A PSPO allows the council and the police to introduce new measures to reduce street drinking and antisocial behaviour which we believe will help to improve this public space for the wider community.

The PSPO will replace the existing Town Centre Controlled Drinking Zone (also known as Designated Public Place Orders) which puts restrictions on street drinking.  

What  will happen to the information you receive?

The consultation responses received from residents and those who visit, work or study in the town centre, will be analysed and used as part of the council’s decision making process at the Cabinet meeting to be held on 20 November 2017.

What is a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO)?
PSPOs were created by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, (section 59) to replace existing legislation and to introduce wider discretionary powers to deal with any particular nuisance or problem that is detrimental to the local community’s quality of life.

The legislation is intended to ensure that the law-abiding majority can use and enjoy public spaces, safe from anti-social behaviour.

The law requires the order must be in writing, and it must be published. Reasonable signage must also be put up in the area.

A breach of the PSPO is a criminal offence, which can be dealt with, either by way of a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of £80 or prosecution. If prosecuted, an individual could be liable to a fine no higher than £1,000. Only those aged over 18 or over can be issued with a FPN.

How is a PSPO put in place?

The test for issuing the order, is when the local authority believes that ongoing anti-social behaviour harms the local community’s quality of life, will be ongoing, or happens regularly, and that the impact is such, that restrictions should be put in place. Any future changes to the order will require further consultation.

Crime and anti-social behaviour statistics

We analysed crime and anti-social behaviour data for the financial year 2016/17, and identified over 3,220 confirmed crimes within the proposed PSPO area.

39% of the violent offences occurred in North End and the High Street, and 33% of all criminal damage offences recorded within the proposed PSPO area, also occurred in these two locations.

597 calls to the police regarding anti-social behaviour were recorded during this period, of which 370 (62%), were classified as rowdy or inconsiderate behaviour.  31% of the calls to the police for this type of rowdy or inconsiderate behaviour were also linked to North End and the High Street.

We also know that street drinking has a negative effect on the general public and that this type of behaviour is under recorded.

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The Croydon Local Plan which sets out the borough’s growth and development vision over the next 20 years has taken another positive step forward.

Earlier this year, the Secretary of State appointed an independent planning inspector to lead the examination of the Croydon Local Plan, which included holding a number of examination hearings in public on the plan documents.

The inspector has now outlined changes which must be consulted on before the plan can be adopted, subject to the inspector’s final report. Consultation on the proposed main modifications made by the inspector will run from 29 August to 10 October inclusive

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Our vision for Croydon parks is to see them used, enjoyed and managed in ways never seen before in the borough. To achieve this we need to improve them, make them appealing to wider communities and manage them at less or no cost to the council.

We’ve identified six parks, each representing a different type of open space, to be pilots for new approaches to how parks are managed and used.

The six parks are:

• Ashburton Park
• Park Hill Recreation Ground
• Lloyd Park
• South Norwood Lake
• Norbury Park
• Happy Valley

Tyréns, an urban planning and landscape design team, with experience in community-driven projects, will produce a masterplan for each of the six parks. Plans will include ways to make them more user friendly and attractive, and will include ideas about how we maintain them.

When producing the plans, Tyréns will take into consideration;

• What people like or dislike about the park.
• The park layout including shape and appearance.
• Opportunities for new venues, activities or cultural events.
• Ideas to improve what the parks currently offer e.g. accessibility, facilities, planting.
• Options for how the parks could be funded differently and maintained in the future.
• How local communities can become more involved in their parks.

The findings from the pilots will help the council to make the most of all Croydon’s parks and green spaces, and will inform decisions relating to improvements, future use, funding and management.

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Transport for London  and Croydon Council have published proposals to make Fiveways in Waddon simpler and safer for all road users. 

This proposed major improvement would provide a safer and more direct route for road users through the area while helping to reduce delays and congestion. The area would be made more welcoming with easier and safer pedestrian access across the A23 Purley Way.  The changes would also improve bus journey times - delivering a better service on routes moving more than 9,000 passengers a day.

An artist’s impression of Fiveways Corner (looking south to A23 Purley Way)

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Does someone in your community change lives through volunteering? Do you know a tireless fundraiser, neighbour, carer or inspirational young person who’s achieved something great? A business with a social conscience?
 

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Great news! due to popular demand, Surrey Street Sunday market will be re-launched in September. The aim of the Sunday market is to bring local residents and visitors something different to the current weekly market, with artisan goods, street food, vintage goods, art and events.

Please complete our short survey and give us our views on what you would like to see and experience at the Sunday market.

Survey closes 3 September 2017.

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Help us recognise a council officer or team who has made a positive impact on your life as a Croydon resident. Maybe they’ve helped resolve a difficult situation, delivered excellent customer service or made a real difference to your community.

The Resident’s Choice Award is part of our council staff awards programme, recognising the commitment and hard work of those who are going above and beyond for the residents of this borough. The awards are entirely funded by sponsorship and are of no cost to the tax payer.  

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Croydon is committed to improving air quality within its borough and have produced a new plan that builds on existing successful actions and develops new proposed actions to improve air quality.

We are seeking views from people who live and work in Croydon to shape our Action Plan. Your views are important to us and will help to inform the final action plan which will be presented to cabinet in September for implementation. The final version will be available on our website.

The plan contains a list of proposed measures and actions that we will take to improve air quality between 2017 and 2022.

The consultation runs from 26 June to 21 August 2017.

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Soar Beyond are supporting the London Borough of Croydon to produce a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment in 2018. We want to hear what residents think of pharmacy services in Croydon to help us develop services in the future.

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about short breaks

Short breaks are when you have a break from your family. Sometimes a short break is like a holiday away from home. Short breaks help you and your family carers have a rest. Another word for short breaks is respite.

about Croydon’s short breaks service

Heatherway is a house where adults with learning disabilities go for short breaks.
It has space for 5 people.

Croydon Council needs to understand how to respond to the changing demands on the service and what people who use the service want from it.

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