Simon Brew

At a time of so much gloom on the High Street, I'm delighted to report that a new shop has just opened on Purley High Street. Named Khalpeys after its owner, it sells a wide range of halal and vegetarian fresh and frozen foods & drinks.

Together with Catherine Garrad who is the street ambassador for Purley BID, I celebrated the switch-on of Purley's Christmas lights earlier today.

A resident recently reported an unpleasant smell from a manhole cover in Hall Way, which is the steep footpath that joins Downs Court Road to Godstone Rd.

I recently came across two road gullies which had been blocked by mud and dirt being washed down the road by inconsiderate builders nearby.

The heavy rain over the weeked caused serious flooding all over Croydon and particularly in Purley outside the library.

Here's another example of the small-scale but disastrous local consequences of Labour's reckless spending over the last few years. 

I blogged earlier about the dire state of the Council's finances, and, on Remembrance day of all days, this resulted in the issue of a S114 report which bans all but legally essential expenditure, even non-essential expenditure which has previously been budgeted for, such as each councillor's ann

One of the sad consequences of the Council being forced to issue a S114 notice is that all non-essential expenditure has been cut; this includes even that which was budgeted, such as each councillor's annual £8000 community ward budget. 

As we all know, the Council's budget is in a dire state, but we didn't realise how dire until their auditors Grant Thornton issued a Report In the Public Interest" (RIPI) in late October.

A resident in Azalea Court, Purley reported to me a few days ago that the recycling bins had not been emptied, and you can see the awful result above.