Greenwich.

Her involvement with community and voluntary organisations, and residents’ associations, has seen her build a strong rapport with many of their members, and build an understanding of the issues that affect those groups.

The theme of her year as Mayor is the celebration of the rich diversity and culture of Croydon, and she says that she wants to help make Croydon a great place where people can be proud to raise their family.

First elected to represent Broad Green in 2006, she has served on a number of council committees, specialising in matters concerning children and young people.

She is mother to two children, aged nine and 11, and feels that, being a

team player and an effective organiser, has helped her to thrive as a mother, wife, full-time worker and effective ward councillor.

During her year in office, she will support Age UK and Macmillan Cancer.

Councillor Patricia Hay-Justice is deputy Mayor.

4 yourcouncil August/September 2014 | Your Croydon

Cabinet appointments • Tony Newman leader – budget and strategic policy• Alison Butler – deputy leader – homes and

regeneration• Stuart Collins – deputy leader – clean green Croydon• Simon Hall – finance and treasury• Kathy Bee – transport and environment• Timothy Godfrey – culture, leisure and sport• Louisa Woodley – people and communities

(including adult social care)• Mark Watson – safety and justice• Toni Letts – economic development• Alisa Flemming – children, families and learning

For details of your ward councillors, and times and venues of their surgeries, click here

Shadow cabinet appointments • Mike Fisher – leader of the opposition

• Dudley Mead – deputy leader: homes and regeneration

• Tim Pollard – deputy leader: culture, leisure and sport

• Margaret Mead – people and communities (including adult social care)

• Phil Thomas – clean green Croydon

• Steve O’Connell – finance and treasury

• Vidhi Mohan – transport and environment

• Jason Cummings – safety and justice

• Jason Perry – economic development

• Maria Gatland – children, families and learning

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Councillors 2014

40 Labour

30 Conservative

6 yourenvironment August/September 2014 | Your Croydon

Council pledges to clear fly-tips within 48 hours and to crack down on the criminals who blight the borough’s streets and communities.

Fly-tipping – wherever you go in the UK it’s a problem. But Croydon is tackling the fly-tippers head on.

From rural lanes to town centres, the country’s streets and green spaces are regularly spoilt by the lazy and criminal activities of those few people who think they can dump their rubbish wherever they want.

Croydon has been as plagued as everywhere else in Britain over recent years. But now the message is being shouted out from posters, T-shirts, and across social media – it’s time to get tough with the tippers and that it’s

time everybody stood up and did something about the problem.

So, over the coming months, it will be increasingly difficult to get away from the new council battle-slogan, Don’t Mess with Croydon: take pride.

Since the May local elections brought a new range of initiatives and council priorities into action, the Don’t Mess with Croydon campaign has been at the top of everybody’s to-do list.

Street sweepers are wearing the T-shirts and doing more than just clearing away the rubbish they find,

they are also looking out for evidence of where it came from so that something can be done about it.

Environmental enforcement officers from the council are working with teams from Veolia, the council’s waste contractor, riding alongside the fly-tip clearance crews to do more investigation work that will lead to fines and prosecutions.

Council staff are also working more closely with local businesses and residents to jointly find solutions to regularly fly-tipped hot-spots. This could involve securing

land with gates or fences, erecting temporary CCTV or carrying out more regular monitoring visits.

In the back office, it’s all about fast processing of the hundreds of fly-tipping reports that come in every week. These arrive via emails to flytipping@croydon.gov.uk or via the free-to-download My Croydon smartphone application.

The app is increasingly popular with smartphone users as it lets people quickly and easily snap photos of

Don’t mess with Croydon – get the app!If our borough is to become one of the capital’s cleanest and greenest, we all need to work together to make it happen.Clean streets are mentioned time and again by residents as being one of their highest priorities for Croydon.

That is why the council launched its ‘Don’t Mess with Croydon – take pride’ campaign, aimed at bringing to an end the criminal act of fly-tipping, and, in so doing, making the streets a more pleasant environment for everybody.

One of the main weapons in the fight against fly-tipping is the council’s My Croydon smartphone app.

Once downloaded, the app can be used for a range of purposes, including reporting the presence of a fly-tip and, importantly, the identity of the fly-tipper.

It's quick and free to download from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store or click here

As part of the overall campaign, the council wants to make Croydon one of the cleanest and greenest boroughs in London

In addition to reporting fly-tips, residents can help by telling the council

about local issues such as abandoned vehicles or problems with trees and high hedges.

New functions are being added all the time. The latest allows users to report noisy neighbours, while coming on line within weeks are eyesore gardens and empty properties reporting functions.

And, as with fly-tippers, anybody committing antisocial acts, such as painting graffiti can be reported using the app.

Fly-tippers warned:

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what they are reporting, before telling the council where the problem is.

People can also call in on 020 8604 7000, the new hotline number which has been set up specifically to handle fly-tip enquiries.

Speed is of the essence because there is a new

promise to clear all fly-tips within 48 hours of a report being received – so it’s crucial to get the jobs issued to crews as quickly as possible.

And reports are also being encouraged from council staff who are out and about in the community on a daily basis but who wouldn’t previously

have concerned themselves with fly-tips.

So, from social workers and planning officers to traffic wardens and housing staff, everyone who works for Croydon is working to tackle fly-tipping.

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To report an issue, the user need only: • select the issue they want to report

(such as a fly-tip) from a drop-down list and add any other relevant information;

• take a photo of the problem;• add the location; and• submit the report.

To report somebody, the user need only: • select the category;• add a photo, if they have one;• add the location;• enter additional information;• indicate if they are happy to be contacted

to provide a witness statement; and• submit the report.

Please be careful and bear in mind that

the person you are reporting is unlikely to welcome people observing them or taking notes or photos – for more information visit the council’s fly-tipping webpage at click here

Anybody who does not have a smartphone can report issues via the council’s website by signing up to My Account, just click here

And fly-tips can be reported by calling the dedicated fly-tipping hotline on 020 8604 7000 or emailing flytip@croydon .gov .uk

By getting involved and taking pride, the council and its residents can work together to make Croydon one of the cleanest, greenest boroughs in London.

