Croydon Conservatives have raised serious concerns after Labour’s mayoral candidate suggested that council staff should spend one day a week working in the community rather than carrying out their core roles.
"To improve relations between the council and the public, she suggested staff should spend one day a week working in the community."
Croydon Council employs approximately 3,500 people. Diverting one working day per week across the workforce would equate to around 3,500 staff days every week - or roughly 182,000 working days per year - being taken away from statutory responsibilities such as housing, planning, environmental services and community safety.
Croydon Council issued three bankruptcy notices caused by the previous Labour administration, leaving the borough with £1.4 billion of debt. Since then, finances have been stabilised, accounts signed off and services gradually rebuilt. Against that backdrop, any proposal that reduces operational capacity requires clear explanation of the cost and impact.
Council officers already serve residents every day through the professional roles they are employed to perform. Removing significant capacity from those functions would inevitably raise questions about productivity, service standards and value for money.
The suggestion follows recent Labour comments about reviving council-led housebuilding and using compulsory purchase powers on major town centre sites, prompting wider concerns about whether detailed, costed plans are being replaced with headline ideas.
Cllr Jason Cummings, Cabinet member for Finance, said:
“Croydon went bankrupt under Labour and residents are still paying the price. We are rebuilding services carefully and restoring financial stability.
If Labour is proposing that 3,500 staff step away from their core duties one day a week, that amounts to more than 180,000 working days a year. Residents deserve to know what that would cost, which services would slow down, and how it would improve delivery.
Croydon needs serious, credible leadership focused on productivity and value for money - not ideas announced without a clear plan.”
Croydon Conservatives said the priority must remain protecting frontline services, maintaining financial discipline and ensuring the mistakes that led to bankruptcy are not repeated.
The comments were made by the Croydon Labour Mayoral candidate in an interview with MyLondon on 24th February 2026.
