Croydon councillors have declared a number of gifts and hospitality received in the period leading up to and following the local elections in May 2026, with new details emerging about the nature of these events and the individuals involved.
Declarations made between 4 March 2026 and 6 May 2026, the period immediately preceding the local elections, included a key ring valued at £3. This was received by Councillor Lynne Hale and Mayor Jason Perry from the Kurdish Supplementary Schools for a Kurdish New Year event held on March 21, 2026. Councillor Jack Barwell declared business cards valued at £50 from Nathaniel Delo, received on 30 September 2025. The specific relationship between Nathaniel Delo and the council or local government is not detailed in the provided information.
Following the elections on 7 May 2026, further declarations were made. Councillor Aba Amoah received a hot chocolate valued at £4.25 from Matthew Sims, CEO of Croydon BID, and a complimentary ticket for the SME4Labour Gala Dinner & Awards, valued at £180. Councillor Melanie Felten also received a complimentary ticket for the SME4Labour Gala Dinner, valued at £180, and a complimentary ticket for the Brit Hair Awards Lunch, valued at over £120. The Brit Hair Awards Lunch is an event for which Councillor Felten received the ticket, though the specific purpose of her attendance beyond accepting the complimentary invitation is not explicitly stated.
Councillor Tom Bowell declared two lattes, totalling £7.80, received on 21 May 2026 from Gabriel McArthur, a freelance journalist with Inside Croydon, and Graham Mitchell, a local community activist. The value of the lattes was £3.90 for one and £7.80 for two respectively. Their specific connection to the council beyond these interactions is not detailed.
Councillor Robert Ward declared two nights of hotel accommodation for himself and a partner, with an estimated value of £400, for attending an NCRI Conference in Paris on 20-21 June 2026. This was received from the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The agenda or mission of the National Council of Resistance of Iran was not provided in the meeting information.
Croydon Council has established guidelines regarding the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by councillors. Members are instructed not to accept gifts or hospitality that could lead to personal gain or a reasonable suspicion of influence from those seeking to do business with the authority. Any gift or hospitality with an estimated value of at least £50, or multiple items with a cumulative value of £50 or more from a single donor within a twelve-month period, must be registered with the Monitoring Officer within 28 days of receipt. Councillors are also required to register any significant gifts or hospitality they have refused.
The report on Members' Gifts and Hospitality separates declarations into two appendices: Appendix A covers the period from March 4, 2026, to May 6, 2026 (pre-election), and Appendix B covers the period from May 7, 2026, to July 7, 2026 (post-election). This separation highlights gifts received just before and after the local elections held on May 7, 2026. See the Public reports pack for 15th Jul 2026 Ethics Committee.