My AccountLives today are busier than ever, and the council realises the importance of making it as easy as possible for residents to get in touch and conduct many council transactions online – 24/7, 365 days a year

By setting up a MyAccount, residents can pay rent, contact their income officer, report a local issue (such as graffiti, fly-tips, dog fouling, etc) or a missed bin collection, order a bulky waste/white goods collection, submit and pay for a building control application, and much more.

My Account couldn’t be easier to set up – just click here and click on the ‘Create account’ button and complete the online form.

apply

pay/my account

MyCROYDON

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MyCROYDON

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8 yourcommunity August/September 2014 | Your Croydon

A fairer Croydon for allGreater inclusion, less inequality and fairness for all – those are the aims of a body being set up by the council to improve residents’ quality of life.A Croydon where fairness and equality are applied to all its residents will be the central tenet of a Fairness Commission to be set up by the council.

One of the first tasks of the commission will be to consult with groups and communities across the borough, gather evidence and recommend actions that will improve the quality of life for all Croydon residents.

The council acknowledges that the current economic climate, coupled with the impact of wide-reaching welfare reforms and cuts in funding have led to an increase in inequality and poverty.

But it points out that working with the

Local Strategic Partnership has resulted in a reduction in joblessness, improvements in health and well-being, and a fall in the overall crime figures.

Through the commission, and by working with partners, the council will learn more of inequality and inclusion issues, take steps to address them and tackle the deprivation felt by some residents.

The commission will be chaired by an independent expert, yet to be chosen, who will oversee a report outlining recommendations for the council and its partners.

The chair will be supported by a vice-

chair and a team of commissioners drawn from borough private and voluntary sector organisations, and members of the public.

Initial steps for the setting up of the Fairness Commission will be taken over the summer, with a proposed first meeting in September, when it will review information on the main inequality and fairness challenges facing the borough, and discuss how they might best be dealt with.

The formal launch of the Fairness Commission will take place in September and it will be the main theme of the Croydon Congress meeting in November.

Mum - I’m going out to play...The council’s new play streets scheme will see kids playing safely outside their front doors, keeping them fit and healthy, and strengthening communities.Children playing in safe, traffic-free streets within sight of parents reassured that their little ones can be easily called and are unlikely to come to any major harm.

That is the scenario that could be played out in residential roads following approval, by Croydon Council’s cabinet on Monday, 30 June, of plans to help residents establish a series of play streets across the borough.

A play street is created by the regular closing to through-traffic of a residential street – on a Sunday afternoon, for example – so that children and families can use the street space for play.

The idea has gained popularity following interest shown by community groups keen to see facilities for play made available for set periods closer to home than a park that might be some distance from the front doors of local people.

An added advantage is that play streets increase the sense of community by bringing neighbours together, both in setting up and managing the play street and in taking part when the play street is in operation.

The concept has been running in Hackney since November 2012 and has seen the successful launch of 24 play

streets in that borough.Community groups wishing to set

up play streets would be expected to consult with all residents in the proposed road and share the results of the consultation with a council-appointed play streets coordinator.

If significant opposition to the siting of a play street could not be resolved, the play street application would not be accepted.

For more information click here

subscribe to Your Croydon at www .croydon .gov .uk/subscribe yourcommunity 9

Breathing life into empty homesThe council has launched a drive that will see empty properties brought back into productive use by providing much-needed homes.

Tough new measures have been put in place to bring empty properties back into use.

A key pledge in the council’s Don’t Mess with Croydon: Take Pride campaign to clean up the borough, the initiative includes stepping up efforts to identify and encourage owners to bring empty properties back into use, and a promotion campaign to help raise awareness of the support available to the owners of empty homes.

It is thought that as many as 600 empty properties across the borough can be targeted by the new measures.

There will be big improvements to the information available to empty property owners, via council communications including the website and council tax letters, along with local media and advertising boards.

A dedicated hotline will be set up, as well as the

opportunity to report empty homes using the My Croydon app.

The council is also looking to invest £1m in empty property grants to encourage owners to refurbish and bring them back into use.

The maximum amount available will be £25,000 per property. on the condition it is let to the council for a household in need of a home.

In addition, the council

plans to make greater use of existing legislation such as compulsory purchase orders of empty homes, and using empty dwelling management orders to bring properties back into use.

It will also negotiate the purchase of empty properties and work with banks and building societies to repossess those homes that are in a poor condition.

To find out more click here

Ready to tackle trainingTeenager tells how course gave him purpose and stopped him slipping into bad old ways.

His transfer from a young offenders’ institute to an adult prison was the point at which Levi Smith realised that something had to change in his life.

Following that wake-up call, the 19-year-old has turned himself around after successfully completing a 12-week Aspire to Engage employability course run by Crystal Palace FC.

The project inspires and supports young people who are not in education, employment or training (neet), through activities structured around football, media, and

popular culture. Aimed at vulnerable young

people in the Croydon area, Aspire to Engage enables participants to develop ‘soft’ employability skills, such as self-confidence, communication, negotiation skills and time keeping, bringing them a step closer to employment.

Levi said: “School definitely wasn’t for me, and when I left I was just on the streets causing trouble. Ending up in prison was a big wake-up call and being transferred to an adult prison was a shock to the system.

“When I came out of prison, I joined the Aspire programme through my probation officer, and I think I’ve become a better person.

“The team here have really supported me, helped me deal with things I found a challenge – even my short temper.

“My attitude has changed so much and I feel more ready for training and, eventually, the workplace.”

Aspire to Engage is delivered in partnership with Crystal Palace Football Club Foundation, Croydon Voluntary Action and Croydon Council. It supports young

people through activities structured around football, sport, media and culture.

To learn more click here

10 yourcommunity August/September 2014 | Your Croydon

Those questions were asked by Winston Churchill halfway through World War I – the answer to each, we now know, was unimaginable. The centenary of The Great War is being marked with a number of events across the borough.

The war to end all wars was a dark and tragic episode that cost millions of lives, left its mark on many millions more, and scarred the landscape of Europe.

The centenary of the beginning of World War I is being marked globally on 4 August, and, here in Croydon, a programme of events has been timetabled with a view to ensuring the conflict and its effects on humanity are not forgotten.

The government’s

Centenary Programme has the overarching themes of remembrance, youth and education. This programme will involve identifying key dates for commemoration, the development of an education programme and a series of community-based activities.

