Honda's CR-Z coupe has been designed to be both green and fun. It's certainly more eye-catching than most hybrids, with a purposeful low stance. The wide tapering headlights, with day time LED running lights, extend towards the edges of the strongly flared wheel arches. Add the split rear screen – a concept taken from the sporty 1980s CR-X coupe, and the sharp design results in an aerodynamic shape.

A driver-focussed dashboard, low seating position, supportive seats and futuristic digital displays give a hi-tech feel.

Despite having a rear bench, in reality the CR-Z is a 2+2. As a spacious 2 seater, CR-Z makes more sense - folding the rear seats increases the cargo area from 225 to 401 litres. Numerous cubby holes are dotted around the cabin.

Equipment levels on the CR-Z are generous, all grades benefitting from 6 airbags, active headrests, Vehicle Stability Assist and Hill Start Assist.

Features on this £24,045 top spec GT-T include: cruise control, 240W premium audio system, ambient lighting, alloy pedals, leather upholstery and heated front seats, panoramic glass roof, HID Xenon headlights, Hands-Free Telephone and automatic headlights and wipers.

Parking is hampered by limited rear window vision, but less of an issue once under way.

The ride is secure and accurate, bordering on firm without being uncomfortable. Wind noise is well suppressed, but tyre roar does intrude at higher motorway speeds.

Direct steering, sharp turn-in, agile chassis and high grip levels means CR-Z is a capable B-road blaster. A precise short-throw gearbox and throaty sounding engine makes for a fun driver's car… but not a fast one (0-62 in 9.5 seconds and 124 mph top speed). Even with Hybrid assistance there's a modest 137 PS and 190 Nm torque to play with.

But thanks to the electric motor contributing its maximum torque at 1500 rpm, CR-Z has excellent low down pulling power and feels quicker than the quoted figures.

Three different driving modes: Econ, Normal and Sport, allow the driver to choose between maximizing enjoyment, economy, or a balance between the two. New on the 2013 model is the Plus Sport (S+) button which provides a short boost of power to increase straight line performance.

Even in Econ mode, the CR-Z fails to be significantly more economical than an average 2.0 litre diesel. We achieved 47 mpg from everyday mixed route driving, although using Eco Assist mode would possibly get closer to the claimed 54.3 mpg.

Verdict: Honda's CR-Z shows the future potential that Hybrids have as fun sports cars. Indeed fun is something this car excels at, despite the relatively modest turn of speed. Intriguingly its flaws fail to dilute the appeal of this stylish, sophisticated and uniquely different car.

FRONTLINE trading standards, environmental health and licensing services will not suffer from plans to run them jointly with Merton and Richmond councils, Croydon councillors have been assured.

The guarantee was given at a meeting of the council's scrutiny committee on Tuesday.

The committee was discussing a call-in of the proposals by opposition Labour councillors.

Labour councillor Sean Fitzsimons said his party feared a jointly run operation would impact on staff and on the delivery of the services.

The report presented to the committee said over the next ten years the total savings from sharing services could reach more than £13.7 million.

The move would see the appointment of a head of shared services and a cut in management posts across the three boroughs from 16 to 10.

Paul Spooner, Croydon's interim director of planning and environment, told the committeethere would be no change in terms and conditions of employment of front line staff.

The committee agreed to recommend to the cabinet that the deal should not be finalised before it came back to scrutiny for further discussion.

IKEA's Klippan sofa is a classic with many expressions...

THE Klippan sofa from IKEA represents classic styling. Its durability makes it able to withstand even the wild antics of a family with children.

Klippan is quite simply a lot of sofa for the money and there are a few reasons for this. One of them is that there are so many possibilities to renew the sofa and revitalise your room. There are many different fabric covers for Klippan to enable you to change your sofa whenever you like.

You may even want to have a few covers on hand to switch between – a different cover for every season, perhaps. And if you prefer leather, there are fixed leather covers to choose from too.

