Striders of Croydon produced an excellent team performance to win their mobmatch against Wimbledon Windmilers, for the Helen Furze Memorial Trophy, in conjunction with the weekly parkrun at Nonsuch Park on Saturday.

Striders had 65 of the 497 finishers, which was Striders' biggest turnout in any event since the club's formation in 1982. They beat Windmilers by 3572 points to 2032.

Striders were led by Matt Morgan, who ran very well to finish fourth, covering the muddy five-kilometre course in 18 minutes and 15 seconds.

Ernie Hann also ran well to place ninth (18.46), while Simon Ambrosi was 15th (19.46). Veteran Dave Shaw made an excellent return to Striders' colours and placed 23rd (20.30) with Chris Morton 24th (20.33), Paul Finch 25th (20.36) and Mick Turner 27th (20.42).

Striders' women were led by Serena Stracey who was the second woman to finish, recording 22 minutes 17.

Alice Ewen was fourth (22.59), Steph Upton seventh (23.07), Becky Laurence 13th (23.51), Michelle Clarke 14th (23.54) and Zoe Williams 20th (25.06).

On the following day, James Bennett was third in the Kingston 10-kilometre road race in a personal best 34 minutes and 47 seconds.

This Saturday, Striders' women will be back at Nonsuch Park for their Surrey Womens Cross-Country League Division Two match. They are currently fifth in the Division Two table.

A TEN-YEAR-OLD schoolboy is starring in more than the nativity this year with a leading role in the must-see Christmas family film of 2014, 'Get Santa'.

Kit Connor, a year six pupil at the Hayes Primary School, Kenley, acts alongside Jim Broadbent and Warwick Davis in the upcoming festive flick.

Kit's character, Tom, finds Santa (Broadbent) sheltering in his garden shed after crashing his sleigh.

After Santa is arrested trying to free his reindeer for Bettersea Dogs Home Tom and his dad, Steve (Rafe Spall), have to free him from prison and save Christmas.

On Saturday (November 29) Kit cut the ribbon to open the Hayes Primary Christmas fair – the day before the Get Santa London premier.

Christ cam early for Kit this year when he started seven weeks of filming Get Santa in January.

"It was really exciting," said Kit. "It was quite weird because I was face to face with Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall and Warwick Davis. But they were really nice, especially Jim Broadbent.

"My favourite bit was doing lots of green screen. I was put on wires and I was flying and it was really amazing.

"We were working with reindeers and one of them had an antler. Rafe Spall walked in front of the reindeer and then stopped and the reindeer just went straight into his bottom. That was really funny, but it was quite painful."

Kit, who lives in Purley with his parents and older sister and brother, has acted for four years and attends Stagecoach Croydon lessons every Saturday.

He already has his second film under his belt with a role alongside Sir Ian McKellen in 2015's 'Mr Holmes', but that hasn't stopped Kit taking on the more humble role of Ernie the elf in the Hayes Primary Christmas production: 'Christmas is Forever'.

Kit said: "I like acting because you can play a different person each time, especially the parts that no one else has played before so you can create it yourself."

Emma Larkham, Hayes Primary head, said Kit is so unaffected by his new found stardom, you wouldn't even know he is in the film.

"He hasn't got the main role of the play but he's not bothered at all and the children have learnt from him in that way," said Ms Larkham.

"He's a fantastic role model, particularly for his year group who know him really well. We're really, really proud and the children have been really excited."

While filming Get Santa Kit had a tutor to help him keep up with his school work.

Kit's mum, Caroline, dad, Richard, sister Molly, 15, and brother Ned, 13 all walked the red carpet with him at the Get Santa premiere at Vue West End cinema in London on Sunday (November 30).

Caroline and Richard both work in advertising. Caroline is a producer who has cast children for McDonald's adverts, and said part of Kit's success comes from his ability to listen and take direction.

"He's very mature about things and just goes off and does it," said Caroline: "He really enjoys it and has had some amazing experiences, and he seems to keep his feet on the ground which is really good.

"This is definitely going to be a very, very memorable Christmas. When he's 20, 30, 40 we can drag out Get Santa!"

Get Santa

STARRING: Kit Connor, Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Warwick Davis, Ewen Bremner, Nonso Anozie

DIRECTOR: Christopher Smith

PRODUCER: Ridley Scott

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

FILMED IN: Yorkshire

RELEASED: December 5

RATING: U

AN excellent and well merited point for Crystal Palace at Swansea on Saturday and the Eagles will be looking for back-to-back PL home wins when Aston Villa are the visitors on Tuesday evening.

Villa have scored just three times in their last nine PL matches and have not won at Selhurst Park since September 1980 and I would be disappointed if Neil Warnock's side didn't take maximum points.

Palace are 21/20 at BetVictor to keep all three points with Villa 31/10 and the draw 12/5 and that looks a fair price given the respective form of the two sides.

Under fire Paul Lambert, 9/2 favourite to be the first PL manager to leave/lose his post, can welcome back Christian Benteke from suspension and the Belgium international will add pace and power to his attack.