The council is working with schools and community groups to support the national programme. A small number of events has already taken place, and future highlights are listed below.

Sunday 3 August• Service in St John’s Church, Old Coulsdon, followed by a Commemoration Service at the war memorial in nearby Grange Park - details to be announced.

Monday 4 August Centenary of the declaration of war – various associated activities including:• Civic event followed by a

Mayoral Reception involving borough’s oldest soldiers.

• ‘Lights Out’ candle in the Town Hall, 10-11pm (part of national programme – for more information click here

• Commemorating WWI – Men of Addington, 10.15pm, vigil at St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Addington – for more information click here

Sunday 24 August

• Commemoration service at the war memorial, Coulsdon Memorial Ground, Marlpit Lane, Coulsdon, 3pm.

August to September• Exhibition: The Effect of WWI on the People of Addington, at St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Addington – for more information click here

"The council is working with schools and community

groups to support the national programme"

How many have gone?

11subscribe to Your Croydon at www .croydon .gov .uk/subscribe yourcommunity

How many more to go?

Tuesday 30 September• Performance of The Muddy Choir at The Brit School, The Crescent, Selhurst, 5pm. For information click here Commissioned and produced by Theatre Centre, the play has been written by Jesse Briton to mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. The play, which includes period songs, tells the story of three young boys serving with the Durham Light Infantry in 1917.

Tuesday 11 November• Royal British Legion Armistice Day wreath-laying event, the cenotaph, Katharine Street, Croydon.

Sunday 9 November• Remembrance Sunday – Civic service and parade.

Sunday 9 November• London Mozart Players in concert with Croydon school choirs, Fairfield – For information click here

Organisations planning to commemorate World War I may find helpful the resource pack click here

Details of any commemorative activities – large or small – can be sent to simon.bashford@croydon.gov.uk for addition to the programme of events on the council’s website.

The council’s dedicated website can be found by clicking here

Not-for-profit groups can apply for a grant worth up to £5,000 to stage commemorative events. The application form is available at Small Grants 7 Application Form For further advice, call 020 8604 7029 or email yvonne.gaye@croydon.gov.uk

For more information about the centenary visit:www.1914.org

www.britishlegion.org.ukwww.museumofcroydon.com

www.iwm.org.uk

612 yourregeneration August/September 2014 | Your Croydon

Growing CroydonThe council’s unprecedented growth plan will benefit the whole borough. It may not have been the brightest of sporting summers for Britain, but if you want to find one part of the country that's still brimming with confidence and optimism, Croydon is the place to be.

Not only is Crystal Palace FC preparing for another season in the Premier League, but Croydon itself is poised for a return to the top flight.

There's a real buzz about the borough. Flagship companies are keen to invest, the property market is buoyant, business expansion is three times the UK average, and Croydon is being widely vaunted as London’s next growth hotspot.

Croydon has been tipped for growth before and not fulfilled its potential. This time, however, it is ready to take full advantage of the new economic cycle and the wealth of opportunities that are heading this way.

The council recently launched its new multi-billion pound growth plan to pave the way for an unprecedented period of economic and physical regeneration of the entire borough. Nothing on this size and scale has ever been put into action in Croydon before and it will mean the wholesale transformation of the town and district centres.

Such are the potential benefits that it has been viewed as the borough’s version of the Olympics, capable of as spectacular a positive effect as hosting the Games had on other parts of the capital.

Thousands of new homes, many of them affordable, will be built and thousands of jobs created, not least – in another parallel to the success of London 2012 – around 7,000

from the £1bn redevelopment of the Whitgift Shopping Centre by the Westfield and Hammerson partnership.

Jo Negrini, the council’s executive director of development and environment, said: “Croydon has never been better placed to build itself a strong, sustainable future.

“The council has a pivotal role to play in offering the right conditions and support to help the private sector flourish, while, at the same time, helping to deliver sustainable and inclusive growth for the benefit of all its residents, businesses

and investors.“That’s why we’re working

hard to make sure local people are the main beneficiaries of the employment and business opportunities that are coming our way.”

The ripple effects are being felt already – work has resumed at once-stalled developments, and spectacular office and residential buildings are starting to rise from neglected high-profile gateway sites.

Croydon’s own Tech City is now home to more than 1,000 digital, creative and software

companies, drawn like other investors to the borough’s rapid transport links to central London and Gatwick Airport, a highly-skilled workforce and big-name employers.

Those are just some of the foundations on which the borough’s economic growth potential is built.

Add to that a £240m school expansion programme and delivering world-class education facilities and it’s not hard to see why more and more people are attracted by the idea of living and working in Croydon.

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Replanting, repainting and refurbishment are the order of the day as Connected Croydon continues to link and improve centres across the borough. A sparkling new look is promised for key areas of the borough as a multi-million-pound programme of high street improvements continues to enhance local centres.

The Connected Croydon programme includes a package of projects that will breathe fresh life into the public spaces and building and shopfronts in London Road, the Old Townarea and South End.

During August, a local contractor will begin work on nine shop fronts in London Road, Broad Green.

It is the first phase of a project that will see 40 shops and building frontages cleaned and repainted, new shopfronts and fascias installed, historic features such as pilasters restored, and new awnings and security shutters fitted.

Graphic design students at Croydon College have played a part, and in November will be thrilled to see the completion of five shopfronts designed by

them. They spent five months

– supported by tutor Vicki Parrott, and Geraldine Holland from Jan Kattein Architects – working with the retailers and developing proposals.

The coming months will see similar work starting in South End (August) and Old Town (November), and by next spring a total of 120 shops and building-frontage improvements will have been delivered across Croydon town centre.

In Old Town, St John’s Memorial Garden is being refreshed. Overgrown trees are being crown lifted (removal of lower branches to give uniform height from the ground), while others are being felled to make the garden more open and welcoming.

Overgrown shrubs will be removed, and the garden will benefit from new planting and a new entrance.

South End public realm

works are progressing and will start in Selsdon Road in September. Partnership working saw the council, local business association and contractor pull together to allow the annual South End Food Festival to go ahead.

London Road public realm

work is to start imminently, progressing north from the Station Road junction toward Broad Green, while the building-front improvements (starting in August in Broad Green) will move south.

