Croydon Council has spent public funds settling parking and traffic penalties incurred by staff and contractors, according to figures disclosed in a national newspaper investigation. The council paid £3,244 towards Penalty Charge Notices and other motoring penalties covering the period January 2023 to March 2025.
Contradiction with council messaging
The expenditure sits awkwardly alongside repeated statements from the council emphasising tougher enforcement of illegal parking and antisocial driving. The mayor, Jason Perry, has publicly warned motorists that Croydon would not tolerate people who “do not pay your way”.
“Croydon will no longer be seen as a soft touch or a place where people can commit antisocial acts without consequence,”
The sums paid by Croydon form part of a wider pattern reported across London, with other boroughs also settling fines incurred by staff or contractors. According to the same report, amounts recorded in recent years include £10,250 in Hackney, £15,350 in Lewisham and £10,040 in Wandsworth.
What the figures show
The published figures for Croydon cover a two-year period and are limited to what has been made available so far; the national report notes that some councils use procurement cards to pay fines and may later seek reimbursement from the employee or contractor involved. In at least one borough a council spokesperson said early-payment discounts were sought and money reclaimed from the driver when fault was established, though such statements often omit how frequently recovery was successful.
| Council | Amount reported | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Croydon | £3,244 | Jan 2023 – Mar 2025 |
| Hackney | £10,250 | Last financial year |
| Lewisham | £15,350 | May 2024 – Dec 2025 |
| Wandsworth | £10,040 | Jan 2023 – Mar 2026 |
Accountability and transparency concerns
The payments renew scrutiny over whether public bodies should be using taxpayers' money to settle motoring penalties issued to employees or contractors, and how transparent councils are about such spending. While councils may argue that settling quickly secures a discount or ensures uninterrupted service delivery, critics say such practices can create the perception that public officials receive preferential treatment.
- Council paid £3,244 for staff and contractor fines in the period reported.
- Other London councils reported higher sums, including £15,350 in Lewisham.
- Questions remain about how often councils recover payments from staff and how clearly these transactions are disclosed.
Residents and local campaigners are likely to seek clarification from the council about its current policy: whether payments are routinely made on behalf of employees, how often recovery is successful and what safeguards exist to prevent misuse of procurement cards. Croydon Council and the mayor's office were asked for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.