However, Villa have failed to score in seven of their last eight visits to Selhurst Park and I can't see past a home win.

Dwight Gayle and Fraizer Campbell are 6/1 joint favourites to open the scoring against Villa with Jedinak 14s. Gayle faces a late fitness test after coming off injured at Swansea.

Palace to win to-nil is 23/10 and that might be a shade too big given Villa's recent scoring record.

Note, Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has scored against 32 of the 34 sides he has faced in the PL but the Eagles are one of two sides, other being Cardiff City, he has failed to find the back of the net against.

Palace are out to 2/1 from 7/4 to be relegated after their point in south Wales and are 4/11 to maintain their PL status.

Three points against Villa would certainly help the cause and the Eagles are a confident selection with Selhurst Park sure to be rocking under the lights.

Copy supplied from Bet Victor. 

A SOCIAL club manager subjected his business partner to a "ferocious" knife attack in a row over unpaid bills, a court has heard.

Husamettin Selimoglu, 53, hit Dr Remzi Tanriverdi with a blunt butcher's knife using such force that he shattered his skull and almost cleaved one of his hands in half, a jury at Croydon Crown Court was told.

The former fish and chip shop worker denies attempting to murder Dr Tanriverdi, then 42, at the Anatolian Community Social and Cultural Centre, in London Road, West Croydon, on December 29, 2007.

The case has only now come to court because Selimoglu, who fled the country after the attack, was tracked down in the Netherlands six years later and extradited to the UK, jurors were told.

Paul Cavin, prosecuting, told the court Dr Tanriverdi was the leaseholder for the Kurdish social club and Selimoglu was the manager.

Dr Tanriverdi, he explained, left day-to-day operations to his partner so he could concentrate on his business interests in Hastings, where he owns a kebab shop.

Their relationship deteriorated when Dr Tanriverdi realised bills were not being paid on time. Despite mediation, the problems continued. By Christmas 2007, Dr Tanriverdi was running the club hands on, the court was told.

"He felt, rightly or wrongly, that Selimoglu wasn't running the business properly," said Mr Cavin.

"The defendant, rightly or wrongly, had come to think of the business as his."

Mr Cavin said the men had met on December 28 and Selimoglu had agreed to pay some of the most pressing bills but, when Dr Tanriverdi returned to the social club the following day, the payments had not been made.

The pair argued and Dr Tanriverdi told his partner he had no choice but to close the club. "The defendant became furious," said Mr Cavin.

It was at this point Dr Tanriverdi felt a blow to the back of his head, the court heard.

Mr Cavin explained: "He told police that as he turned he saw the defendant standing above him holding what he described as a butcher's knife.

"He held out his hand to deflect further blows, which caused the wounds to his hands. The defendant then ran out of the room.

"Dr Tanriverdi crawled out of the front door and onto the pavement. He left a blood splattered trail across the floor."

A hairdresser working in the barber's shop attached to the social club rushed to help, applying towels to stem the bleeding.

Mr Cavin said: "He described looking into one of the wounds, seeing Dr Tanriverdi's brain and pushing a large flap of skin back into place.

"His left hand was almost cleaved in half across the palm. Two of his fingers were almost amputated.

"On his right hand there was a deep slashing into the flesh. There was also a cleaving injury to his knee cap."

The air ambulance arrived and Dr Tanriverdi was taken to King's College Hospital, in Denmark Hill, having suffered numerous injuries, including a brain haemorrhage. He remained in hospital for a month.

Mr Cavin said: "If it weren't for the prompt medical attention of the air ambulance and doctors at the hospital he may not have survived."

He added that the injuries to Dr Tanriverdi's hands were "classic defence wounds".

"He got his hands in the way of this ferocious attack," he told jurors. "Had he not he would have suffered further severe wounds to his head and other parts of his body."

The court head that Selimoglu was filmed on the social club's external CCTV cameras fleeing the building at 3.32pm.

Mr Cavin said: "The defendant wasn't seen again for several years. That is because he left the country.

"He was eventually tracked down to the Netherlands and, as a result of a European Arrest Warrant, he was extradited back to the UK in January 2014."

Mr Cavin said the jury would hear from Dr Simon Poole, a Home Office pathologist who had determined that whoever attacked Dr Tanriverdi had used "severe" force – the highest level.

"You will have to consider what that level of force says about the defendant's intentions," he added. 

Dr Poole's analysis of the injuries also led him to the conclusion that Dr Tanriverdi must have been attacked from behind, the court heard.

Mr Cavin added: "Why is this significant? Could this be self-defence? Not if the blows start from behind."

'I shouted enough, enough. But he didn't stop' 

Speaking through an interpreter, Dr Tanriverdi said Selimoglu was already working at the club when he took over in 2005.

He said his partner's mismanagement of the social club's funds had led to several visits from bailiffs.

Dr Tanriverdi tried to sack Selimoglu on several occasions, most recently a month before the attack, but each time he begged for his job back, he told the jury.