To keep up to date with what’s happening click here

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Fresh life in old places

Young visionWith their futures before them, young people are being encouraged to play a part in the Connected Croydon programme, and help influence the way their borough will look as they grow.

To that end, the council arranged for students from Croydon College to work with Jan Kattein Architects, responsible for the London Road building-front improvement project.

As a result, the students got together with shop-owners to come up with proposals for a number of shopfronts.

And, earlier this year, the council organised a design competition for young people living, or studying, in Croydon, the winners of which received tickets to central London’s Design Museum.

14 youreducation August/September 2014 | Your Croydon

Free swimming for those aged 16 and under has been reintroduced for the summer at council pools across Croydon. The scheme runs until 31 August, allowing young people to enjoy the water throughout the summer holidays.

Previously, up to 40,000 youngsters have taken up the offer, proving its popularity. The sessions, open to youngsters living in Croydon, are available at the council’s pools

in Purley, New Addington, Thornton Heath, South Norwood and Waddon.

Anybody who has not previously used the scheme will have to complete a registration form signed by a parent or guardian, and pay a one-off sign-up fee of £2.

Youngsters dive in for free over the summer

Interested in improving your skills to enhance your promotion prospects? Perhaps you want to change career altogether – or maybe you’d like to learn something new just for enjoyment.

Whatever your reason, Croydon Adult Learning and Training (Calat) may have just the course for you.

It offers vocational and leisure courses in a range of subjects, including bookkeeping, baking, ballet, bricklaying and others that

don’t begin with a “b”.Enrolment is under

way for courses starting from September, and online registration is now available for certain classes.

See www.calat.ac.uk for details and look out for our new directory, available from Calat centres, libraries and other locations across Croydon.

For the latest information, go to Twitter click here

Negotiating the Mythical MazeChildren across the borough are picking their way around a Mythical Maze over the summer break as the work of artist Sarah McIntyre is the theme of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.

Mythical Maze encourages children to read six books or more, and receive a certificate, medal and rewards along the way.

One of the highlights of the challenge – already under way but open to any child who wants to take part – is the return of the popular animal-handling group

Zoolab, visiting libraries with a selection of creepy crawlies to inspire the youngsters.

This year, older children are being offered the chance to play a more active role in the challenge, and volunteers are being sought to help out.

Anybody aged 13 and over who would like to volunteer during the summer, can pick up an application form from their local library or email siobhan .endean@carillionservices .co .uk

For more information, visit www .croydonlibraries .com

Sign up for Calat’s new term

Start now for a school placeThe kids may be enjoying summer break, but now is the time to seriously consider the choice of primary or secondary school for autumn 2015.Starting primary or secondary school is a big event in any child’s life.

The months beforehand are an important time for parents to find out about the schools in their area and to apply for places.

To help in that process, the council has produced A mini guide to school admissions in Croydon, providing details and advice on how

and where the Croydon prospectus can be found when applying for a school place for September 2015.

The mini guide and prospectus can be viewed at, and downloaded from, www.croydon.gov.uk/admissions from August, with applications being accepted after 1 September.

Starting primary schoolApplications for Croydon’s primary schools must be made by 15 January 2015.You must apply even if you do not want your child to start school at the beginning of the autumn term 2015.And be sure your application contains the name of your preferred six schools. Only by doing so can an offer of one of your preferred schools be made.Please note, the legally required start date for a child to attend a school is the beginning of the school term after their fifth birthday.

Starting secondary schoolApplications for Croydon’s secondary schools must be made by 31 October 2014.For information on secondary schools’ open evenings, visit www.croydon.gov.uk/admissions

In-year school admissionsIf you are applying for places in a year group other than the normal intake year to primary or secondary school, you will need to fill out an online in-year application form, available at www.croydon.gov.uk/inyear-admissions

To complete the admissions form online click here

www.croydon.gov.uk youreducation 15

Right orderMr L lived reasonably close to some community and faith schools. He wanted his child to attend a faith school. Mr L mistakenly listed the community schools higher on his application form than the faith school that he wanted his child to attend. He was offered one of the community schools which he had listed. Mr L appealed for the faith school but was unsuccessful. Had he listed his choice of schools in the correct preference order, his child would probably have been offered a place at the faith school.

Late application

Mrs N gave her completed application form to her son and asked him to hand it into his

primary school.

The school noticed that it had not received a form from Mrs N and it left an urgent

message on her mobile phone to let her know that the closing date for receipt of the

forms had ended three days ago. Mrs N retrieved the message at approximately

2pm. In haste, Mrs N went to the primary school attended by her son and found the

form in his locker. Mrs N then rushed the form straight to the local authority’s offices.

Unfortunately, the local authority, correctly deemed it to be late.

Mrs N’s application was therefore considered after all the on-time applications had

been dealt with. The preferred schools were oversubscribed and were not in a position

to offer Mrs N’s son a place. Mrs N lodged an appeal, but it was not successful.

If the application form had been received on time, her son would have secured a

place at one of his preferred schools.

16

Bored children? The council and local organisations come to the rescue.

Croydon Council, in partnership with a number of local groups, has organised this year’s fun-packed summer activities programme for families and children across the borough. With something for

everyone, there really is no excuse to be bored. For full details, visit www.croydon.gov.uk/summeractivities

School’s out for summer!youreducation August/September 2014 | Your Croydon

Croydon youth forest projectForest project is running four bushcraft experience days over the summer.

Aimed at two age groups – 7- to 11-year-olds and 11- to 15-year-olds – the days promise to be packed with fun and interest.

When: Tuesday and Thursday 19 and 21 August for ages 7 to 11. Tuesday and Thursday 26 and 28 August for ages 11 to 15.

Where: Morgans Wood, Horsham. Cost is £15 per head which includes

transport to and from. Places are limited (12 on each) so early booking is recommended. To book and find out more, email suzy .strudwick@croydon .gov .uk

Croydon’s young people’s serviceProviding a range of activities for 11- to 19-year-olds. For information, go to www .croydonyps .org .uk

Croydon 7-a-side community league Free for all. Enrol as a team or as an individual.

