A PENSIONER from New Addington has denied 'flashing' his genitals in Wallington.
Christaggelis Chrisofordu, 74, allegedly intentionally exposed himself in Meteor Way, Wallington, on July 7, 2014.
Chrisofordu, of Shaxton Crescent, New Addington, pleaded not guilty to exposure at Croydon Crown Court last Wednesday (October 8).
He was released on bail to stand trial on March 23, 2015.
A HOUSE was burgled in Selhurst over the weekend.
Police are investigating after a quantity of cash was taken from an address in Johnson Road.
Officers believe it took place between the evening of Friday (October 10) and Sunday morning (October 12).
No arrests have been made and enquiries continue.
POLICE are appealing for information about a missing teenage girl from Sutton.
Tiffany Gladwin, 15, went missing from an address she was staying at in Carshalton Beeches last Wednesday (October 8).
Tiffany was spotted by friends over the weekend in the Sutton area but has not been seen since.
Police believe she may be in and around the Wallington area and has no access to money or an Oyster card.
She attended Carshalton High School for Girls until the end of last term and is described as white, of slim build with shoulder length dark hair.
Anyone who has information concerning the whereabouts of Tiffany should contact the Sutton Missing Persons Unit on 101. Alternatively, contact Missing People on 116000.
A CROYDON worker was "shocked and disgusted" after he tucked into some ready to eat Tesco southern fried chicken for lunch on Thursday (October 9) to find it was completely raw.
And Tesco's response was to offer Joe Vernazza, of South Croydon, a 70p refund - or a new piece of chicken.
Vernazza, 23, has bought lunch from Purley Tesco for two years since starting work as a property manager nearby, and he often visits the hot deli counter for some chicken to have with his sandwiches.
"I took a massive bite out of it and straight away I realised something was wrong," Mr Vernazza said. "I looked inside and it was completely raw. My first reaction was shock. I thought I must be going crazy. First it was shock and then disgust."
Mr Vernazza said his first thought was to stop Tesco selling more uncooked chicken and he went straight back to warn them.
He said: "When I looked it had blood in it. The other ones in the counter looked even more under cooked so other chicken must have been raw too.
"I went to customer services and asked to speak to the manager and I could see in his face he was like "what's happened". He said "what can I do about it?"."
Not wanting any more chicken Mr Vernazza returned to work but later that day he complained to Tesco on Facebook. They responded asking him to take the chicken back to the store where he would be offered a refund or an exchange.
But since the incident hygiene-conscious Mr Vernazza has been put off all food, especially chicken.
"I went home really hungry that night and my mum had cooked some chicken and I couldn't eat it. Any chicken I don't want to know," he said.
"When I was at university I was the one who didn't like raw chicken being left on the counter and I would make sure I washed my hands every time there was raw chicken about. My housemates would find it really funny that this has happened to me now."
Mr Vernazza said he won't be returning to Tesco in a hurry and will never buy chicken from the hot deli counter again.
"I don't think it was an adequate response to what's happened," he said. "The manager had no idea what to say. And the worst part was offering me a 70p refund or another piece of chicken."
A Tesco spokeswoman said: "We take food safety extremely seriously and will investigate this thoroughly. Customers can be reassured that we've checked the rotisserie and found that it, and the chicken currently available, meets our safety standards. We will update Mr Vernazza on our findings."
A MUSICIAN who started out busking before earning a £1 million record deal has made his major label debut.
For many years Si Cranstoun entertained shoppers in Croydon town centre, but he's now hoping to make an impression on millions more, as today he's released his album 'Modern Life', backed by industry giants Warner Music.
Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans, who invited Si to play on his show in August, described him as combining "a squeeze of the Bee Gees, a bit of Billy Joel, a dash of Dean Friedman, and a ripple of Rodriguez".
The Advertiser caught up with the singer-songwriter in August, after he appeared on Evans' breakfast show, an experience he described as "surreal".
He said he was "really proud" of the record because "there's not one duff tune on there."
A PRIMARY school subject to an exams investigation has been given the all-clear, the Advertiser understands.