He said they had argued about bills at the club on the afternoon of December 29 when, as he sat at a table at around 3.30pm, Selimoglu had brought him and another man a cup of tea and then walked off behind him.

"All of a sudden I felt something hit my head," Dr Tanriverdi told the court. "I thought the building was falling down."

Dr Tanriverdi said he stood up and looked behind him and saw Selimoglu holding what appeared to be a large knife, similar to one used in a kebab shop, wrapped in newspaper. He told the court he held out his hand to protect himself as his attacker rained blow after blow.

"He was incessantly hitting me," he said.

Dr Tanriverdi fell to the floor and the attack continued, jurors were told. As he lifted his leg to protect himself he was hit with such force it nearly cleaved his knee cap off.

"I shouted 'enough, enough'. But he didn't stop," said Dr Tanriverdi.

Extortion 

Cathy Ryan, defending, questioned Dr Tanriverdi's description of their business relationship. She said he had agreed to put Selimoglu's name on the lease in order to help him with his application for an EU passport. In exchange he would be paid £30,000 in instalments. Ms Ryan added: "You cheated him because you did not put his name on the lease."

Dr Tanriverdi admitted they had reached that agreement but said he had not changed the registration details because he did not trust his partner to pay.

Ms Ryan also accused Dr Tanriverdi of "extorting" money from Selimoglu and said that, when her client did not pay up, he claimed he had a gun and threatened to kill him. "No chance," replied Dr Tanriverdi.

Asked whether he had extorted money from the defendant, Dr Tanriverdi replied: "If you can find anyone from the 400 to 500 Turkish people in the community who says that is true, I will admit it. No I did not."

Mr Ryan told the court Dr Tanriverdi had tried to strangle her client with a belt in August 2007.

Dr Tanriverdi responded: "I have never attacked anyone in my life."

The trial continues. 

THE Advertiser reported on November 14 that Croydon Council was considering building housing on school playing fields. The article was based on a council report which stated there are schools in Croydon which have "very large" playing fields which might be considered "excessive" and could be "considered for the development of affordable housing...". I approached Simon Hall, cabinet member for finance and the politician behind the report, and, during a lengthy interview, he said the council would undertake a review of all school sites and that a list had been drawn up comparing playing field size to pupil numbers in order to identify potential surplus land. The idea was criticised by Croydon Playing Fields Association and the Conservative opposition.

Since the article, the Labour group has repeatedly claimed it has no 'plans' to build on school playing fields, both in public meetings and on social media (and here, here, here and here). They have dismissed a Tory petition against the notion, signed by more than 1,000 people, as "scaremongering". Even the council's press office denies a list of schools was ever drawn up.

At the last cabinet meeting, councillors approved the strategy containing the policy, without amendment.

The Advertiser has not, at any point, been contacted directly by Cllr Hall, or anyone else from the Labour Party, raising concerns about the article. Yet, at today's full council meeting, Cllr Hall implied that he had been misquoted and, according to our reporter at the town hall, accused me of "sensationalising".

In response, printed below is a transcript of the interview, highlighting the numerous occasions Cllr Hall confirmed the council is looking at building on school playing fields, so readers can decide for themselves. "CA" is the questions I asked, "SH" is the cabinet member's reply. 

CA: Which schools have excessively large playing fields?

SH: "We're doing a review of them. There aren't specifics. Once they are identified it will come to cabinet. Obviously with school playing fields there are strict rules before you can use them for any other purpose."

CA: There must be some specifics as it mentions schools have been identified. It says a number of school sites have very large playing fields. You must know which they are.

SH: "If you look at the size of various schools compared to the number of pupils obviously there's a huge range. So what we want to [look at] is are there reasons [to develop on a particular playing field]. Sometimes you look at the size of a school site but actually it's on a slope, it's this, it's that. What may look like on paper a very big site doesn't mean there isn't any part that isn't absolutely needed for educational purpose. That's exactly why we are doing a review at this stage."

CA: The report says a number of schools have very large playing fields and ancillary land that may be considered excessive. You must know already which schools they are.

SH: "We've gone through the print out of the size of school sites and there are ones that are very big, or should I say appear very, very big. What we are doing, given there are schools which are much larger than another we need to look at that to see whether we can free that up."

CA: Do you have examples of [schools] which have a relatively smaller number of pupils and a larger playing field.

SH: "In terms of the secondary schools…one of the ones…but I don't know…I think it's important not to get hares running because this at an incredibly early stage…"

CA: Schools that are possibly on this list are going to be worried so it's only a question they will be asking themselves.

SH: "As I say you have to go through very, very strict procedures before that. This isn't something we're going to do overnight or impose. Most schools are academies. It will be by negotiation any way. Clearly there are schools…some are in the south of the borough…some are in the New Addington area, and so on, which have large sites."

CA: Are there one or two that spring to mind when it comes to being a particular good example of this issue?

SH: "Not immediately off the top of my head. We have gone through lists."

CA: I would have thought some would jump out. This is going to be an extremely controversial point for this particular policy, so you must have considered it very carefully. There must be [examples] where you think there is an argument for doing it at this particular school.