When: Tuesdays (5-8pm) 11- to 15-year-olds; Thursdays (6-9pm) 16- to 23-year-olds

Where: Selhurst Astro, Dagnall Park, South Norwood SE25 5HN

For more information call 020 8726 6000 ext 63188 or email football6league@croydon .gov .uk

Summer Reading ChallengeChildren across the borough will be picking their way around a Mythical Maze over the summer break as the work of artist Sarah McIntyre is the theme of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.

Mythical Maze encourages children to read six books or more, and receive a certificate, medal and rewards along the way.

This year, older children are being offered the chance to play a more active role in the challenge. Volunteers are being sought to help out. Anybody aged 13 and over who would like to volunteer during the summer, can pick up an application form from their local library.

For more information, visit www .croydonlibraries .com

Family SpaceAn informative website offering a range of information on activities and sports in parks and outside spaces, parent and toddler groups, and children’s centres. Visit: www .familyspacecroydon .co .uk

Free swimming is back!Until 31 August young people aged 16 and under can swim for free at Croydon leisure centres during general swim times.*

A £2 administration fee is applicable and application forms are available from reception at:

• Thornton Heath Leisure Centre• South Norwood Leisure Centre• Waddon Leisure Centre• Purley Leisure Centre• New Addington Leisure CentreIf you already have a card it can be

reactivated for free. More information can be found click here

* Refer to centre websites for general swimming times. This offer is available to Croydon residents aged 16 and under

Summer parks projectCroydon’s street-based youth team is putting on free events, for 13- to 19-year-olds.

The activities on offer will include jewellery making, street art, cricket, football coaching and matches led by staff of Crystal Palace Football Club.

When and where: Just turn up between 3pm and 6pm at:

• Wandle Park (Waddon) on Monday 28 July

• Wilford Road Park (Broad Green) on Wednesday 30 July

• Edgecoombe Park (Monks Hill) on Monday 4 August

• Thornton Heath Recreation Ground on Tuesday 5 August

• Walton Green (Fieldway) on Wednesday 6 August.

For more information, call 020 8726 6000 ext . 60212 or email karen .morgan@croydon .gov .uk

Museum of CroydonCheck out the Museum of Croydon website for a range of activities for all the family.

Fusion activitiesFusion is the partner company responsible for running the council’s five leisure centres. Visit the Fusion website for details of summer activities at each of the centres, just click here

Sports taster sessions in Wandle ParkWhy not come and try out new sports this summer in Wandle Park?

We will be running taster sessions for cricket, football, tennis and other sports

during August. Come along and join in.For more information call the volunteers

and learning officer on 020 8726 6000 or email thomas .smith@croydon .gov .uk

17subscribe to the Your Croydon eBulletin at www .croydon .gov .uk/subscribe yoursafety

Croydon’s new borough commander is determined not to let efficiency savings halt the continuing reduction in crime levels.Years of experience, across a wide range of policing jobs, form the basis of the new borough commander’s drive to further reduce crime levels in Croydon.

Just three days into the post, Chief Superintendent Andy Tarrant has met his team of senior and junior officers, received briefings on current situations and operations, and spent time out on the street.

High among his initial targets for his new role is not merely sustaining the reduction in reported crime that has been a feature of recent months, but improving on the downward trajectory.

He said: “I want to build on the success of my predecessor in reducing crime, and to increase promotion of the fact that crime is down.

“If you look at muggings, house-breaking, thefts from vehicle and all those sort of crimes, they’re all significantly reduced.

“One of the challenges for me is sustaining that performance, because, ultimately, I’m here to make Croydon a safer place, and that’s going to be achieved

by working in partnership with anyone, whether it’s the council, other partners, or the public, private and voluntary sectors.”

He sees the proposed redevelopment of the town centre as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the environment of Croydon, and to attract new people into the borough – to work or live in, or to visit.

“In addition to the major commercial development, there’s the housing side and each will play an important role.

“Croydon’s a big player in London; it’s the second largest geographical area and the largest in terms of population. Reducing crime presents a significant challenge, but it’s one I’m really looking forward to.”

Acknowledging the ongoing anti-domestic violence campaign, Mr Tarrant said that the issue is taken seriously in Croydon.

“The number of reports of domestic violence is showing an increase – but that could be down to an increased confidence in reporting.

“We have to look at that

balance of, yes, it might be rising, but is that because people have more faith in the police in terms of dealing with the issue of domestic violence?

“We are dealing with it, and my officers are definitely up for delivering the best service possible, in that and all other areas.

“Croydon is busy; I went out on patrol myself earlier today, had a walk around and was listening to what was being reported over the radio.

“Clearly, there are significant challenges the borough faces in terms of demand for policing services.

“I’ve got to try to make them as efficient as possible and I’ve got to at least sustain, but hopefully improve, the level of service that’s provided,

while recognising there’s a background of having to deliver efficiency savings.”

Mr Tarrant will be pushing the crime prevention message and the fact that crime in Croydon is down.

“There’s a challenge with the perception of crime – you can have the best figures in the world but if the positive messages aren’t getting out there, some people will fear the worst.

“I’m really keen to engage as much as possible, to push the good messages of the things that are happening in Croydon and, I hope, people will feel safer as a result and be able to enjoy a better quality of life.

“Ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.”

Improving on the good

There’s a challenge with the perception of

crime – you can have the best figures in the

world but if the positive messages aren’t getting

out there, some people will fear the worst.

yoursafety August/September 2014 | Your Croydon18

Multi-agency approach aims to kick domestic violence into touch.

Domestic abuse and sexual violence are being targeted by a 12-month campaign currently under way in Croydon.

Staff from the Family Justice Centre are working with the police, health, schools and the voluntary sector to support victims of all ages, and to encourage more people to report instances of domestic violence (DV).

A schools’ learning programme – Values Versus Violence – was launched in March and is now a part of Croydon Council’s early intervention work

The support programme teaches pupils about right and wrong behaviour, and how to ask for help if they are experiencing any form of abuse

Major sporting events have long been linked with a rise in domestic abuse, so campaign supporters used the World Cup to show it the red card.

A two-week poster campaign was run across the borough, telling victims where to get advice, help and support.

Stickers, with helpline numbers, were also placed at key venues including Crystal Palace Football Club’s Selhurst Park ground, local libraries, sports centres and GPs’ surgeries.