The removable covers are machine washable of course and easy to put on and take off. Fabric or leather, trendy or romantic, mature or childlike – the choice is yours.

The story of Klippan starts with a broken sofa. A product developer at IKEA was tired of his expensive sofa that broke when his children jumped on it. He and a colleague decided to make a sofa that was both child-friendly and attractive – and had a low price.

At that time washable covers were uncommon, so they made removable covers that could be put in an ordinary washing machine a high priority, along with a durable frame. The idea was that people should be able to change covers whenever they liked.

Klippan appeared in the IKEA catalogue for the first time in 1980. Originally, there were two brightly-coloured quilted covers to choose from – one with flowers, the other chequered. Since then, the sofa has been available with many different covers, while the design and construction have remained the same.

IKEA Croydon, Valley Park, off Purley Way, Croydon, CR0 4UZ. Visit www.ikea.com/gb/en/ store/croydon

O RIGINAL stripped wood flooring, cornicing and ornate plaster mouldings, a contemporary bathroom and a modern kitchen combine to make this attractive home in Lebanon Road, Croydon.

The Victorian terrace house, which is for sale with no onward chain, features three double bedrooms, two reception rooms, a kitchen and breakfast room, utility room and first floor family bathroom.

Enter the hallway, where leading off is the living room at the front of the house with its bay window, striking wood floor and fireplace.

Beyond this is the separate dining room where the wooden flooring continues and another fireplace provides a focal point. At the back of the house is the kitchen and breakfast room with beech-effect units, and a utility room and toilet.

Stairs from the hallway lead up to the first floor where you'll find the master bedroom at the front of the house with a bay window and a modern bathroom with white three-piece suite.

Outside is a well-planned enclosed back garden while the house is fronted by hedge with a period tiled path leading to the front door.

The property also has gas central heating.

The house has good commuter links with Lebanon Road tram stop just at the end of the road and East Croydon station less than half a mile away with its 15 minute service to London.

CROYDON'S 33,000 carers play "a phenomenally important" role in the life of the borough, Croydon North MP Steve Reed said on Monday.

He was speaking at the National Carers Week launch at the Croydon Carers' Centre in Katharine Street, Croydon.

Mr Reed was invited to speak at the launch as the Parliamentary successor to Malcolm Wicks, who died last year.

Mr Wicks was president of the Carers' Centre and was widely regarded as a champion of carers, for his committed support of their cause. He also successfully steered a Private Member's Bill through Parliament which, for the first time, time recognised the right of carers to have their needs assessed.

Mr Reed said he wanted to be able to support carers in the same way that Mr Wicks had done.

Mr Reed was joined at the launch by Croydon's two other Conservative MPs, Gavin Barwell and Richard Ottaway, mayor of Croydon Yvette Hopley and EastEnders actor Vicky Alcock.

He told carers: "The fact all three MPs and the mayor are here is a sign of just how valued carers are. You are the unsung members of our community."

Without their extraordinary and phenomenally work, he added, there would be greater pressure on care homes, hospitals and social workers.

But Mr Reed added: "It is important that we remember the needs that carers have too.

"It is very important that, in times when there is less money about, we don't overburden carers so that they can no longer cope."

The Carers' Centre is in contact with some 6,500 of the borough's carers, and in the last year has dealt with around 14,500 calls for advice and support.

THE contract resulting in John Laing Integrated Services (JLIS) taking over the running of Croydon's libraries should be signed within the next few weeks.

On Tuesday night, the council's scrutiny committee decided to make no formal recommendations to the cabinet about changing the decision to choose JLIS as the preferred bidder for the contract.

That decision was taken on delegated authority by Councillor Tim Pollard, the cabinet member for children, families and learning, a move which prompted both the ruling Tories and Labour opposition to call in the decision for scrutiny.

The Tory call-in was prompted by what scrutiny committee chair Councillor Steve Hollands said was a desire to see the decision debated in public.