SH: "I think we need to look at all the school sites. One of the things we're looking at…obviously we have issues with meeting the school place demand in the borough and that has been a huge, huge challenge. One of the possibilities is saying rather than building a new school, can you expand an existing school because it has a big site. Clearly you are going to look at schools that have got a big site that might be in a relevant location [and] can we expand that rather than having to acquire a site for a new school."

CA: In the report there is that aspect – expanding schools – but separately there is also the prospect of selling off playgrounds to make way for housing.

SH: "Well, we have to meet housing demand."

CA: Given we're in London, space is at a premium and the council has public health responsibilities in terms of the health of children, should we really be selling playing fields off?

SH: "We have schools where part of the site - as we understand it, these are the checks we are doing – there's only fairly limited use made of them."

CA: What's given you the impression there's only limited use made of them?

SH: "For example, the school that I used to be chair of governors at, Castle Hill [in New Addington]. You have part of the site which, because of its location and the fact that it's a private nursery, is basically used twice a year. [That might be a] school which you would look, for example, to expand, or have other community uses, or could that be looked at [for housing]. There are schools that we know, or understand...you have to go through Sport England to agree any change in school playing fields. It wouldn't be anything we could rush into. But it's something that, being responsible…the whole part of this is making the best use of the council's assets. If there are assets that are not currently being used or might have another use in terms of meeting the needs of people in Croydon, whether that's schools or housing, then we need to look at those. What we can't have is a situation where we say 'It doesn't matter if that's under-utilised' or in the case of some of our buildings, very expensive to maintain, let's just accept that."

CA: We're not talking about council buildings. The council has been under huge financial pressure since 2008. The previous Conservative administration, which was criticised for the decisions it took, did a review of council assets and even they avoided touching playing fields in any shape or form. Because, you'd imagine, it's too toxic a policy. This is something even the Tories wouldn't go near, and now we have a Labour council coming forward and saying we're going to be selling off parts of our playing fields, whether that be parts of playing fields that may or may not used on a regular basis, to make way for various things including housing.

SH: "One of the things is the Tories didn't really look at the assets of the council."

CA: Well they sold the Riesco Collection and you criticised them for it no end. What's the difference between selling the Riesco Collection and selling off playing fields? They are both cultural assets. In fact, if you're being fair about it, the Riesco Collection, a collection of ceramics which many people didn't know existed, would have far less of an impact than selling school playing fields.

SH: "As you know the Riesco Collection was donated on various provisos. So it was really was selling off something that had conditions attached as far as we were concerned."

CA: School playing fields have conditions attached that they should be used by children.

SH: "This is why we are saying: If there are sites where we can be satisfied, having looked at all factors, that they are surplus, to leave those not doing anything, when we have all these other pressures, particularly around education estates and around housing, we need to include those in the mix."

CA: The impression you are giving is there are significant portions of school playing fields that aren't being used by schools.

SH: "What we are saying is it needs to be in the mix when we're looking at meeting the needs in terms of development of the borough, in terms of council services and in terms of housing. We need to look at and assess school sites. That's what we're saying."

CA: We've seen two new schools open up in Croydon [in September]: one on a building site with no playing field space and another one opening up in an office. So we're already in a position where new schools are having to open up with no access to playing fields. Now you're saying we're going to sell playing fields off to make way for housing and, secondly, some of the schools that have playing fields, we're going to expand onto the playing fields. Obviously you have to meet demand, but that sounds like a large chunk of playing fields which are under threat, at a time when we already have schools opening with no access to playing fields.

SH: "One of solutions may well be that we use some of those surplus playing fields at one school to provide playing fields for sports and so on for other schools. That may be one of the uses. What you have, and it's a legacy of housing developments in the borough, is very different situations in different parts [of Croydon]. You have schools, particularly in the north of the borough, which have real issues around the amount of open space, versus other sites which are on very large spaces. If in other places we have surplus space we have to look at that creatively in terms of meeting the ambitions and needs of the people of Croydon. We would be wrong not to. The point of doing the reviews and bringing this paper is we can't assume that particular pieces of the jigsaw can't be looked at. That's not sustainable given the various pressures that we are under. We have to look at all the spaces."

CA: Have you spoken to the schools?

SH: "That's one of a series of steps we are going to go through."

CA: I mean broadly: have you gone to the schools and said we might be thinking of doing this what would you think of this idea? There will be schools which will be wondering if it affects them.

SH:"When we get to the point where we have identified the potential [schools] then clearly we will have the proper discussions."

CA: Do you worry this will be politically damaging?

SH: "What I have said is the areas with a shortage of playground, those clearly would not be part of this."

CA: Shouldn't we be protecting the playing fields we have, even if they the ones that are "large". We should be celebrating the fact that we still have schools in the borough where children have access to a large playing field and we value that for how important it is for their wellbeing? At a time when children are as obese as they have ever been, it should be a council priority to make sure, whatever we did, we protected those things. No one is going to bother about a dusty council building that isn't in use, but playing fields is going to be a really tough sell, even if what you are saying is completely fair and parts of them aren't being used. You have to worry that Labour is going to be branded as a council that sells playing fields.