The campaign had the

support of Croydon’s Pubwatch group, which distributed safety messages in local pubs and clubs.

And borough GPs are being encouraged to keep DV at the forefront of their minds with the help of a new screening tool, to be introduced in September.

Four key questions, designed to help them identify potential victims, have been printed on notepad-style jotters to be kept at hand when patients are being treated.

Councillor Mark Watson, cabinet member for safety and justice, fully supports the campaign and recently lobbied the home secretary to get greater support for anti-DV work.

Leaflets telling people how to seek help are also being given out by the Met’s Safer Neighbourhoods Teams.

Pictures of their most-wanted domestic abuse offenders are being shared with council CCTV operators so that they can alert officers should they spot them on camera.

Detective Sergeant Kris Blamires, of Croydon’s Community Safety Unit, said: "Our focus is as much on the victim as it is on the offender.

“For the victims, we have specially trained officers that are available to give them the

help and support that they need.

“We work closely with our partners and a big part of our job is to put the victim in touch with the people and organisations that can help

them out of their situation. “At the same time, we're

here to identify and arrest offenders and we will make every effort to bring those responsible for domestic abuse in Croydon to justice.”

Sarah’s storySarah’s husband had been physically and verbally abusive for three years before she sought help.

She was very vulnerable and needed specialist support after experiencing multiple incidents of abuse, rape and serious physical assaults. Members of her husband’s family also abused her.

The Family Justice Centre, in Park Lane, supported her in seeking help from partner agencies.

This enabled her to gain a secure tenancy in sheltered housing (appropriate for her age) and to get financial support from the Croydon Discretionary Fund. That support kept her from getting into deeper financial difficulty when buying essential items.

Sarah’s husband was found guilty of the abuse at court. He received a community order, a financial penalty, an electronic monitoring tag and an unlimited restraining order, preventing him or any of his family contacting her.

Sarah said she would have found the whole process difficult without the support of an independent domestic violence advocate.

Support would have been available had the victim been male.

How to seek helpThe Family Justice Centre 020 8688 0100Family Space wwwfamilyspacecroydon.co.ukNational Domestic Freephone 0808 200 0247 Violence Helpline www.victimsupport.org.uk

How to report DVIf you see someone committing an offence call 999.

To report something that has happened previously, call 101.

Look out for friends and family• Does he verbally abuse her?• Does she change her behaviour to avoid making him angry?• Is he charming one minute and abusive the next? Does he have

sudden changes of mood – like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?• Does he cut her off from family and friends and try to isolate

her?• Does he tell her she’s useless and couldn’t cope without him?

There are many ways to be abusive• Damaging possessions• Smashing furniture• Threatening to harm or kill pets• Threatening to kidnap or get custody of the children • Locking him/her out of the house during an argument.

Croydon says NO to domestic abuse and sexual violence

subscribe to Your Croydon at www .croydon .gov .uk/subscribe yoursafety 19

The task ahead

I would like to begin my first column as the new borough commander by saying that I am proud to have been appointed to what I regard as one of the best jobs in the Met.

I was born and brought up in neighbouring Bromley, my father held the rank of Inspector in Norbury, and I have relatives who live in Croydon, so I’m no stranger to the place.

I’m an experienced chief superintendent with three and half years’ service at this rank. At my previous posting I delivered in excess of £4.6m of efficiency savings, but, I’m proud to say, there was no reduction in the quality of the service that was delivered. In fact, the unit ended up taking on more work.

My challenge is to not only maintain the level

of service, but ideally to improve it. I will be looking for more efficient ways of working – by looking at where officers are posted, where they patrol, how they’re deployed, how we utilise police staff, how we use volunteers, and, at a bigger level, how we work with partners such as the council and the voluntary sector.

All this is achievable, and I don’t think that, just because there is a climate of efficiency savings, it has to result in a reduced service.

I have been really impressed by the desire and passion, from everyone I've met, to make Croydon a safer and better place.

This ranges from the police officers, civilian staff and volunteers who work at the station, through to the

council officers, politicians and community groups and members of the public, who want to give of their best.

I am very keen on visibility, very keen on getting out and talking to communities.

Indeed, one of my previous roles – a six-month secondment to Lambeth Council leading the community safety team – gave me valuable experience in terms of engaging with community groups, so I’m really looking forward to meeting the many local groups and learning about the issues and their concerns.

The good news is that crime is down in Croydon.

Mugging, house breaking and theft from cars are at levels not seen for a number of years, but I need to translate these figures

into action, so that you, the borough’s residents, feel safer.

My challenge, as your police commander, is to improve your confidence in Croydon police; confidence in our ability to work with others to reduce crime, catch criminals and deal with what troubles you.

Croydon can look to the future with some optimism. The redevelopment of the town centre offers real opportunities to improve public spaces and attract new business into the area.

I look forward to keeping you updated, through this regular column, as to how I am getting on.

Chief Supt Andy Tarrant Croydon borough commander

Andy Tarrant

A new scheme requiring landlords to hold a licence before renting their property will improve the lot of tenants and neighbourhoods.

Rogue landlords who provide poor-quality housing are the target of a new licensing scheme to improve private rented accommodation for tenants across the borough and tackle antisocial behaviour.

The scheme is a key part of the Don’t Mess with Croydon campaign to clean up the borough.

Every private landlord will have to comply with a series of health and safety standards before getting a licence, and pass stringent “fit and proper” checks for criminal convictions.

Unlicensed landlords face fines of up to £20,000, while those who fail to comply with licence conditions can be prosecuted and fined up to £5,000.

Private renting has increased significantly in Croydon with one of the negative consequences being poor-quality homes, noise, litter, fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour.

The scheme aims to tackle these problems by bringing in tougher controls.

While the number of complaints received by the council concerning private rented housing standards has more than doubled from 630 in 2010/11 to 1,371 in 2013/14, it is known that many tenants do not complain about their accommodation for fear of losing their homes.

Consultation on the licensing scheme is due to begin in September.

Licensed to rent

Step up for a free NHS health check By signing up for a free once-over you could help avoid future problems.

Residents aged between 40 and 74 and registered with a GP in the borough are reminded that they could be eligible for a free NHS health check.

