Information Team
Mr Norbury Brook
Croydon Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
7th Floor, Zone B
Bernard Weatherill House
8 Mint Walk
Croydon CR0 1EA
FOI Reference: 4552521
Date: 4 April 2022
Dear Mr Brook
Freedom of Information Request
Your request has been considered under the provisions of the Freedom of Information
Act. Specifically, you have requested the following information:
Please provide copies of documents be they letters, e-mail or whatever method of
communication was employed to prove the following statement put before Cabinet
on 21 March 2022:
'As part of the recent capitalisation direction, the Improvement Panel and
Government Ministers have made it clear they expect the Council to dispose of
surplus assets where appropriate to to help support the current financial position.'
Ahead of the Council's 2022/23 Budget setting Minister Kemi Badenoch wrote to Cllr Ali
setting out the conditions for Council's capitalisation direction. In the letter Minister
Badenoch notes:
'I have also considered areas where the Council needed to go further such as resolving
challenges in the Council's property ventures and development of an asset disposal plan.'
She also highlights that in consideration of the 22/23 Capitalisation Direction the
Secretary of State will take into account:
'Evidence from the Improvement and Assurance Panel of the Council's progress in
developing and delivering against an asset disposal strategy;'
The letter also notes a condition to the capitalisation direction:
'That within three months of this capitalisation direction, the Council develops and shares
with the Department a plan for the generation of additional capital receipts (either through
asset disposals or changes to its capital programme).'
A full copy of the letter from Minister Badenoch was published as part of the papers for
the 7th March Cabinet Meeting and is available at
https://democracy.croydon.gov.uk/documents/b9951/Appendix%20J-
%20Letter%20from%20the%20Minsiter%20of%20State%20to%20the%20Leader%20of%
20the%20Council%20with%20regard%20to%20the%20capita.pdf?T=9
If you are dissatisfied with the way the Council has handled your request under the
Freedom of Information Act you may ask for an internal review. This should be submitted
to us within 40 working days of this response. You can do this by outlining the details of
your complaint by:
Email:
xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Writing:
Information Team
London Borough of Croydon
Bernard Weatherill House
7th Floor - Zone B
8 Mint Walk
Croydon CR0 1EA
Any requests received after the 40 working day time limit will be considered only at the
discretion of the council.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner
can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Yours sincerely
Croydon Council