And by the end of the debate they were happy with Cllr Pollard's assurances that it would mean an improved library service in the borough.

But the Labour vice-chairman of the committee, Councillor Sean Fitzsimons, branded allowing Cllr Pollard the authority to select a preferred bidder without consultation with councillors as "an affront to democracy".

There was also a warning at the meeting to Tory councillors from Norbury resident Sean Creighton that the people of Croydon remained unhappy with the outsourcing of the libraries.

He suggested the Local Government Ombudsman and the District Auditor would be asked by library campaigners to examine the details of the bidding process.

The Tories originally backed the idea of outsourcing the service after pulling back, in the light of massive public opposition, from original cost-cutting plans which would have seen the closure of six branch libraries.

JLIS was granted preferred bidder status earlier this year but a second round of bidding was forced on the council after problems arose over pension arrangements for staff transferring to the company.

The new round saw JLIS up against Greenwich Leisure but Cllr Pollard told the committee: "JLIS offered the best mix of price and quality of service."

The council is keeping the price of the contract confidential but Cllr Pollard said there would be significant savings.

At the same time, he said no libraries would close, the overall total of opening hours would be maintained and there would be investment in new IT services and the introduction of WiFi in all branches.

The new contract is due to start in October and last for eight years.

Cllr Pollard said after the meeting that officers would now be putting the final legal touches to the contract.

A DISGRACED doctor who allegedly took £100,000 from an out-of-hours GP service is to face a fitness to practise hearing.

Dr Ravi Sondhi was accused of abusing his position as chairman of Croydoc, failing to respond to hundreds of calls from patients, and racially abusing and bullying his staff.

He ran the service, which covered Croydon, Sutton and Merton, from his house in Norfolk, and took "substantial sums of money" from colleagues and patients at Portland Road Medical Centre, his practice in South Norwood, an NHS report found.

On Monday, more than a year after his actions were exposed by the investigation, the suspended Purley GP will appear before the General Medical Council (GMC).

He faces four key allegations, including failing to act with "financial probity" and behaving in a "dishonest and misleading manner with financial advances he procured from Croydon".

Dr Sondhi is also accused of failing to provide good care to patients, including "failing to ensure that an adequate level of doctor cover was available" and that, when on duty, he was unavailable to see patients or make home visits.

It is also alleged that he misled colleagues about these arrangements and failed to treat staff with respect, referring to them in instant messages in "inappropriate and racist terms" and that his behaviour towards them was "verbally aggressive, intimidating and abusive".

Dr Sondhi's actions came to light after Croydoc's chief executive Sue Ballon informed the auditor that he had made several unauthorised withdrawals totalling £100,000 between July 2008 and August 2009.

In December 2009, he and Ms Ballon were suspended, prompting NHS Croydon to launch an investigation, the results of which were published in January 2012.

It found Dr Sondhi consistently failed to answer the telephone when on call, with 144 unanswered calls logged in a single evening. He also took as long as three hours to respond to urgent calls, when the target was 20 minutes, and repeatedly cancelled shifts without warning.

The specialist's hearing, which is to be held in Manchester, is expected to last until July 26.

The panel will consider whether each allegation has been proved and whether Dr Sondhi's fitness to practise has been impaired. He could then be suspended or erased from the Medical Register.

After the NHS Croydon report, Dr Sondhi was thought to have fled the country. Last July, he resurfaced at his GP wife Salma Uddin's successful attempt to overturn being struck off by the GMC for bullying.

The Advertiser challenged him outside the Royal Courts of Justice but he refused to answer our questions.

A DISABLED woman has been left housebound after her mobility scooter was stolen.

Arthritic Susan Feasey, who had been reliant on the scooter following knee replacement surgery, has appealed through the Advertiser for it to be returned.

"If you are reading this and you took my scooter, leave it somewhere it can easily be found – it's no good to you but it's everything to me," said Ms Feasey.

The 50-year-old lives on the first floor of a block of flats in Silchester Court, Thornton Heath.

