u/CllrShortland

A FREE (yay!) Asian arts festival is taking over central Croydon this weekend, inspired by Henry Rousseau's "Surprised!" tiger painting (a life-size version of which you can currently find in the Whitgift Centre).

There’s live music, dance, giant puppets, workshops, food and performances inspired by cultures from across Asia, including Iranian Kamãnche, Chinese Erhu and Pipa, Balinese and Sri Lankan dancers, Vietnamese Lion Dance, Bollywood Brass Band, DJ Bobby Friction and even a Flamenco-Bharatanatyam fusion performance.

There are also free arts and crafts workshops throughout the weekend including origami, Chinese knotting, Anatolian tile painting and henna painting.

I’ve attached the full programme for anyone interested.

Here are the results for the 2026 Council elections, as well as the results in 2022 for comparison.

My congratulations to everybody who was elected, especially those who were elected for the first time or who won their seats from other parties. Being a Councillor is a wonderful and unique job; I hope you enjoy it and you’re able to get a lot done for your community.

Naturally I’d also like to thank everybody who voted for my colleagues and me. I’m really proud to have been re-elected in Coulsdon Town, and I’ve included a photograph of myself because I’m vain.

There may be some more thoughts later (maybe not) but for now I’m going to get some *sleep!*

(I have referred to Mark Adderley - CPU - as Green because of the ballot.)

So, apparently there was an election on. Nobody told me. Here’s when - in theory - we are expecting the results!

Friday AM - Verification. You won’t get any official results here, but this is when political parties and candidates get a broad ‘picture’ of what’s happened.

Friday PM - Mayoral Count. This is when the Mayoral ballots are sorted into piles, counted, and a result is announced. There are no ‘second preferences’ this year, so whoever gets the most votes wins and there doesn’t need to be any kind of reallocation.

Saturday All Day - Council Counts. This is when the Council ballots are split into piles and counted, and the results are announced throughout the day. They will have multiple wards being counted on different tables at once. They usually announce the results of each ward as soon as it’s ready.

My very best wishes to all those candidates who are standing across the Borough! 🗳️

Hi all - just wanted to drop a quick message after polls closed.

As you’ll know, I’ve been one of the Councillors for Coulsdon Town for the last 4 years. It’s been a real honour; some of you will know just how weird it feels seeing your own name on a ballot paper, and it’s even weirder still knowing that thousands of people put a cross by it.

I didn’t join this forum to try to win votes - but because I hoped that I’d be able to answer a few questions that some of you had about how the Council worked. I hope over the last four years amongst all the political guff (including my own!) that I’ve been able to help a couple of you here and there.

Whatever happens tomorrow, thank you for doing your bit to stay informed and engaged. And of course, if you voted for me, thank you for that. I appreciate it more than you will know.

Most importantly, thank you for caring about Croydon. Society is created when people care.

-Luke.