SH: "What we're going to be is the council of deliverance."

CA: But if you deliver smaller playing fields…

SH: "What we're saying is there may well be cases where we can deliver in those schools the healthy lifestyles but also deliver against other council priorities such as housing."

Toward the end of the interview Cllr Hall pointed out that the report itself does not mention 'selling off' playing fields specifically, which is correct. In fact, it barely mentions any details of how the idea would be put into practice. Given Labour's rapid U-turn, we may never find out. 

A COMPETITION to find Croydon's brightest young entrepreneurs, backed by the Advertiser, is launching today.

The Young Start-up Talent contest offers aspiring businesspeople the opportunity to compete for a £50,000 prize fund worth of products and services, and is free to enter.

The initiative, which is aimed at 16-25 year olds, will be launched at an event at Fairfield Halls on Tuesday (December 2).

Young Start-up Talent was founded by Lorraine Nugent and Matt Turner in 2010, in the Gatwick Diamond business area of West Sussex and Surrey.

Since then, the initiative has been successful in helping to promote and encourage thousands of young people to start up in business via a series of workshops and one-to-ones.

The project has gone from strength to strength since its inception, with some 80 businesses sponsoring and supporting the initiative each year across the regions it currently operates.

Those involved include RBS, British Airways, Gatwick Airport, Owadally & King accountants, Coast to Capital, Croydon Chamber of Commerce and Croydon BID.

All have contributed to the prize fund of £50,000, which will help the winner start up their business. The Advertiser is backing the first-ever Croydon Young Start-up Talent contest, with editor Glenn Ebrey among those on the judging panel.

To take part in the initiative, log on to www.youngstartuptalent.co.uk and submit the online form for Croydon. For more details on the initiative or learn about some of the success stories, visit www.youngstartuptalent.co.uk or check out the project's YouTube channel.

MASSIVE opportunities to create new jobs in Croydon and provide easier and cheaper travel for businesses will result from building a second runway at Gatwick, according to the airport's boss.

Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate spoke to the Advertiser at last week's Develop Croydon conference about the advantages the airport's expansion would bring to the town, before signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with council leader Tony Newman.

This is an agreement between the two to work together to help residents and businesses in Croydon realise the economic growth and regeneration opportunities an expanded Gatwick would bring.

If successful in its bid for a second runway, Gatwick's investment of £7.8 billion would include in building the runway plus a new terminal and shuttle transport link.

Separately, Gatwick is also working with Network Rail on a big improvement project for the existing railway station which, Mr Wingate said, will go ahead irrespective of the outcome of the second runway bid.

He said the expansion scheme would create an extra 16,000 jobs directly associated with the airport, adding: "In the Croydon area specifically that could mean between 8,000 and 14,000 jobs."

Mr Wingate said that improved connections and the fact the airport would be responding to greater business demand for low cost flights would, he believed, attract more businesses into Croydon to take advantage of the easy access – with the knock-on effect of creating even more jobs.

Other advantages both the council and Gatwick feel will come from expansion include Croydon businesses becoming part of the supply chain for goods and services at the airport.

Mr Wingate said that in Croydon Council, the airport had found a "a willing and able partner who shares our ambition, and we share theirs."

He added: "Our ambitions dovetail very nicely and we want to help put Croydon on the map."

After signing the MOU, Cllr Newman said: "Croydon is on the brink of Olympic-scale transformation, and just 15 minutes away by train, Gatwick can make a really important contribution to the regeneration and investment already under way in our borough.

"A second runway would bring huge benefits to our residents and businesses, as well as the wider region.

"It would create thousands of new jobs, boost businesses including Croydon's growing tech city, and see further investment in the transport network."

CRYSTAL Palace defender Brede Hangeland admitted Swansea City would have been disappointed not to win on Saturday but hailed the defensive display put in by the Eagles.

The hosts took a deserved lead after battering Palace in the opening 15 minutes before Mile Jedinak broke their rhythm with an equaliser from the penalty spot.

Hangeland was, of course, delighted to come away with a point against a side challenging for a top six place this season.

"I thought we played a really good team in Swansea," he told the Advertiser.

"They moved the ball around exceptionally well and they had worked on their pattern of play.

"They have good players, and at the start of the first half we were terrible and they were very good.

"Swansea keep the ball really well with their style of their play then they explode when there's time and space.

"It took us a while to find out feet but then we had a good spell after the equaliser. They did have more chances and would have been disappointed not to win.

"When you look at Swansea, other teams have better players but actually they are really good.

"We would have liked to create more chances on the counter attack but sometime you have to dig in and that's what we did."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

CRYSTAL Palace defender Scott Dann will be watched by England scouts for tonight's game against Aston Villa.

The centre-back has impressed since arriving last January, and recently Neil Warnock told the Advertiser he believes the 27-year-old is close to earning his first call-up.

Joel Ward is also expected to be watched by Roy Hodgson's staff in south London.

