Croydon’s first Executive Mayor, Jason Perry, expressed his intention to create a new vision for Croydon and its people during his keynote speech at the Develop Croydon Conference 2022.
He told delegates that “the people of Croydon have made it very clear that they want change”, bringing about a more “resilient” era for the borough.
He said: “It presents us with an era of opportunity, one in which we can create a new vision for our town and our town centre. Working together we can provide the right environment for great regeneration that places residents and businesses at the heart of good growth.”
Mr Perry highlighted that he believes Croydon is one of London’s most connected boroughs with “great talents and skills” in Croydon’s community and the importance of taking advantage of them to create a more “vibrant” town centre, he noted it was about “putting people back at the heart of future decision-making” and knowing that “before we start talking about place, we need to talk about our people”.
Mr Perry said: “We have energetic businesses and residents who are ready and willing to embrace innovation and create new visions for town centres and high streets. These visions will fulfil the needs and create opportunities for our residents and our businesses. We have connectivity, affordability and fantastic communities on our side. We have an opportunity to design something that really works for Croydon, the potential for growth there is unmatched.
Through his leadership, the council hopes to create an environment in which businesses can “thrive and prosper” and attract more inward investment. Mr Perry acknowledged that Croydon faced a decline in recent years, however, he provided hope by mentioning the submission of a levelling-up fund bill for £20 million to invest and help “regenerate” the town centre. There has also been a firmer stance on the restoration of the graffiti removal service which will “give the police the powers that they need to deal with antisocial behaviour”.
Speaking about Croydon as the Borough of Culture 2023, Mr Perry wanted to bring in more attention and investment towards the creative scene in Croydon, highlighting an aspiration to have a “legacy that lasts beyond the one year”.
Looking forward, he noted that Croydon is focusing on “cleaning up and restoring pride,” as well as creating well-designed spaces which respect the “many different characters of our great borough”, in order to attract inward investment but more importantly “to inspire all corners of our communities”.
When asked about what Croydon would look like in 5 years’ time, it was the Mayor’s wish to see Croydon have “renewed vigour” and a financial plan which then leaves the council to do more to support our local economy and the town.
Mr Perry concluded: “It won’t happen overnight, but I’m confident that despite the challenges we face, this is a really exciting time for Croydon. Let’s bring on this new era. let’s bring on this new energy and let’s create employment for the future.”