NEW Addington could get its own council in a bid to help the estate "take greater control of its own destiny".
Labour councillor George Ayres has pledged to introduce the measure if his party wins next year's council elections.
The council would – much like village parish councils – have its own budget to spend on the estate and convey residents' concerns to Croydon Council on matters such as planning and schools.
It would be made up of representatives from the local community, schools and businesses.
Cllr Ayres told the Advertiser: "We want to see the community take on greater control of its own destiny by encouraging greater enterprise through the formation of a number of social enterprises."
Former Labour councillor Brenda Kirby welcomed her successor's idea.
She said: "New Addington has traditionally had a very strong community. We need to reinforce that."
However, the estate's Tory councillor, Tony Pearson, said the idea was "pie in the sky" and questioned the need for another layer of representation.
Ken Burgess, chairman of the Central Parade Business Partnership, also fears the idea is not practical.
He said: "We used to meet regularly as a community but, of course, with all the cuts that was disbanded.
"However, they were attended by the same regular people and often there were more councillors than residents at these meetings.
"Getting these things organised takes time and money."
But he agreed that there were matters in which the estate could do with more independence.
He said: "We are hugely concerned about the drop in footfall and numbers of people coming to the parade.
"I sincerely believe if they changed the parking [policies] it would encourage people to come up here."
Shoppers in Central Parade welcomed the idea of having more independence from Croydon Council – and gave the Advertiser a few suggestions of laws they would like to see introduced.
Michael Anderson, 51, of Chertsey Crescent, said he would like a ban on loud music.
He said: "There is a lot of loud music at night in my block and teenagers climbing through the window.
"No music after midnight in residential areas."
Josh Goksal, 16, of Fieldway, said he was fed up with the lack of things to do.
He said: "There needs to be more stuff for young people to do – sports or anything, more like the Timebridge Centre."
Winston Derc, 76, of Fieldway, called for the removal of the Central Parade boulders.
"I cannot see what they achieve anyway," he said.