Last Friday she left the scooter in a ground-floor communal area after discovering the lift was out of order. The following morning it was gone.

"I can't believe someone would be so low," said Ms Feasey. "I have lived here about a year and before all this I felt safe and secure.

"I only hope it has been taken by kids who haven't thought about the consequences of their actions.

"It's my freedom and I can't do anything without it,"

The scooter was given to Susan by her family in December as a present for her 50th birthday.

"I looked after my mum a lot when she was ill – it was their way of saying thank you," she said. "I used to rent a scooter so this is the first one I've owned. I love it."

Ms Feasey has arthritis, spinal problems and, in January she had knee replacement surgery, leaving her unable to walk more than a few steps at a time and utterly reliant on her scooter for independence.

"It allows me to get out of the house, to visit my daughter in Portsmouth and to live a normal life," she said. "Luckily my friends have offered to do the shopping for me but in the long term I don't know what I will do."

The electric scooter cost about £500. Ms Feasey cannot afford to replace it but, without keys or the battery charger, it is worthless to whoever took it.

"I've reported it to the police," she said. "They were sweet. The young man who visited seemed to think they would find it because they don't have the key or charger.

"That's why I want people to look out for it."

Anyone with information should call police on 101.

CROYDON is the third most expensive place to be cremated and the fifth most expensive to buried in the UK, according to disputed figures from a union.

Croydon Council hit back at the GMB for its figures, which the authority said included a range of associated costs, which were not taken into account for other areas.

Sun Life Direct Cost of Dying Survey 2012 spokesman Simon Cox said that although "some of their data was incorrect... in terms of other crematoria, [Croydon] does appear to be one of the most expensive crematoria in the area."

He said that GMB's statistics did not necessarily mirror the "cost of dying" as an average, which should include funeral director costs and be more representative.

In the case of GMB, the costs only included prices for services offered by the council, often based on the most expensive options that not all families choose.

However, he praised GMB for "breaking down the taboo of questioning what is just put in front of them" when it comes to funeral prices.

"For the last few years the focus has tended to be on funeral directors. But the more we have studied third-party costs, although they are often a smaller proportion of the overall cost of dying, the more you can see that it is local authority costs that are going up faster than anything else."

Mr Cox added the public needed to "ask questions" of their councils when it comes to further increases in prices over the coming years.

Croydon Council explained the sharp rise in prices as being due to withdrawal of council funding into cemeteries and crematoria, which now run at cost. In addition to this, "price changes over the last ten or so years reflect the increasing shortage of grave sites and the investment that we have made in the crematorium to meet stringent emissions rules laid down by the Government".

THE true cost of dying is laid bare in research by the Advertiser that shows families will have to fork out up to £5,000 to bury their loved ones in Croydon.

There are currently no fresh burial plots available at council-owned cemeteries within the borough, with the only option being to dig fresh graves on top of existing ones.

The only alternatives are to fork out for a private burial or travel outside the borough.

This week Croydon was branded one of the most expensive places in the country to be buried. Although the council has branded GMB's research as "highly misleading" its own figures show the cost of burial – even in a "reclaimed" grave has doubled in the last decade.

Croydon Council runs three cemeteries but the only one with any fresh graves is Greenlawn Memorial park which actually lies over the border in Warlingham and does not allow upright grave stones.

To be buried in a public plot within Croydon the only option is to secure a reclaimed grave – one that has been empty for 75 years. Even then these plots can be secured only for 50 years, after which another body can be buried on top and the headstone removed.

"I would encourage [people] to look at other options beyond Croydon, or even beyond London," said member of the Centre for Death and Society, Dr Kate Woodthorpe.

Dr Woodthorpe insisted that although people also need to do what they feel is right, which could involve burying their dead close to home, the high costs and lack of space were driving people away from the capital.

A Government report from 2011 described Croydon's cemetery status as critical, stating that "virgin space" in local authority cemeteries was "likely to be exhausted in the next ten years".

