MICA’s RIBA award-winning revamp of the 1962 arts venue was approved back in 2017 and finally delivered a year late in 2019, more than £37.5 million over
Croydon senior management team suspended
Four senior officers at troubled Croydon LBC have been suspended following a report into “management actions”, LGC has learned.
Director of finance Lisa Taylor, executive director of place Shifa Mustafa, executive director of localities Hazel Simmonds and executive director of health, wellbeing and adults Guy Van Dichele are all understood to have been suspended from their duties today. LGC understands executive director of resources and monitoring officer Jacqueline Harris-Baker, the other permanent member of the senior management team, went on sick leave in recent days.
Interim chief executive Katherine Kerswell and interim director of children, families and education Debbie Jones, whom Ms Kerswell appointed after joining in September, remain in post.
Croydon review finds officers ‘did not assert their powers’
Croydon LBC’s statutory officers were inexperienced and “did not assert their powers” against an “inner circle” of the former leader and cabinet members, the government’s rapid review into the council has found.
Published this afternoon, the review warns there is “no credible alternative” to the £150m capitalisation direction the council is seeking to bring its books back into balance this year and next, although it acknowledges the scale of recent governance failures at the south London borough mean this would not be without risk.
In response to the review, communities secretary Robert Jenrick has appointed an improvement and assurance panel, to be chaired by Tony McCardle, the Northamptonshire CC commissioner. LGC has been told this board will make a recommendation by the end of the week on whether the government should grant the direction which would allow the council to borrow for revenue purposes