Selsdon Primary School, in Addington Road, was inspected by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) earlier this month following an allegation of staff misconduct during this summer's SATs exams.
A well-placed source told the Advertiser today (Monday) that the council staff who undertook the visit on behalf of the STA did not find anything of concern.
Croydon Council has now passed on its findings to the STA which will then decide what action, if any, to take.
The inspection followed a separate investigation into exam results at Heavers Farm Primary, in South Norwood, which is partnered with Selsdon Primary.
The STA, which is an arm of the Department for Education (DfE), has withheld Heaver's results while it assesses a small number of SATs papers.
Susan Papas, head teacher of both schools, told the Advertiser last week she believed the allegations about Selsdon were the result of a personal vendetta.
She said the issue at Heavers was "minor" and added there was "absolutely nothing" untoward at Selsdon, which posted significantly improved results this summer.
Ms Papas said staff involved in the exam process were "distressed" to have been interviewed as part of the investigation but have been "amazingly supportive".
The STA has yet to confirm the outcome of either investigation.
A council spokesman said: "The council has passed its own findings to the Standards and Testing Agency who will make a decision based upon the information they have gathered on this case."
A HAWK named Houdini which has been missing for a week has been found lurking around exotic birds at Whitgift School.
The one-year-old Harris hawk went missing from Gordon Thompson's Waddon home last Sunday (October 5) after escaping its tether.
It was spotted on numerous occasions around South Croydon but was not recaptured until this morning by security at Whitgift School, in Brighton Road, who swooped in on the bird.
Mr Thompson, 61, said he is relieved the hawk was been found – especially as it was likely to be hungry and ready to pounce on the exotic birds kept at the school.
He said: "I was worried because if he's hungry, that's what his natural instinct is to do. He may well have tried to eat them."
He said the bird is now back in its tether – this time with a double knot – although cannot figure out how he escaped in the first place.
"I've not heard of too many of his kind doing this before," he said. "He must be good at puzzles and a bit clever because he's managed to figure his way out. We'll see how he does with this one."
Mr Thompson, a heating engineer, also expressed his gratitude to Whitgift School and Graham, the school's security man who spotted the bird.
WAITROSE has started recruiting for the first 200 jobs at its new online grocery depot in Coulsdon.
The supermarket's six acre Dotcom Fulfilment Centre (DFC) in Ullswater Crescent is set to open in spring 2015.
The depot will provide work for around 500 people when fully operational, doubling the number of online grocery orders Waitrose can fulfil in London.
As well as being able to apply for roles at the depot online, those interested can attend a recruitment open day being held on October 16 at Croydon College between 10am and 7pm, where candidates will have the opportunity to discuss the positions available with recruitment specialists, the Coulsdon management team and those in similar roles within the business.
Andy Kirby, Branch Manager for Coulsdon DFC, said: "I am really excited about building the team at Coulsdon, and the opening of this fantastic new operation which is hugely important to Waitrose's online business in the capital.
"I look forward to meeting people who would like to find out more about all of the job opportunities that the opening of the Waitrose Coulsdon DFC will bring."
The roles Waitrose is recruiting for include customer delivery drivers, operational support partners and warehouse assistants.
Anyone interested in applying for a job at the depot can visit www.jlpjobs.com
GAVIN Barwell and Sarah Jones, the two favourites for Croydon Central at next year's general election, are on opposite sides of the debate when it comes to the council's plan to introduce a landlord licensing scheme. Labour's Sarah Jones believes the policy will tackle rogue landlords and drive up the standard of private rented accommodation. Mr Barwell, on the other hand, is leading the campaign against the scheme which he calls a 'stealth tax'. The Advertiser asked both politicians to lay out their positions:
Sarah Jones:
TYPE "rogue landlord" into Google and the results make for uncomfortable reading. Soaring rents, appalling conditions, sudden evictions.
But, increasingly, councils from Glasgow to Brighton are cracking down on behalf of their residents.
Landlord licensing establishes a list of accredited landlords who follow a clear code of practice. It arms councils with powers to deal with unscrupulous landlords and badly behaved tenants.
In Newham, the licensing scheme has been a success. It has cracked down on tax-dodging landlords who demand cash-in-hand and won back an extra £294,434 in council tax.
