Dear friend,
I’m delighted to be back writing to you for the first time in 2025. I hope you and your loved ones had a restful and enjoyable Christmas. Winter is still with us, but the shortest days are already behind us. I’ve been out on the doorstep listening to your concerns, but you can always reach me by phone or by email too. Parliament has already been back for several weeks – here’s an overview of what I’ve been up to since my last newsletter.
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I’m deeply saddened to hear about Adam Ballard’s death. Adam set up Gloves Not Gunz, which does amazing work with young people through boxing. I met him many years ago when he was pioneering his work, and I have followed his path ever since. He became one of the pillars of our community, dedicating himself to supporting young people and changing lives for the better. His passion and commitment left a lasting impact, and I will forever be grateful for the work he did in our town. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and everyone whose lives he helped shape.
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Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz
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This month we mark Holocaust Memorial Day and 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, when we remember the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and all victims of the Nazis, as well as the victims of genocide in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. Recalling my visit to Auschwitz with Croydon school children, and being confronted with the reality of what happened, it was still hard to comprehend. Today and every day, we stand against the poison of antisemitism and hatred in all its forms.
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My first advice surgery of 2025
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I’m already hosting advice surgeries, so if you or someone you know needs help or advice, please email me at [email protected]. Thank you to Cllr Manju Shahul-Hameed and Cllr Sherwan Chowdhury, as well as Citizens Advice, South West London Law Centre, Mind and Croydon Healthy Homes for coming along and chatting with residents and helping with their concerns. Whether it’s about housing, benefits, asylum and immigration, local services, anti-social behaviour, or issues related to health, my team and I are here to help.
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Fighting for Croydon’s future
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I spent a productive afternoon with local stakeholders including Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, London’s Deputy Mayors Howard Dawber and Jason Perry where we discussed plans for our town centre. Like you, I have wanted to see changes to our town centre for a long time. I regularly meet with Westfield and I’m optimistic about the future of our town.
I want the same as you, to have a bustling town centre and thriving local economy. I am proud of the work this government is doing already to begin the work to transform our high streets. We’re supporting small business by reforming the business rates system and we’re putting 13,000 additional neighbourhood police and community support officers back into local communities. Our new Young Futures programme will reach every community to stop young people being drawn into crime.
By the end of this Parliament, I want the centre of our town to have turned a corner, Westfield to be building and the people of Croydon supported by better public services. It is my job to prove that the right politics can change lives and I’m excited about our town’s future.
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Labour is fixing our roads with record investment
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Thank you to everyone who came out to speak to residents this National Campaign Weekend where we discussed all things potholes! Potholes have plagued our roads for far too long, and currently drivers spend £500 on average when repairing pothole damage to their cars. The new Government is investing a record £1.6bn to fill seven million more potholes next year. Of that funding, Croydon is getting an additional £1,241,000, which will save drivers hundreds of pounds in repairs. We’re also imposing tough new penalties on those who dig up our roads without a permit or run over time. Labour is on the side of motorists, and this Government is investing to boost our important national infrastructure as part of its Plan for Change.
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At the Thai Pongal event, hosted by the Croydon Tamil Community Organisation, I was inspired by the way the Tamil community in Croydon has so beautifully preserved its dance, music, and language across generations. This celebration truly highlighted the strength and richness of Tamil culture.
I was also pleased to see Prime Minister Keir Starmer host a Thai Pongal event at 10 Downing Street, where he spoke about the immense contributions of the British Tamil community to our country. He emphasised how their generosity and heritage continue to remind us all of the importance of community and solidarity.
As your Member of Parliament, I am proud to represent a community that celebrates diversity and inclusion. Together, let us continue to foster understanding and appreciation of all cultures that make Croydon such a vibrant and welcoming place.
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Our volunteers are the beating heart of Croydon
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Croydon’s Elianne Andam was just fifteen when she was murdered. Like the rest of our community in Croydon, my heart goes out to Elianne’s family and friends, who have suffered so much. Every child deserves to grow up safely, and no family should have to endure the unimaginable pain that Elianne’s has. As a community, we must work tirelessly to end violence against women and girls, and protect young lives.
Our community will forever mourn the loss of Elianne Andam. I have had the privilege to spend time with Elianne’s wonderful family and all my love and thoughts are with them.
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This Government is supporting children and families in Croydon
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I am delighted that Croydon is getting £1.7 million in Start for Life funding for 2025/26 to support families during the crucial early years, from pregnancy to age two.
This will:
This is part of the £57 million in funding for areas with high need, in addition to the £69 million announced in the Budget for Family Hubs. It will make a real difference to families in Croydon.
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Standing up for local residents
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Back in October, I visited Raleigh House with Councillors Janet Campbell, Stuart King, and Chrishni Reshekaron to hear residents’ concerns. Since then, I’ve met with Hexagon Housing on-site to push for action. Here’s where things stand:
– A secure car park gate will be installed by 24th January, replacing the current gate that broke again after repairs.
– Communal windows were fixed on 13th January, and a fire safety review on the 17th is helping create a more reliable system.
– Missing metal bars on second-floor windows will be replaced by 30th January.
– The door entry system is being rewired this week.
– New locks for bin stores are on the way.
– Quotes are being chased for “No Dog Fouling” and “No Ball Games” signs.
– The canopy will be added to a biannual cleaning schedule, and inspections are now happening every two weeks to maintain cleaning standards.
– CCTV, broken for over a year, is being investigated.
– Smoking in communal areas is under review by the Property Safety Team.
Quarterly surgery meetings begin in March to keep everyone informed. While I welcome these improvements, it is disappointing that residents have had to wait so long for these issues to be resolved. I will be revisiting Raleigh House in three months to ensure all promised work has been completed.
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Hearing some of Croydon’s youngest voices
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I had a very insightful conversation with pupils at St Mary’s Catholic Junior School last week. They shared so many thoughtful ideas – from improving local green spaces to making playgrounds better for everyone. I’ve come away with plenty to follow up on. If you want me to come to your school, please email me at [email protected].
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Helping smokers quit – for good!
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Over the last month I have received 2,091 casework emails, 45% of these cases are related to Housing. 8% are related to Education and 6% involve Health Services. Here are some examples of the positive outcomes I’ve achieved for the residents involved:
An elderly gentleman contacted me because he was eligible for pension credit and the winter fuel payment but was not receiving it. After I wrote to the Department of Work and Pensions he is now receiving his winter fuel payment and has had his pension credit reinstated.
One resident who is an Uber driver was waiting for his driver’s license to be renewed, meaning he was unable to work. This was understandably having a detrimental impact on his life. After I wrote to TfL, the license was renewed within 4 days.
I was contacted by a family with young children who were facing constant anti-social behaviour on their doorstep. I escalated their enquiry and helped get them moved to safer, more suitable accommodation.
And finally, one lady has been out of work for 6 months because she was still waiting for her DBS checks to complete. She was so relieved after I intervened and was able to get the issue resolved within the same day.
A huge thanks must go to my small team for all their hard work, and their continued ability to get results. If there is anything I can do as your MP to support you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at [email protected].
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