I was honoured to join hundreds of residents in Croydon Minster on Sunday to commemorate and give thanks for the life of Queen Elizabeth II, and to mark the National Moment of Reflection outside Croydon Town Hall. Thank you to all those who organised and participated in these incredibly moving ceremonies, and to everyone who attended. I hope others have, like me, taken comfort in the very special way our community has come together to remember Her Majesty, from leaving messages in Croydon’s Book of Condolence to laying flowers at our memorial sites. Find out how we will preserve your tributes in her memory.
At Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, I pledged that the council will lead work with the police and our communities, to make sure all women and girls are safe in Croydon. This is fundamental to the kind of place we want Croydon to be and, while the council can and will lead this work, everyone has a role to play – from tackling violence and harassment, to challenging problematic behaviours and mindsets.
Also at cabinet, we set out our commitment to making sure families get great support during pregnancy and the first five years of their child’s lives. This is a crucial stage in our children’s development and making sure that parents and carers can access the right help at this early stage, makes all the difference to their future. We’re looking forward to working with parents, carers and all our partners to deliver these plans and give all our children the best possible start in life.
The Council is also continuing the Opening the Books exercise to improve its understanding of the current financial position. While this exercise is uncovering some concerns due to historic financial management, I remain committed to getting to the bottom of these issues, being transparent about our position and crucially mitigating any remaining risks. Despite this challenging situation I remain determined to work towards a sustainable financial future for Croydon and to work with communities to restore pride in our borough.
Have a great weekend,
Jason Perry
Executive Mayor of Croydon
