I joined the Teams briefing yesterday when Katherine Kerswell and Cllr Ali answered questions from members of staff.
The hurt and dismay was palpable as questions were asked and not always answered satisfactorily. There was no discourse, which I can understand as this was an information seeking exercise and discussion would have led to a febrile atmosphere. However, there must be a space for the workforce to speak and understand what has happened.
2020 has been a distressing and frightening year and as a Country we have been fighting an invisible, insidious enemy. Many members of staff will have been working alone from home without the support of their colleagues, without social interaction and at a time without the comfort of being with others who know how they are feeling.
To finish this terrible year with the threat of redundancy looming is almost too much to bear,especially when you know that you have done nothing wrong.
This is a salutary lesson for us as politicians; we have a responsibility not only for the smooth running of our Borough but for the lives and well-being of thousands.
Croydon has been made bankrupt and cannot continue to function without Government help, services are under threat and our Town Centre is a ghost town, all brought about by poor choices, incompetence and ideological dogma. An inability to think or see rationally and to understand that decisions touch so many lives
We are told "we must move on" "we will get through this" I am sure we will, but not without much pain and anguish.
Cllr Sue Bennett