If they qualify, they can get checked to help prevent heart disease, a stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and certain types of dementia later on in life.

The check-up usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, involving a few simple questions about lifestyle and medical history, and is a chance to get free advice on how to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Height, weight and blood pressure are measured, and a finger-prick blood test measures cholesterol. All results are given at the appointment.

The council is working with the local NHS to promote the campaign as part of its Heart Town programme to reduce heart disease, responsible for a third of all deaths in Croydon.

Those already diagnosed with heart disease, a stroke, diabetes, kidney disease or high blood pressure are not eligible as they should already be receiving personalised care.

Find out if you are eligible for a free NHS health check, click here or emailing croccg.healthchecks@nhs.net.

Contact details of surgeries and pharmacies offering the checks can be viewed by clicking here

Read more by clicking hereFor a limited period, ToHealth, the

community service for Croydon, is offering free health checks at a number of venues across the borough. Locations and dates can be found by clicking here

CroydonHeart Town

Love our town ❤ Love your heart

Croydon shoppers get important but shockingly easy lesson on how to save a life, by using a defibrillator.On the first anniversary of Croydon becoming a Heart Town, the council teamed up with the borough’s clinical commissioning group and London Ambulance Service (LAS) to encourage shops and businesses to get defibrillators – and save lives.

The three organisations spent a day at the Whitgift Shopping Centre, where medics used resuscitation dummies to show shoppers how they can become heroes and save someone’s life in five minutes.

The council’s offices at

Bernard Weatherill House are already equipped with LAS-accredited defibrillators and it is hoped other organisations in Croydon will follow suit.

As a Heart Town, the council has committed to a five-year programme to raise awareness of, and tackle, coronary heart disease.

The LAS’s Shockingly Easy campaign aims to get at least 1,000 extra defibrillators in shops, businesses, gyms and high-footfall areas across London.

Richard Hunt CBE, chairman of LAS, said: “Our

latest data shows that there were 457 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Croydon in a year and 43 of these occurred in the street and locations like workplaces, gyms, shops, public transport and places of worship.

“Around 28% of people survive an out-of-hospital

cardiac arrest but, where there is a defibrillator and someone trained to use it, the chance of survival can increase to 80%.”

For more information on how to get a defibrillator for your organisation and training on how to use it, call the Shockingly Easy campaign on 020 7783 2366 or click here

Saving lives is shockingly easy

yourhealth August/September 2014 | Your Croydon20

Flying the flag for foodThe importance of good-quality food has been underlined with a £600,000 grant to combat obesity and promote healthy eating.Everybody accepts that healthy eating, cooking better food and reducing obesity are targets we should be aiming for.

And the Greater London Authority agrees – it has chosen Croydon as the Flagship Food Borough for outer London, alongside Lambeth, representing inner London.

The five-year project will pioneer school-based and community projects to improve health through a better quality of food.

As a flagship, Croydon will receive £600,000 over the next two years and support from the GLA’s food, health, education and sport teams, along with the Mayor’s Fund for London, to transform the food environment in the borough.

The council already has plans in place to help residents lead longer, healthier lives after being

awarded Heart Town status by the British Heart Foundation, the only area of 50 across the UK to have committed to the project for five years.

Croydon also has a successful healthy schools programme, with almost all schools having achieved bronze status and a further 25 due to receive silver status in the summer of 2015.As a flagship food borough,

Croydon is proposing to:• introduce a grants scheme

for community cooking and healthy eating projects;

• set up a Croydon food festival community engagement scheme;

• target nutrition education in areas and schools where there is most need;

• provide support for food entrepreneurs and business start-ups; and

• provide cookery classes in the community,

Henry Dimbleby, co-author of the School Food Plan, which helped inspire the flagship food borough scheme, said: “The ambition is to show that by making radical changes across all sections of society – albeit in a small area – we can make a big dent in the levels of obesity.

“We hope to create a proven model that can be rolled out not only across the UK, but across the world.

“We’re going to bring in ideas and experts from around the world to help us trial approaches, making these two boroughs a focus for the global health community and proving that together we can tackle this problem.

“It will make people healthier, happier and remove a massive burden from the NHS.”

www.croydon.gov.uk yourhealth 21

Taking health to the peopleAfter a successful inaugural tour last year, the Healthy Living Hub is again hitting the road over the summer break.Parks and recreation grounds are set to become temporary homes for the council’s popular Healthy Living Hub as it goes on the road this summer.

Usually based in Croydon’s Central Library, in Katharine Street, the hub offers friendly advice and support on becoming more active.

For anybody looking to lose weight, stop smoking, become more active or just get some information on what can be done to keep themselves and their family healthy, the Healthy Living Hub is the place to visit.

And, as well as offering a free service, the hub is proud to be part of the Croydon Heart Town initiative and is a great place to learn more about keeping your heart healthy.

To take advantage of all this in your

community, pay a visit to one of the following venues.

• Lloyd Park pavilion, Coombe Road – Tuesday 5 August – 11am to 3pm

• Thornton Heath Recreation Ground – Wednesday 13 August – 11am to 2pm

• Milne Park, New Addington – Friday 22 August – 11am to 2pm

• Wandle Park – Thursday 28 August – 11am to 2pm

In addition to a range of activities, each stop will offer fun and freebies for children and adults, so pop along a make a change.

For more information, email healthyliving@croydon .gov .uk, daniel .mcdermott@croydon .gov .uk or lauren .east@croydon .gov .uk or call the Healthy Living Hub on 020 8253 1009.