Lambeth, Tower Hamlets and five other inner-city boroughs are the only boroughs to be considered to be in worse straits.

These central areas are listed as "full", often with no burial space left at all.

Gary Bruce, general manager of Whitehorse Road-based Rowland Brothers, said while he could see the justification for increasing prices "what we find disappointing is the wide disparity in charges even within a ten-mile radius".

Dignity also owns several private cemeteries with fresh graves that Croydon residents can opt for, but prices are significantly steeper.

At Streatham Park, a non-pathside grave for one or two bodies sells at £4,410. A pathside plot is £5,513.

"In the end there'll be no plots to bury people in and they are going to have to buy more land," said Luke Dighton, of East Croydon funeral directors J.B. Shakespeare.

According to the council, only one in five families from Croydon elect fresh graves over reclaimed ones.

"Most people have cremation services," emphasised Mr Dighton.

"A lot of people then end up picking up the container and either keeping it in the house or scattering it" rather than burying ashes.

"I tell families to get a nice tree from B&Q and plant it in their garden with the ashes.

"Then you can have a lovely tree going on to remind you of mum or dad."

EDDIE McGoldrick is fondly remembered by Crystal Palace fans as an exciting, talented winger and all-round nice guy.

But if you asked Eagles diehards to identify one feature about the former Republic of Ireland international, most would say one thing – his legendary moustache.

Now, to raise funds for Help for Heroes in honour of the tragically murdered soldier Lee Rigby, Eddie is growing his 'tache back.

And the Advertiser can reveal another little-known fact about Eddie - the Palace legend is currently living above a Selhurst pub.

The 48-year-old was convinced to bring back the 'tache by best friend Danny Foley, landlord of The White Horse, Selhurst - Eddie's current home during the week.

The former wing wizard told the Advertiser: "I only had the moustache for about 18 months but for some reason, people seem to think I had it my whole career.

"I played all those games for Palace and I seem to be synonymous with a bit of facial hair.

"Big perms and dodgy moustaches were the fashion at the time but people seem to remember mine more than most. The Holmesdale used to have chants calling me Charlie Chaplin."

Eddie, who has already started growing his facial fuzz back, will shave it off on Armed Forces Day on June 29 in front of a crowd of servicemen at The White Horse.

Eddie added: "Me and Danny concocted this plan when we saw the horrific news from Woolwich.

"We thought we should do something and decided that if Palace won the play-off final, then I would do it.

"I only started growing it this week and you could already call it a moustache but by the time Armed Forces Day comes around it will be a proper bush.

"I don't think the missus will be too happy and it's going to take a bit of getting used to but it's a very small price to pay."

Eddie lives with his family in Corby, Northamptonshire, but spends the week at Selhurst Park teaching at the CPFC Study Centre.

While in Croydon he stays with his mate Danny, who he first met when the pub landlord carried him off the pitch after setting up the winning goal in the 1988 play-off final against Blackburn.

McGoldrick spent five years at Palace and scored 17 goals in 189 appearances for the club, before moving to Arsenal in 1993.

Danny is holding a host of activities for Armed Forces Day at The White Horse and says there will be a big crowd to cheer on Eddie's moustache-shaving ceremony.

He said: "Palace fans come in here and I say to them 'aren't you going to say hello to the Palace legend in the corner?'

"They haven't got a clue who it is until I say he used to have a moustache. Then they immediately shout 'Oh! Eddie McGoldrick!'"

Donations for Eddie's moustache can be made before or on the day in The White Horse. Visit croydonadvertiser.co.uk or the pub's Twitter and Facebook accounts for more details.

LEGAL advice from Justine Thornton, the barrister wife of Labour leader Ed Miliband, has offered new hope to campaigners fighting to stop an incinerator being built on the Croydon/Sutton border.

Viridor's plans for the incinerator were approved by Sutton Council's development control committee last month. The Stop the Incinerator campaign is already hoping to persuade 20,000 people to write to London mayor Boris Johnson, asking him to reject the scheme.

