Closed and Secretive Labour Refuses to Publish Vital Information

In 2014, Croydon Labour’s manifesto promised that a Labour Administration would be “the most open and transparent council in the history of Croydon” - a phrase oft repeated by their long-time Leader Cllr Tony Newman.

There followed years of insults and obfuscation when anyone asked even the most basic of questions. The result was chaos and bankruptcy.

In October 2020 the new Labour Leader, Cllr Hamida Ali, made a similar pledge for a "new way of working... we will aim to become a much more transparent, open and honest council. We will involve residents in our decision making".

Sadly the evidence is clear: Cllr Ali has not changed Labour's approach. As with her mentor and predecessor she is overseeing a closed and secretive culture, refusing to answer vital questions and allow councillors to scrutinise how our Council is run.

In more than one case we are still waiting for information requested over 230 days ago.

Here is just a selection of some of the information requested, and so far refused:

What was requested? / Why was it requested? / Request Date / Date Received / Time to Respond

1. Procedure for Scrutiny Members to request information / Officers failing to provide information / 11/11/2020 / Not yet received / 161 days
2. Data and document retention policy. Believed not to exist / Requirement of various Acts of Parliament. Crucial for evidence retention / 18/11/2020 / Not yet received / 154
3. Original specifications for the Fairfield Halls refurbishment; changes to scope and the agreement and cost/benefit analysis on the basis of which they were agreed / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. Reported as "with Legal to sign off" at 11th December 2020 / 26/08/2020 / Not yet received / 238
4. Facility Agreement between Croydon Council and Brick by Brick dated 26th September 2016 / Crucial information to assess the Brick by Brick debacle. Also R Ward FoI 21st February 2021 / 14/01/2021 / Not yet received / 97
5. Terms under which staff seconded to Brick by Brick worked, their prior and subsequent reporting relationships and how conflicts of interest were managed. Particularly important 2016-2018 / Crucial information to assess the Brick by Brick debacle. Not provided due to insufficient HR resource but highly relevant to Grant Thornton inquiry / 26/08/2020 / Not yet received / 238
6. Terms of appointment of Brick by Brick directors which included “financial protocols and obligations regarding decision making”. (Cabinet 20 Feb 2017) / Information relevant to the Grant Thornton inquiry / 20/02/2021 / Not yet received / 60
7. Mott McDonald report to the Council on Fairfield Halls cost estimates and refurbishment options / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. R Ward FoI 21st February 2021 / 21/02/2021 / Not yet received / 59
8. Licence between the Council and Brick by Brick to refurbish Fairfield Halls / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. Steven Downes FoI 24th February 2021 / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
9. Specifications required by the Council for refurbishing the Fairfield Halls for delivery by Brick by Brick / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. If not in #8 above / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
10. Contract between Brick by Brick and Vinci for refurbishing Fairfield Halls including specifications of works / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. Brick by Brick document but highly relevant to GT review / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
11. Documentation showing how Brick by Brick was selected to refurbish the Fairfield Halls / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
12. Documentation showing how Vinci was selected by Brick by Brick to refurbish the Fairfield Halls / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. Brick by Brick document relevant to GT review / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
13.  PID for College Green and Fairfield Halls Integrated Project as mentioned in the Final Internal Audit Report into the Fairfield Delivery dated June 2017 / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. FoI by Steven Downes 24th February 2021 / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
14. All external legal advice received by the Council in regard to the Council’s relationship with and funding of Brick by Brick / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. Lynne Hale FoI 26th February 2021, but only for advice since 1st January 2020 / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
15. Correspondence between Mott Mcdonald and Croydon Council concerning Mott Mcdonald leaving the Fairfield Halls project around Q3 2017 / Potentially crucial evidence for the Grant-Thornton audit / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
16. Procedures and meeting records, including presentational material, of Council committees set up to manage relationship with Brick by Brick. Arrangement varied over time. February 2020 below / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
17. Change requests/variation orders agreed by Croydon Council to the original work scope for the Fairfield Halls, and cost of each change / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. R Ward FoI 12 March 2019 not answered. R Ward FoI 11th April 2019 limited answer / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53
18. Change requests/variation orders agreed by Brick by Brick with Vinci and others to original Fairfield Halls work scope, and cost of each change / Crucial information to understand the Fairfield Halls debacle. Brick by Brick document but highly relevant to GT review / 27/02/2021 / Not yet received / 53

Last updated 21st April 2021