On Saturday, Brede Hangeland says he can't see why Dann shouldn't get a chance for the Three Lions, but insists he needs to stay injury-free and in form.

"For me, he's a top-class player," said the Norwegian. 

"He can do the dirty business as a defender but he's also a footballer.

"Why not? I have said to Joel Ward he should be close but Scott is at a good age."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

LABOUR will amend a council report which said it would look into building on school playing fields, a senior councillor has told the Advertiser.

It follows an extraordinary series of events at the town hall on Monday night which began with the Conservatives tabling a motion calling on document to be changed.

The cabinet unanimously rejected the proposal, describing it as "desperate", "not based in reality" and accused the Advertiser - which first reported the plans - of "sensationalising".

But a cabinet member later told Edward Handley, the chairman of Croydon Playing Fields Association, that the strategy document WOULD, in fact, be changed.

The U-turn follows a fortnight during which the Labour group has desperately tried to distance itself from the controversial policy, which was briefly outlined in its asset strategy published before a cabinet meeting on November 17.

The report said "a number of school sites have very large playing fields and ancillary land that may be considered excessive for the number of students who attend the school".

"Where this may be the case, schools will be identified and opportunities considered for the development of affordable housing or other service provision."

Simon Hall, the cabinet member behind the report, then told the Advertiser that playing fields should be "in the mix" when considering what land could be used to meet housing demand or creating additional school places.

The idea was criticised by Croydon Playing Fields Association and the Conservative opposition but, despite the strategy being approved by the cabinet without amendment, Labour has insisted it has no plans to develop on school land.

Approached about what Mr Handley had been told, a Labour source admitted the council was looking at changing the wording.

The source described the report as a "big cock up" which few, if any, of Cllr Hall's cabinet colleagues had read before the story came out.

"Officers should never have put it down in that way in writing. What may have happened is that officers did a register of assets and maybe got a bit excited and put down a list of things that they thought were possibly up for grabs. People do make mistakes and we will amend it."

Asked why the cabinet had rejected the Conservative group's motion if they intended to change the wording, our source said: "What we wouldn't do last night is make it appear we were doing a U-turn.

"We weren't doing a U-turn because the reality is that it was never going to happen. There are loads of us on this cabinet that would never allow things to be built on our playing fields."

Quizzed about why, if it was so opposed to the idea, the document was not amended when it came to cabinet on November 17, our source said: "By the time [the report] was picked up it was out in public.

"I think something all of us have learned is when you have a massive paper, with lots of policies in it, and you put them down in writing, you need to be careful when using words like 'will' and 'consider' because it does allow your opposition to ask what's happening with it.

"It will only be changed because we don't want people to be worrying that it's going to happen, because it's not."

Tim Pollard, leader of the Conservative opposition group, described the cabinet's behaviour as "childish".

"They talk about wanting a new style of politics, well they have a very curious way of going about it. They would get so much more credibility from admitting they got it wrong and that it would be changed.

"We're going to keep calling for them to revise the wording because until they do it could be implemented any time they feel like it.

Mr Handley said he was "relieved" the council had dropped the idea but added: "We need to be vigilant because it could rear its head again." 

COUNCIL Leader Tony Newman has confirmed Council Tax bills for the borough's residents will be frozen next year.

Announcing the policy at last night's (Monday) full council meeting, Cllr Newman said he was "delighted" his Labour group would honour the pre-election pledge, despite inheriting a "£100 million black hole" in the authority's budget from the Conservatives.

He said: "Not only have we averted the fiscal crisis that was threatening to engulf the council, but with some key strategic decisions taken, we have set the council, despite the draconian cuts from central government, on a course of long-term stability.

"Council Tax, unlike the weather, will be frozen [...], good news for the family budget at this time of year."

Conservative leader Tim Pollard accused Cllr Newman of trying to "distract" voters from the "large barrage of cuts that the people of Croydon will still probably have to endure in a few months' time".

He also pointed out bills would be slightly higher in 2015/16 than the current financial year, when households were given a £25 rebate by the previous Conservative administration.

HOTSHOT table tennis players from Croydon took top honours in the Boys' U16 category of the South London Regional final of the Jack Petchey Foundation London Schools Team competition, held at Wallington Grammar School on Thursday, November 27.

The competition bought together eight teams from schools from Bromley, Croydon, Kingston-upon-Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames and Sutton.

The Boys' U16 team from Whitgift School, including reserve, was James Smith, Reiss Vydelingum both 13, Jason Kwok, 14, and Callum McKeague and Kobi Mintah, both 15.

The final finished with Whitgift School and Wilson's School four-all in games with Whitgift winning 16-14 on sets in the count back.

They have all been playing for about five years but only came together as a team in September.

James Smith, who has competed in this event several times, said: "This competition had a great atmosphere and every game, every point counted. We like meeting new players from different schools."

James has won titles at U11 and U13 singles in the London Schools event and he has represented England in competition in Sweden.

Coach Goran Maric added: "This is the first year we have been working together. This is a good team and we can't wait for the final."

