Residents in Purley and Kenley believe they are not getting the services they pay for, writes Cara Lovell.

The views were expressed at a recent neighbourhood partnership meeting, where Croydon council held a consultation to find out what residents think about the services provided and what council tax money is being spent on.

Dozens of people attended the meeting at Christ Church on Tuesday, January 14 and said they are not getting value for their council tax.

Cleaner streets, better sports facilities, cheaper parking and more CCTV were all mentioned as areas where improvements could be made.

Residents also feel a north-south divide exists, leaving the south of the borough lacking services available in the north.

After the meeting, councillor Derek Millard (Cons, Purley) said: "Although many of the points which came over were political, they were not raised by councillors. Everybody was complaining about the same things and it was a valuable exercise."

Commenting on the findings, leader of the council, Councillor Hugh Malyan (Labour, Upper Norwood) said: "The partnerships are there to make sure the council gets a direct residents' view of what people do feel as good and bad in their area.

"I have to remind people that Croydon council tax is the sixth lowest in London and the eighth lowest in the whole country and we strive to get a balance of quality services with what residents pay for them. I think the council offers good value for money."

January 29, 2003 13:00