Executive Mayor Jason Perry hopes the grant will drive forward Croydon’s
Growth Plan for 2025. Pic: Croydon Council

Croydon council has secured London’s highest government grant to develop community spaces, local businesses and skills across the borough.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will award £1.4m to the borough.

The grant could help Croydon’s Growth Plan, which was launched in May and set out to “build on the borough’s economic and cultural strengths, whilst addressing long-standing
challenges with focus and determination”.

This follows the first round of UKSPF funding granted to Croydon Council in 2022, where projects such as Colliers Water Garden in Thornton Heath were built.

The council outlined in the plan that improving district centres and parks will be undertaken.

The next district centres to benefit are Norbury, Addiscombe, South Croydon and Coulsdon.

According to Parks for London, Croydon has over 120 parks and green spaces, making
it one of the city’s greenest boroughs to live in.

The council stated that it will work with community groups through a “Mayor’s Parks Fund” on projects led by residents.

Five parks will also get new outdoor gyms, so residents can have better access to free
leisure facilities.

The UKSPF funding could also help local businesses and entrepreneurs through
the Executive Mayor’s Business Plan, building on its partnerships with local
organisations to deliver programmes and helping to boost the local economy.

This will provide 1-1 business support and workshops for female entrepreneurs as well as
creating opportunities for vulnerable young people who are not in education or work.

Those looking to start a business can access advice and events through the Executive
Mayor’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy, which was established in 2023 to support
Croydon’s next generation of entrepreneurs.

The grant will also build on Croydon’s legacy as London Borough of Culture 2023 with organisations like Culture Croydon, who will work with local arts organisations, artists and performers to put on an exciting series of cultural, heritage and community events.

“Earlier this year, I published my Growth Plan – a bold new strategy to drive regeneration, attract investment and deliver exciting developments across the borough. This £1.4m of UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funding will help to deliver on this,” Perry said in a statement.

“We will give local entrepreneurs the
tools and support needed to launch and grow their businesses here in Croydon.”

Croydon locals shared mixed opinions on the funding on social media site Nextdoor, with most commenters backing the growth that the £1.4m promises.

Others shared their thoughts on the Conservative mayor working with Croydon’s Labour MPs.

Ian K of Broad Green East wrote that the grant is a “great body of work”.

“It would be very good to be able to showcase the real talents people in the borough have.
But, There are high levels of crime and deprivation along with imposed environmental
risks repeatedly realised and ignored,” he said.

“I’ve lived in Croydon for almost 30 years and I’m so sad to see what it has become from a
lack of funding, corrupt councilors and the total mismanagement over the years,” Alison Park from Duppas Hill wrote. “Croydon is more than the town centre or West Croydon and
yet that is all that anyone talks about.”

Conservative councillor Luke Shortland also shared his thoughts, praising the grant: “Really love this, I think it shows how despite the Council’s well-known financial challenges, Mayor Jason Perry is still working to drive investment into our town centre and improve our green spaces which were so neglected previously.”