The scheme is not just about successful prosecutions. It acts as a deterrent, establishing a new culture of responsibility and support.
Most landlords are decent and some have to contend with bad tenants. We want to root out anti-social behaviour and create stronger communities for everyone – private renters and homeowners alike.
Newham say their worst landlords are moving out – will they come to Croydon? Much private rented housing in Croydon is already sub-standard. Rents have gone up 10 per cent in a year and not many tenants complain through fear of sudden eviction.
Your Labour Council is working to ensure people have a decent home. Licensing is part of a much bigger programme of more affordable housing and job creation.
I am on the board of a housing association and my experience tells me this scheme will work.
We need a single point of contact within Croydon Council for landlords and local forums to root out any problems.
At a cost of around £2 a week to landlords, there is no evidence that this will be passed onto tenants. Scaremongering Tories should be taken with a large pinch of salt – remember their false prediction that Labour would increase council tax by 27 per cent.
Labour in government will reform private renting and reduce residents' bills. We will ban agent fees that are on average above £350, introduce three year tenancies providing more security and cap mid-tenancy rent increases.
The next generation will struggle to find a house in Croydon that they can afford – to buy or to rent. The previous council did nothing for eight years. We're ready to act now.
Gavin Barwell:
CROYDON Council is planning to introduce 'selective licensing' of the private rented sector. Despite the title, there's nothing selective about it. Every private landlord in the borough would have to pay £200 per year to the Council for each property they rent out.
It doesn't take a genius to work out what will happen if the Council goes ahead with this policy. Most landlords will pass the cost on to their already hard-pressed tenants.
Lest I be accused of scaremongering, the council itself admits this is what will happen. At a national level, Ed Miliband is saying rents in the private sector are too high; here in Croydon, his councillors are pursuing a policy which they admit will push them even higher. You couldn't make it up.
No-one would deny that there are problems with the private rented sector. A small minority of landlords keep their properties in a very poor state of repair. But the Council already has powers to tackle this - it doesn't need to introduce licensing. And in any case, the landlords who are behaving in this way - who know they are breaking the law – aren't going to pay.
So why is the Council doing this? It's quite simple really: because it will raise about £4.5 million. It's a classic stealth tax. The Council is hoping that tenants will blame their landlords for the rent increase and it will get extra income without having to take the flack for increasing Council Tax.
I'd encourage Advertiser readers to let the Council know what you think of this barmy scheme, by mailing shayne.coulter@croydon.gov.uk or writing to Shayne Coulter, Head of Housing Standards & Enforcement, Zone D, 3rd floor, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon CR0 1EA.
A FIRE damaged the ground floor of a house in Turle Road, Norbury, after a tea towel caught light on an oven hob.
Firefighters were called at approximately 16.45pm to reports of a fire at a property.
The fire took around ten minutes to put out and damaged close to ten per cent of the ground floor.
The occupants of the house evacuated the premises immediately.
THE latest monthly column from Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell...
AS YOU may have heard on the news or read in the newspapers, there have been lots of announcements of what the Conservative Party will do if it wins an overall majority at the next election including:
Letting people keep more of the money they work hard to earn, by increasing how much you have to earn before you pay the basic and higher rates of income tax
Eliminating the deficit by 2018 by tackling tax avoidance by large multinational companies, but also by taking tough decisions on public spending like freezing working-age benefits for two years
Abolishing long-term youth unemployment by ensuring that any young person who has been out of work for six months gets an apprenticeship, traineeship or community work – and paying for this by reducing the cap on the amount of benefits an out-of-work family can receive each year from £26,000 to £23,000 a year (under Labour, there was no cap and some families got more than £50,000 a year)
Helping young people to buy their first home by building 100,000 starter homes only available to first-time buyers under the age of 40, with a 20 per cent discount
protecting the savings of elderly people by abolishing the 55 per cent tax they have to pay if they want to pass their pension pot on to a loved one when they die
Increasing the NHS budget each year
Making sure everyone can get access to a GP seven days a week
Reducing immigration from the EU
Introducing a British Bill of Rights so that decisions about human rights are made by British courts, not European judges in Strasbourg.
