Croydon (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Croydon CEO Katherine Kerswell informed staff that news regarding a government-appointed commissioner could be announced later this week amid council scrutiny.
Croydon’s top executive, who earns £204,000 a year, seems to have conceded to the fact that the government will eventually take over management of the indebted municipality.
“Her empire is crumbling around her.”
When Inside Croydon revealed yesterday that Huw Rhys Lewis, BSc, BArch, MSc, MRIBA, MAPM, MRICS, had become the fourth executive director in chief executive Katherine Kerswell’s corporate leadership team to depart Fisher’s Folly in the last six months, one Croydon council employee responded in this manner.
Notably, since the government announced last month that it is considering bringing in Commissioners to take over Croydon’s management, Lewis is one of two six-figure salaried executives whose departures have been confirmed.
The chief executive returned to her “weekly waffle” on Friday, following an unusual one-week hiatus from her frequently patronizing comments to council employees.
Frontline employees didn’t have to read between the lines to see that Kerswell is frantically attempting to soften her stance and somehow rescind the outspoken opposition she first expressed to the Commissioner’s decision after five years of failure, despite severe staffing and service cuts.
It is anticipated that a Commissioner or Commissioners will be appointed and will soon arrive in south London. Kerswell herself said that it might happen this week.
The Croydon Commissioner(s) may even take a moment to view the webcast of tonight’s full council meeting in order to get ready for the official appointment.
During the 14 weeks leading up to October 22, when Kerswell and her top brass will be free from even a semblance of public scrutiny, this is the sole full council meeting planned. Kerswell and her friends prefer it that way.
The communication Kerswell sent to staff last Friday is unlikely to have been read by local government minister Jim McMahon or Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government personnel.
For what it’s worth, here it is.
This week, Kerswell wrote,
“I met with directors and heads of service to talk about the council’s current position in relation to government intervention.”
It’s always reassuring to learn that someone being paid a salary of £204,000 per year is holding regular meetings with their colleagues.
“With the improvement and assurance panel’s time with us ending on 20 July and Parliament heading into summer recess, we expect an update soon, possibly as early as next week,”
meaning this week.
And Kerswell wrote:
“Over the past three weeks, we have shared our views on the government’s announcement that they are ‘minded to’ appoint Commissioners and set out what we believe is more [sic] suitable next step for Croydon.”
According to the MHCLG, Kerswell’s written answer to Whitehall Mandarins, which included two annexes outlining the mistakes in the improvement panel’s April report, was met with disapproval.
Kerswell, the only chief executive of a local council to ever send three Section 114 notices, has now attempted to change her stance.
In her memo to staff, Kerswell wrote:
“But we also know that we need to be ready if the decision is made to appoint Commissioners in whatever form that may take.”
Patronising doesn’t begin to cover Kerswell’s tone:
“In this week’s meetings, we talked about what being ready really means both from an operational perspective – with our plans and procedures – but also as people.”
Yep. She really did write that and then distributed it around the whole council.
“We must make sure that we are ready to work with Commissioners if they do come, to help them understand where we’ve been and where we think we’re able to go as an authority with the right support.”
In addition to ordering that this website be blocked by browsers on council-issued computers, Kerswell stated that she wanted staff members to have a voice and promised to “write to you again soon as soon as we have more news.”
“Making time to talk to one another will continue to be absolutely essential, whatever the outcome.”
What are the implications of a £204,000 salary for Croydon’s chief executive amid crisis?
The top executive’s hefty compensation stands in stark contrast to the extensive budget overspending (almost £100 million is anticipated for 2025–26) and the harsh cost-cutting measures, which include the loss of 400 frontline service jobs.
This discrepancy runs the risk of escalating employee and public discontent, lowering morale, and destroying confidence between local leadership and citizens or workers who are dealing with service cuts and austerity.
A six-figure executive pay may be considered an unacceptable use of limited public funds in a local authority that is being threatened by a takeover, calls for government intervention, and growing debt. It could be criticized for representing priorities that aren’t aligned.
Croydon Council’s Pay Policy Statement states that the compensation package seeks to draw in and keep highly qualified executives who can handle challenging situations.