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Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and part of Outer London. Its area is 34 square miles (87 km?) and it is the largest London borough by population. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name. Central Croydon is the largest office and retail centre in the south east of England other than central London.
The London Borough of Croydon was formed in 1965 from Coulsdon and Purley Urban District and the County Borough of Croydon. It is now governed by a cabinet-style council created in 2001.
Croydon unsuccessfully applied for city status in 2000 and again in 2002. If it had been successful it would have been the third local authority in Greater London to hold that status, the others being the City of London and the City of Westminster.
The borough sits on the edge of London, with the M25 motorway touching it. In Croydon North the borough mainly borders the London Borough of Bromley to the east and the London Boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth to the north. The boroughs of Sutton and Merton are directly to the west
Croydon's main town centre houses a great variety of well-known stores on "North End" as well as two shopping centres in the town. Another one is planned, Park Place.
History
For much of its history, Croydon Council was controlled by the Conservative Party or conservative-leaning independents.
Former Croydon councillors include current MP Andrew Pelling, former MPs Vivian Bendall, David Congdon, Geraint Davies and Reg Prentice, London Assembly member Valerie Shawcross, Lord Bowness, John Donaldson, Baron Donaldson of Lymington (Master of the Rolls) and H.T. Muggeridge, MP and father of Malcolm Muggeridge. The first Mayor of the newly-created County Borough was Jabez Balfour, later a disgraced Member of Parliament. Former Conservative Director of Campaigning, Gavin Barwell, has been a Croydon councillor since 1998.
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Croydon Town Hall
Croydon Town Hall on Katharine Street in Central Croydon houses the committee rooms, the mayor's and other councillors' offices, electoral services and the arts and heritage services.
The present Town Hall is Croydon's third. The first town hall is thought to have been built in either 1566 or 1609. The second was built in 1808 to serve the growing town but was demolished after the present town hall was erected in 1895. The present town hall was designed by local architect Charles Henman and was officially opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales on 19 May 1896. It was constructed in red brick, sourced from Wrotham in Kent, with Portland stone dressings and green Westmoreland slates for the roof. It also housed the court and most central council employees.
Parts, including the former court rooms, have been converted into the Museum of Croydon and exhibition galleries. The original public library is now a cinema, part of the Croydon Clocktower. The Braithwaite Hall is used for events and performances. The town hall was renovated in the mid-1990s and the imposing central staircase, long closed to the public and kept for councillors only, was re-opened in 1994. The civic complex, meanwhile, was substantially added to, with buildings across Mint Walk and the 19-floor Taberner House to house the rapidly expanding corporation's employees.
Croydon Areas
- Addington
- Addiscombe
- Ashburton
- Broad Green
- Coombe
- Coulsdon
- Croydon - the principal area
- Crystal Palace - shared with Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Bromley
- Forestdale
- Hamsey Green
- Kenley
- New Addington
- Norbury
- Pollards Hill
- Purley
- Sanderstead
- Selhurst
- Selsdon
- Shirley
- South Croydon
- South Norwood
- Thornton Heath
- Upper Norwood
- Waddon
- West Croydon
- Woodside
- Whyteleafe - some residential areas
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