Most of these sensible ideas are about making day-to-day life easier for the people I represent – helping people cope with the cost of living by letting them keep more of the money they earn, making it easier to get a doctor's appointment, making it easier to get onto the housing ladder, and helping young people to find work.
You may not agree with everything this Government has done, but ultimately politics is a choice.
Realistically, there are two people who could be prime minister after the next general election – David Cameron or Ed Miliband.
I am obviously biased, but if you compare David Cameron's speech with Ed Miliband's last week – when he didn't even mention the deficit and immigration – it's crystal clear which one is better suited to being our prime minister.
CHIEF Executive of Croydon BID MATT SIMS speaks to Ian Austen, about his hopes and ambitions for the future of our town centre...
BACK in the 1960s Norman Sims headed up Croydon Council's refuse department and saw the town going through its transformation – staking its place as one of the south east's major retail and commercial centres.
Today his grandson, Matthew Sims, heads the Croydon Business Development District (BID) at a time when the town is on the brink of another development revolution, casting off what has now become its much-maligned 60s' image.
Mr Sims, the BID's chief executive, explained: "My grandad saw buildings like Taberner House going up and at the time Croydon was the talk of London, attracting both businesses and large numbers of people.
"Now Croydon is going through another transformation and I hope it will emerge from it with the same kind of success it enjoyed then."
He is determined to use his experience in the town and the strength of the BID – which represents the main town centre businesses – to help ease what he accepts will be a difficult time, as the regeneration promised by the Westfield/Hammerson redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre and large office and homes projects like Stanhope/Schroders' Ruskin Square take shape.
Mr Sims' association with the borough goes back to 2005 when he started working as marketing and PR executive at Croydon Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The chamber was undergoing an upheaval and attack on membership numbers after senior officers left to form the rival Croydon Business organisation.
A year after joining the chamber, Mr Sims took over as general manager and set about working to revive its fortunes.
He said: "I think this was one of the most significant times in the chamber's history as I was effectively given a blank sheet of paper." to be able to develop its future."
Changes he put in place to increase support services to local businesses and widen the range of events it organised helped stabilise the membership and since then the organisation has re-established its important role in the business community.
Mr Sims said: "The changes were successful and the chamber came out of them much stronger."
That success also whetted Mr Sims' appetite to play his own wider role in backing the burgeoning revival in the town's fortunes.
In 2012, with the BID looking for a full-time chief executive, Mr Sims applied for, and got, the job.
Since then, he has worked with his dedicated team of 12 to deliver improvements in the town centre, including better security and safety for both customers and businesses, fostering a clean, green image and bringing in new shoppers with a series of events and street entertainment days.
Mr Sims and his organisation also launched the Check Out Croydon loyalty card last year, which has so far signed up more than 50 town-centre shops, restaurants and hotels.
The BID is financed by its levy payers and comes up for renewal every five years, the next time in 2016. Mr Sims said: "It is a bit like a General Election; we have a five-year period in which to deliver value for the levy players. If they vote against renewing the BID we are out of a job."
He is, however, confident the record up to now and plans for innovation in the pipeline, and plans including possibly running its own recycling service for member companies, will keep businesses on board when it comes to the 2016 ballot.
Just as crucially, he believes the BID has a key role to play during what will inevitably be major disruption to the centre as construction on projects like Westfield/Hammerson starts.
Not least of these will be keeping the town running while construction carries on, ensuring businesses are informed of progress and supported in difficult times.
The BID will also be working with the council and the developers to hammer home the clichéd but vital message that Croydon is still open for business, despite the upheaval.
Mr Sims said: "This is it for Croydon and the opportunities must be harnessed.
"The opportunities and benefits for Croydon are being realised and we are in a wonderful position."
The important thing now, he stressed, was to be able to cope with the short-term problems to capitalise fully on the bright future.
CRYSTAL Palace duo Wayne Hennessey and Joe Ledley played their part in a crucial victory for Wales last night (Tuesday) in their quest to qualify for Euro 2016.