Fairfield Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1DG

Details: www.fairfield.co.uk Telephone: 020 8688 9291Email: boxoffice@fairfield.co.uk

Useful contactsFor police, fire brigade, ambulance, call: 999 or 112, Text phone 1800

Croydon Council general enquiries020 8726 6000Croydon NHS Walk-in Centre020 3040 0800

Non-emergency urgent care - 111

Croydon University Hospital 020 8401 3000

Get in touchTo get in touch with the Your Croydon editorial team, email: yourcroydon@croydon .gov .uk or call 020 8760 5644

If anybody you know isn't receiving the online version of Your Croydon, tell them that they can ensure delivery by subscribing at www .croydon .gov .uk/subscribe

yourdiary August/September 2014 | Your Croydon22

To keep up to date with what’s going on, subscribe to Your Croydon and receive a free weekly email that’s full of news and information about your borough, go to www .croydon .gov .uk/subscribe and visit

@yourcroydon/ilovecroydon

Central Library and Museum of CroydonKatharine Street, Croydon CR9 1ET

Open: Monday to Saturday (see website for daily hours)Library – www.croydon.gov.uk/central-library Telephone: 020 8726 6900Email: libraries@croydon.gov.ukMuseum – www.museumofcroydon.comTelephone: 020 8253 1022 Email: museum@croydon.gov.uk

Guided WalksFor full details, visit: www.croydon.gov.uk/leisure/parksandopenspaces/walks

August Wednesday 6 August 3pmNature play in Haling Grove Join us for an afternoon of fun outdoors with some forest school-inspired activities for children aged five-plus. Make a leaf crown, light a fire by friction, toast a marshmallow, make a French dart or the tallest twig tower ever. Meet the community partnership officer by the pavilion for this 90-minute to two-hour event.

Saturday 9 August 10am Mini-beast hunt in Littleheath Woods Join the Friends of Littleheath Woods for a stroll through the woods and field in search of critters, spiders and creepy crawlies. Meet at the woodland entrance for this 90-minute family event, at the junction of Queenhill and Littleheath roads. Bus: T33, 64

Saturday 9 August 11amIncredible insects on the Sanderstead to Whyteleafe

Countryside Area If you love your ladybirds, like to cuddle your critters and think spiders are special, join the countryside warden for a fun time getting up close and personal with these amazing little creatures. Booking essential. For more information and to book a place, call 07771 715812.

Thursday 14 August 8.15pmBats and moths in Selsdon Wood Meet by the bear in the Selsdon Wood car park for this two-hour night-time wander. For more information visit www.friendsofselsdonwood.org.uk Bus: T33

Wednesday 20 August 2pmMini-beast hunt in Selsdon Wood Family event for children, join the Friends of Selsdon Wood and beetle expert Roger Hawkins who will lead a gentle stroll through the wood and fields in search of bugs and critters.Meet by the bear in the Selsdon Wood car park. Bus: T33

September Friday 5 September 7.30pm Bats in Foxley Wood Go down the woods tonight and marvel at the only flying mammal – the bat. Meet the Friends of Foxley by the large wooden noticeboard at the Higher Drive entrance to the woods for this one-hour event.

Sunday 7 September noon to 4pm Selsdon Wood Open Day The Friends of Selsdon Wood invite you to the annual open day for fun and activities for all the family. For more information, visit www.friendsofselsdonwood.co.uk Bus: T33

Friday 12 September 7.30pmWildlife watch at night on the Sanderstead to Whyteleafe Countryside Area Join us for a special two-hour night-time wander over the fields to meet the creatures of the night – badgers, deer, fox and, with luck, bats. Booking essential. Call the countryside warden on 07771 715812, to book.

Friday 19 September 7pmBats over South Norwood Lake Last chance for this season to get up close and personal to the bats at South Norwood Lake. Wrap up warm and meet by the main entrance, next

to the Waterside Centre, off Woodvale Avenue. Bus: 410

Sunday 21 September 2pmHappy Valley and Farthing Downs nature trail A 90-minute to two-hour exploration of the Happy Valley section of this scenic and varied trail, accompanied by the countryside warden.

Meet at the Farthing Downs car park. Bus: 60, 404 Train: Coulsdon South, walk one mile along Downs Road and Ditches Lane.

Saturday 27 September noon to 5pmCroydon’s great outdoors, South Norwood Country Park Celebrate and discover Croydon’s parks and open spaces. Bring the family and a picnic, watch the demonstrations and take part in a variety of exciting activities, including bush craft and forest school taster sessions, storytelling, archery, green woodworking demonstrations, and more.

Limited car parking, please travel by tram or bus. For more information, email biodiversity@croydon.gov.uk

www.croydon.gov.uk/atoz

Adult educationInformation on the courses available to older students.

Blocked drainsInformation on how to deal with drain problems.

Bulky waste collectionWhat it is, how to book it and how much it will cost.

CCTVHelping to ensure the safety of people in Croydon.

Croydon CarelineProviding a home safety and personal security system, helping people to live independently within their own homes. Direct paymentsGiving a person the choice to buy and arrange their own social care services.

Disabled parkingProviding parking bays throughout Croydon for vehicles used by the holders of blue badges.

Emergency planningKeeping Croydon running in the event of serious incidents.

Extended schoolsProviding a range of services and activities to help meet the needs of pupils, their families and the wider community.

Fly-tippingHow to report it, your responsibilities as a landowner, and how the council prosecutes fly-tippers.

GamblingThe different types of licences – and how to apply for them.

Home safety adviceSee if you are eligible for a free home safety check.

Instrument tuitionService for children and young people.

Job searchFind the latest vacancies for positions within the council.

Leisure centresLinks and information on all the borough’s leisure centres.

Lottery registrationRunning a lottery to raise funds for a charity or an organisation such as a sports club, church or school, requires registration.

Mice and ratsInformation on the telltale signs and how to get help eradicating them.

My CroydonDownload the council’s app for easy reporting of a number of issues.

Neighbourhood wardensOffering help and support to local communities.

Out-of-school activitiesAfter-school clubs, breakfast clubs, holiday play schemes – they’re all here.

Planning applicationsAdvice on all aspects of the planning process.

RecyclingWhat to recycle, how to recycle and where to recycle.

Safer Croydon PartnershipWorking to make the borough safer for all who live, work and visit here.

Trading standardsDealing with doorstep crime and rogue traders, and offering advice to residents and businesses.

Voluntary organisationsDetails on available funding.

Welfare benefit adviceKnow what you’re entitled to and claim it.

Youth projectsAll you need to know about Croydon’s youth provision.

Zoo licenceYou need to apply for a licence to run a zoo – should you really want to!

The council provides a comprehensive range of services designed to offer help and advice to residents. Below is only a small selection

of those services – for the full list, visit www .croydon .gov .uk and follow the “A-Z” link at the top of the home page.

Your A to Z of council services

Recycling

Trading

Standards

Planning

CCTV

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