The Jack Petchey London Schools' Table Tennis Championships is a prestigious event aimed at increasing participation and awareness of table tennis in London Schools.

It includes individual and team competitions and all winners progress to the Jack Petchey London School's Team finals being held on Saturday, January 2015 in the Sports Dock at the University of East London.

THE Tree House has said goodbye to the trees which gave it its name, after they began "attacking" the pub and passing buses.

The four eucalyptuses were removed by the council as part of the regeneration of South End, at the pub's request, because they had become a health and safety hazard.

Manager Megan Hartnett said one tree had grown lopsided and was pushing out the brickwork of one of the pub walls. Branches of another were hanging in the path of buses travelling on South End.

"It is a little bit like being called the bridge over the river and not having a river or a bridge," said Ms Hartnett.

"We are quite upset they are gone but two of them were causing problems. One was attacking the buses and it made quite a crash as they went past."

But Ms Hartnett said the Tree House will not lose their identity.

"We'll always be the Tree House," she said. "Customers are in shock and have asked where they have gone, but we're still here!"

One of the trees was on the street outside of the pub's fence. A council spokesman said this will be replaced when the works to the pavement are finished. The other three were in the pub garden.

"I'm not sure how big the new tree will be so we're waiting for them to put that up and we'll feel a bit more secure with that being there," said Ms Hartnett.

"We do have a lot of artificial plants in our garden anyway so it is still quite green, which is good. And hopefully before summer next year we'll have something bigger and better to show off," she added."

A council spokesman said: "Two trees inside the property were removed at the vendor's request because they were causing damage to the property. The tree on council land will be replaced."

Ms Hartnett said the damaged wall is being rebuilt.

CRYSTAL Palace fell to a very narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa tonight and were left to rue a killing instinct in the final third.

For large spells, the Eagles dominated especially in the second half in response to what turned out to be Christian Benteke's 32^nd-minute winner.

It was also a frustrating evening in terms of decisions going against them from referee Michael Oliver.

To their credit, Palace kept knocking on the Villa door for most of the second period, with Yannick Bolasie in particular their main threat. But it wasn't enough in the end.

Palace were the better side in the opening stages, pinning Villa back inside their own half with relative ease.

And they had the ball in the back of the net too only to denied by an offside flag.

Bolasie had a go from range which Brad Guzan spilled, before Dwight Gayle looked to capitalise. The ball was cleared off the line before Scott Dann rifled home, only to see the assistant referee with his arm raised.

Bolasie then whipped in a dangerous free-kick to Jedinak at the back post, and the Australian headed across goal only for the visitors to clear.

But then the game went rather quiet, with Palace's rhythm cut short as Villa began to ease their way into the game but without testing Julian Speroni in the Eagles' goal.

Benteke, back in the Villa side following a three-game suspension, gave Speroni his first to save to make, and it was a flying one too, palming away the Belgian's effort from outside the box.

But then the big striker did find the back of the net on 32 minutes with an excellent finish to give the visitors the lead.

After capitalising on a mistake by Dann out on the right touchline, Benteke ran towards goal, looked up and curled beyond Speroni into the bottom corner.

Palace responded well, however, with Wilfried Zaha denied by Brad Guzan, and then Bolasie's goal-bound follow-up with blocked.

Bolasie was stopped again 90 seconds later when the ball found its way to him on the right side of the box but a Villa player threw themselves at the shot before clearing.

Palace boss Neil Warnock decided to replace Gayle with Fraizer Campbell at the break.

Bolasie it was, however, who looked Palace's best source of creativity and he delivered twice superbly in the space of two minutes.

The first was low across the danger area which Villa cleared and then his second found Marouane Chamakh, who headed wide from several yards out under pressure.

Bolasie was then the architect once again as he sent a decent ball in for Zaha, but the winger's soft header went over.

Campbell went into the book for catching Guzan as he looked to beat the custodian to the ball following a thread pass, and then minutes later the striker looked to have been fouled in the box as he stretched for another Bolasie cross.

Referee Oliver wasn't having the best of games either, frustrating Palace with a number of decisions.

And that continued when he gave a free-kick against McArthur for challenging Guzan for the ball inside the box, coming off worse as the goalkeeper landed on him.

Warnock's side were by far the better side at this point with just under 20 minutes remaining but just couldn't find a cutting edge.

And they were running out of ideas and time, with Villa battling for their lives to keep their narrow lead intact.

Palace were desperately unlucky in the 90^th-minute when Zaha beat three Villa players on the right side of the box and delivered superbly but the ball missed everyone, with Bolasie swinging a leg out in the process.

Four minutes were added on but Palace just couldn't find a dramatic equaliser.

They travel to Tottenham on Saturday.

Palace: Speroni, Ward, Kelly (Puncheon 88), Hangeland, Dann, Jedinak ©, McArthur, Bolasie, Zaha, Chamakh, Gayle (Campbell 46).

Subs Not Used: Hennessesy, Fryers, Boateng, Thomas, Bannan.

Referee: Michael Oliver

By Mark Ritson at Selhurst Park

TWO lucky players won a combined £43,000 in one weekend at Mecca Bingo.