Wales held off the challenge of Cyprus in Cardiff as they won 2-1 to make it seven points from three games, with David Cotterill and Hal Robson-Kanu on target for Chris Coleman's men, who had Andy King sent off in the second half.
But despite this, Wales held on for a vital three points, with Ledley and Hennessey both helping Coleman's side to the success.
Both will now return to Palace ahead of the Eagles' clash with Premier League leaders Chelsea on Saturday.
A BUDGET hotel will open in Croydon next month - with rooms available for just £19 a night.
Bookings are now being taken for the 103-bedroom easyHotel - the group's 21st worldwide - which will open on November 17 close to East Croydon Station.
Room rates start from £19 per room per night, with all rooms offering air-conditioning and an ensuite shower bathroom.
Simon Champion, CEO of easyHotel plc, said "We are grateful to Croydon Council for their positive attitude towards our investment in Croydon. In turn we believe that easyHotel will significantly benefit local food and retail outlets, increase employment and attract more international visitors to Croydon.
"We believe that the outlook for the area over the next few years is very positive and we look forward to the success of easyHotel Croydon".
THE council wants to extend its planning powers to prevent offices in Croydon town centre being converted into flats.
It says 1,074 out of 1,236 units approved since permitted development rights were introduced in May last year have been "substandard".
The measure will protect "much-needed" office space being lost, the council said.
Permitted development rights allow offices to be converted into housing without planning permission.
There is no requirement for developers to supply affordable housing or meet the Mayor of London's space standards.
The law has prompted the purchase of a number of former office blocks, such as the BT building in Wellesley Road, with a view to converting them into flats.
Croydon was among local authorities to unsuccessfully apply for an exemption when the policy was introduced.
The council says concerns with the office space and the quality of accommodation have now been realised.
As a result it has informed local government Secretary Eric Pickles that, from 10 September 2015, it intends to bring in powers known as Article 4 that revoke the permitted development right.
A report going to cabinet on Monday (October 20) reveals that, since permitted development was introduced, 86 per cent (1,074) of the units in Croydon approved using the powers were "substandard" residential accommodation.
In a statement published today, the council said the report "clarifies" its planning policy to protect office space in the central Croydon area, in particular around East Croydon station.
A special report by the Advertiser in January found that one in two offices in the town centre is empty.
Labour's Croydon Growth Plan, published earlier this month, set out plans to establish Croydon as a "premier office location" containing £1 million sq ft of "high quality" office space.
Cllr Alison Butler, cabinet member for homes and regeneration, said: "We want to give certainty to investors and developers about our support for office developments.
"While we are committed to providing new homes for Croydon residents, this is not at any cost. We are determined that all our homes, from whatever sector, should be decent and fit for purpose.
"In addition, the loss of office space is also resulting in a loss of jobs and opportunities for local people."
FRIENDS of a schoolboy who died after taking ecstasy at an illegal rave have taken part in their first event as "youth ambassadors" for the charity set up in his name.
The group have volunteered to support the Daniel Spargo Mabbs Foundation, which seeks to raise awareness among young people of the dangers of substance misuse.
They were out in numbers at the Whitgift Centre on Saturday as part of Croydon Adult Learning and Training's (CALAT) annual Family Learning Festival.
The volunteers are all from Daniel's school, Archbishop Tenison's, or part of the same congregation at Emmanuel Church in South Croydon.
They worked tirelessly throughout the day and, by the afternoon, people were queuing to play the Xbox, have a henna tattoo, have their nails painted or make loom bands. The foundation estimates it made contact with several hundred people throughout the day.
Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, Daniel's mother, said: "The ambassadors were incredible - we're so proud of them.
"They showed such commitment and dedication to the foundation and demonstrated a whole range of skills in engaging the children, young people and adults in various activities we were doing.
"This was their 'debut' but there are lots of things coming up we plan to get them involved in and they're really keen to help."
Daniel collapsed after taking MDMA at a rave held in a factory in Hayes, west London, on January 17 this year.
Nicqueel Pitrora , 18, was jailed for five years in August for supplying the drug which killed him.
CRYSTAL Palace boss Neil Warnock says Dougie Freedman will bounce back from his Bolton Wanderers departure.
