A Conservative MP has claimed the Council is "totally failing" South Croydon's high streets by excluding them from bids for government regeneration funds.

The Council is allowed to submit three applications to the Future High Streets fund, a Government initiative supporting local areas’ plans to improve their high streets.

South Norwood High Street, Thornton Heath High Street and London Road have been selected as the most suitable, none of which are based in the south of the borough.

Chris Philp, MP for south Croydon, claims the focus on north Croydon, a Labour constituency, comes at the expense of his area.

“The decision to not even bid for money that the Government is handing out completely lets down the businesses and residents based in the south of the borough," he said.

“I call on the council to provide a full explanation as to why it has chosen to neglect our area. They should govern for the whole borough, not just their own heartlands.

“This Labour administration has repeatedly failed the south of the borough. It should reconsider its decision not to bid on the south of borough as soon as possible.

“I will be happy to assist the council in any bids that help the south of the borough.”

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Chris Philp, MP for South Croydon

A study by the Royal Society of Public Health, published in November, revealed Croydon has three of the top ten "unhealthiest" high streets in London.

Thornton Heath was rated third worst and South Norwood fifth. London Road did not make the list.

The study measured the presence of businesses deemed harmful to locals’ mental and physical health, such as off licences, fast food outlets and betting shops.

The Council has already been awarded over £1million in funding to regenerate the South Norwood area, having submitted a successful bid to the Mayor’s Good Growth fund.

The council matched the figure, taking the funding total for the ‘Re-imagining everyday spaces in South Norwood’ project to £2.3million.

Councillor Paul Scott, cabinet lead for regeneration and planning, claims the streets were chosen as they stood to benefit most from the funding available.

“No bids have been submitted for the Future High Streets Fund by Croydon Council, nor by any other authority," he said.

“The Government has requested the submissions later this month, when we will be submitting expressions of interest for three areas: South Norwood, Thornton Heath and the London Road (covering Broad Green and Norbury).

“Every district centre was analysed to see if it would fit the fund criteria.

"The areas we have identified to express an interest in receiving funding for were identified as those most appropriate for this particular fund, in line with guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

“None of our centres in the south of the borough met the Government’s criteria for the funding.

"We are only allowed to submit applications for three places and obviously we would not want to waste any opportunities for areas which have a chance of getting some of the limited amount of money that is being made available.

“We are continuously looking for ways to get additional funding for every area of the borough, such as the GLA Good Growth funding for the development of a Community Plan in Kenley and £17million to transform Roman Way and Old Town announced just last week.

"Both of these council-led initiatives are in Croydon South.”