The club only sees about six big wins a year, but on Saturday, November 15, it paid out more than £18,000 to one winner. The following evening another player won more than £25,000.

In an average week the club pays out a total of £50,000 across all of its games. The last win on this scale at the club, on Tamworth Road, was on July 29, when one player won about £20,000.

The winners, who were both regular Mecca customers, did not want to be identified.

Richard Matthews, general manager, was working on Saturday afternoon. "They were ecstatic. They jumped up and screamed, it was quite an emotional one," he said.

"The atmosphere was great, it was electric. They were really excited, especially knowing they'd won that much instantly and with Christmas coming up."

The Saturday win on the Cashline game totalled £18,245.90. The Sunday win on the National game totalled £25,246.60.

INDEPENDENT coffee shops in the south of the borough will soon face competition from two new Costa outlets opening in Selsdon and Sanderstead.

The coffee shops, on the old Blockbuster site in on Addington Road and at Dick Townley Sports, in Limpsfield Road, will join three other Costa coffee shops and seven Costa Express outlets in Croydon.

Dennis King, chair of Sanderstead Residents' Association, said there are enough coffee shops in Sanderstead already.

"I like Costa but I don't know whether we want two, two is one too many," he added.

There has been some confusion over the planning permission needed for the coffee shops to open, but as Costa only grill sandwiches – which does not count as cooking – it does not need to apply for change of use permission for the old shop sites.

Ward councillor Yvette Hopley said planning enforcement officers at the council confirmed this.

"I find it strange that to grill something doesn't mean it's being cooked, but Costa are not in breach of anything," she said.

But Amanda Ashton who co-owns Priscilla's Tea Room, one of three coffee shops already in Sanderstead, said: "I am concerned because I want Priscilla's to be a success, but on a positive note it may bring more people into the area.

"And it will create job opportunities for a lot of people so it does have benefits."

NEIL Warnock believes there isn't anything to worry about long-term despite Palace's narrow 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Tuesday night.

Having gained a point on Saturday at Swansea but failing to come away with anything against an average Villa side, Warnock believes there's still a long way to go in the season.

He said: "We've trained hard and worked well but things haven't come off.

"I think we've got a group of lads that are capable of beating anybody, going anywhere so it might be the more difficult games that we come up with points.

"It's going to be one of those seasons. I don't think we've got to worry about anything.

"We've got to work on our own game and try and put more chances away that we create and I think we'll be alright."

Scott Dann lost possession inside his own half to allow Christian Benteke to run at Brede Hangeland before curling it past Julian Speroni for the winner.

And Warnock wants to see the centre-back boot it to safety the next time he finds himself in that position.

"I think he should have kicked it out of the stand and not be ashamed to do it," said the boss.

"There were two or three things really, I thought Brede [Hangeland] could have come out as well but that's these decisions and they stand or fall and unfortunately for Scott, who's been probably our best player defensive wise, it's a cruel punishment; but hopefully you learn by that. 

"You can't score in Row Z, can you?"

By Dan Gibbs 

CRYSTAL Palace boss Neil Warnock says he spoke to referee Michael Oliver following Tuesday's 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa.

The Eagles had a penalty appeal turned down when Fraizer Campbell was bundled to the ground inside the box in the 62^nd-minute but nothing was given.

Yet Warnock felt Oliver was in the wrong position to give it.

He said following the match: "I've just said to Michael, when I've watched it you can't really blame him because he's in a bad position.

"He hasn't actually seen the right arm take down Fraizer, he's watched Yannick Bolasie cross it and he's out there in a poor position.

"And when Bolasie crosses it, Michael looks at Bolasie rather than at where the ball's going and doesn't see the right arm pull Fraizer back.

"Fraizer's got no reason to go down really, he's going to head the ball.

"Some nights you get that, some nights you don't. I don't think I can blame anybody for their goal, we've just got to get back to basics."

By Dan Gibbs 

NEIL Warnock is remaining upbeat about the positive attacking threat his Crystal Palace side showed in both halves against Aston Villa on Tuesday night, but was frustrated at the lack of chances they were able to convert.

The Eagles penned Paul Lambert's side back in their own half for the majority of the second period but just couldn't find a killer instinct in front of goal.

""We're disappointed the way the goal was given and you know they didn't have to work hard for the goal. That's a disappointment and we couldn't get a goal back," said Warnock.

"I thought we played some good football at times and created some good chances but it just wasn't to be in the box.

"I thought the corners were poor and the gambling in the box. You've got your predators who can tap those chances in.

"That last one that went between three of our players, the last one from Wilfried Zaha, and they are the ones that count really. You've got to take advantage of opportunities like that.

"We started really well and I thought we played some good stuff and created some good chances but you've got to make your own luck really and I thought we just lacked that little bit of quality tonight.

"I can't fault the effort. I think the lads gave everything and we've got to dust ourselves down and get this disappointment over and try and prove all the coupon busters wrong on Saturday at Tottenham."

By Dan Gibbs