Freedman and the The Trotters parted company recently following a poor start to the new season, and Warnock has sympathy for the Scotsman.
"I am disappointed but nothing surprises me in football," the boss said.
"Look at the guy getting sacked from Scunthorpe [Russ Wilcox]. He went on a winning run last season and got some record as manager there.
"The one thing about Dougie is that he would have learnt a lot from this experience. It will stand him good stead when he gets his next job."
Bolton appointed former Celtic boss Neil Lennon as Freedman's successor on Monday.
THE warmer than average weather for this time of year will soon give way to lashing rain and high winds this week.
Monday is forecast to be a dry, mild day but later into the evening and into the early hours of Tuesday, torrential rain and strong winds are tipped to arrive in the south-east of England.
The rain will continue well into Tuesday bringing wit it milder temperatures of around 13-14 degrees, according to forecasts.
THE estate is to get two new permanent police officers by the end of the year, in a bid to help residents feel safer.
The council has successfully lobbied the Met Police to station the pair of extra officers in New Addington – increasing the total of fully warranted officers by 50 per cent from four to six.
The new Labour administration made it one of their key election promises for the area, and will part-fund the additional PCs.
Simon Hall, councillor for Fieldway and cabinet member for finance, said the agreement was in place and the paperwork would be rubber-stamped in the next couple of weeks.
He said: "The reason was that overwhelmingly in the area, there are issues around feeling safe and with confidence in the police.
"It is something we made a specific election commitment and something the council is making happen."
Cllr Hall believes it is vital the officers that serve New Addington are familiar with the area.
"The nature of the community is that having local knowledge is even more important in this area," he added.
"Because we are such a distinct community, it is important we have officers who know the area.
"We want to improve the level of confidence in the police and for them to be in the area and talk to people day to day is vital to that process of policing people.
"The police who work in the area do a fine job but it's about getting more of those that have that intense local knowledge – especially with the layout of the estate – and helps with the effectiveness and efficiency of the police.
"I think this will make a real tangible difference in the area."
Marion Burchell, from the New Addington Pathfinders community group, said it was "absolutely brilliant" there would be two more officers on the beat in the area.
"The more policing is visible in the area, the better," she added.
"We are quite a unique estate so it is important that we have people who you can build up a good rapport and trust with."
THE world's largest design and engineering consultancy is showing its confidence in Croydon by expanding its local operation.
AECOM, which employs just under 300 people, took over an extra floor of its base at Sunley House, in Bedford Park, Croydon, last Friday.
Richard Robinson, managing director of Civil Infrastructure Europe, Middle East and Africa, said the expansion provided an extra 100 to 120 desks.
Over the past six months, 80 new professional staff have joined AECOM's team in Croydon.
The opening ceremony was performed by the Mayor of Croydon, Manju Shahul Hameed, who was presented with a £200 cheque from the firm for her charities, Age UK and Macmillan Cancer.
AECOM has been associated with Croydon for 50 years and the present office is home to a range of experts who are working on a number of major infrastructure and design projects in the UK, including Crossrail, HS2 and Thames Water's £635 million Lee tunnel.
The company is also involved in a number of other large-scale ventures across Europe, the Middle East and Far East.
Mr Robinson, who has been in the post for three years, said the company was already the number one design and engineering consultancy in the United States and Australia, adding the growth in Croydon was helping cement its dominant position in the UK.
He said: "We are working on the majority of the large programmes like HS2 and Crossrail out of Croydon.
"I have been very impressed with the staff we have there, it is a very good operation."
It is this skills base which has been one of the factors encouraging AECOM to decide to expand its Croydon base.
Mr Robinson said: "We have confidence in Croydon.
"It is a great location with its transport links to London and is also well located for the M25.
"That enables us to provide a more cost-effective service."
One thing the company is looking at is ensuring it can meet the demand for a hi-tech service.
Mr Robinson said: "Our projects require an advanced use of technology and we are working on ensuring our Croydon office gets the very high-speed broadband connections it needs.
"If you are going to have the ability to support jobs you have got to be able to be work internationally."
