Greenwich’s most senior town hall officer has been named as one of the government’s hit squad sent in to rescue failing Croydon Council.
Debbie Warren, who has been chief executive of Greenwich Council for eight years, is one of four commissioners being sent in to tackle the deep-rooted problems at Croydon.
Since becoming chief executive, she has worked alongside three different council leaders, including with Danny Thorpe during the coronavirus crisis.
Warren was appointed Greenwich’s director of finance in 2009 before becoming acting chief executive in 2017, and winning the job permanently the following year. She will continue to work at Greenwich, with Jamie Carswell, the deputy chief executive, and other senior figures stepping up when she is in Croydon.
At Croydon, Warren will answer to the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, as one of a team of four commissioners. Her job there will be a part-time role, of up to 150 days a year.
She will continue to collect her chief executive’s salary – about £220,000. The £1,100/day she will be paid as a commissioner by Croydon will go straight to Greenwich.
Warren is well-regarded in the town hall for keeping essential services running through 15 years of central government austerity – a period in which Croydon has struggled under both Labour and Conservative administrations, which both built up large debts.
““Local authorities have much in common,” Warren said. “The last few years have been an incredibly challenging time for us all. The Royal Borough of Greenwich is proud to have set balanced budgets – year after year – while still providing a range of services any council would be proud to have.
“I am looking forward to bringing my experience and values to support Croydon and its management team.”
Warren’s most visible role to the public has been as returning officer at council elections and as the “power behind the throne” at council meetings, sat next to the mayor.
“The London Borough of Croydon’s financial challenges require a measured approach to achieving value for money for residents, and I trust you to use your judgment and expertise to oversee and deliver a robust plan of improvement,” Warren was told in a letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirming her appointment on Thursday.
Under its former Labour council leader Tony Newman, Croydon embarked on a disastrous foray into property development, which ended with the council effectively going bust in 2020.
The spin-off company, Brick By Brick, failed to pay £60 million in loan repayments and interest, leading to the borough issuing a Section 114 notice, an admission that Croydon could no longer pay its way. Since then, Croydon has since issued two other notices.
The crisis has been followed by a 27 per cent rise in council tax since 2023 under the Conservative elected mayor Jason Perry. Earlier this year the government agreed to Perry’s request for a £136 million bailout.
Perry’s job will now be effectively done by the four commissioners. Inside Croydon, the local news website which has followed the borough’s problems most closely, branded the announcement “another day of shame”.
Warren will work under the lead commissioner, Ged Curran, a former chief executive of Merton Council. Jackie Belton, a former chief executive at Bexley, will also be on the team, as will Abi Brown, a former Conservative leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
Updated at 11.55am on Friday with details of how Greenwich will operate.
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