Protesters are particularly concerned that the plant would be built on Metropolitan Open Land.

To back up their claims, the campaign approached Ms Thornton, a top environmental lawyer, who has told them there are grounds to challenge the planning permission approval.

Before the advent of the incinerator proposals, landfill at the site off Beddington Lane was due to end in 2023.

Ms Thornton has told campaigners that grounds for challenge include people having "a substantive legitimate expectation that waste use at the site will end in 2023", and that to "the reasonable observer," it appears Sutton Council surrendered independent judgement about the application and approached decision-making with a closed mind.

Paul Pickering, chairman of the Stop the Incinerator campaign, said he hoped the advice would persuade Boris Johnson to force new consultation and a possible public inquiry."

The campaign is also considering the possibility, if approaches to the mayor fail, of pressing for a judicial review of the Sutton decision.

The advice from Ms Thornton has already cost the campaign £2,000 and to help recover some of that cost, it is holding a fundraising music evening on June 28 at the Green Dragon pub in High Street, Croydon, from 7pm to 1am. Entry is £5.

THE trust that runs Croydon University Hospital expects to post a £14.5 million deficit in the current financial year - in part to hire more doctors and nurses.

More than £3 million of that overspend will go towards extra staff and training in the hope of driving up standards.

Croydon Health Services believes the cash can be recouped when improved care leads to more patients and increased funding.

Gavin Barwell MP said the approach was "overwhelmingly the right decision" for the future of the hospital.

Unison, the public sector trade union, applauded the trust for "risking going further into deficit to protect frontline services".

Extra staff accounts for under half of the trust's predicted operational deficit of £8.8 million.

It has also emerged the new Purley War Memorial Hospital is expected to be valued £5.6 million less than the £11 million it cost to redevelop, bringing the trust's total deficit for 2013/14 to a projected £14.5 million.

This follows three straight years in which the trust posted a surplus and news of Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group's predicted £20 million deficit.

Azara Mukhtar, interim director of finance, said a "significant" investment was being made to improve care.

"Patients and staff have told us what more can be done to improve the quality of care and this is an absolute priority for the year ahead," she said.

"Making these investments will help ensure patients receive the best possible care wherever they are treated."

The £3 million investment includes £720,000 to maintain the rapid access, triage and treatment function in the hospital's A&E department.

Some £650,000 will be spent to recruit consultants and acute doctors to staff A&E and other medical specialities in hope of creating a high-quality, 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service.

Around £540,000 will be used to hire more midwives and £377,000 on doctors and nurses for overnight care for inpatients at the trust.

The trust will also spend £1.1 million on more nurses for all wards, to make it less reliant on healthcare assistants.

Other projects include improvements to the building, new facilities and equipment.

Standards must be improved at the hospital if it is to achieve Foundation status, which leads to greater independence, by the deadline of 2014.

Trusts which do not reach this level face being merged with those that do.

While standards of care are a key criteria in this process – and staffing levels have been a key concern raised about the hospital in recent years – financial viability is also an important factor, meaning the trust's strategy is not without risk.

Unison regional officer Michael Walker said: "We know what happens when cuts to frontline nursing and medical staff are carried out without clinical concern, and therefore we welcome the decision to risk going further into deficit to protect frontline services."

A CROYDON head teacher has slammed the Government's GCSE reforms, saying they could leave students with "nothing to show" for their education.

Education secretary Michael Gove has unveiled plans to be introduced in September 2015 that will see coursework and modular exams scrapped in the majority of subjects.

They will be replaced by a single exam at the end of the two-year GCSE course, with retakes only offered in maths and English.

Gordon Smith, Riddlesdown Collegiate principal, said: "The system needs to allow success at all levels and not simply leave large numbers with nothing worthwhile to show for their 12 or 14 years in education."

Other proposals announced by Mr Gove will see the current A*-G grading system changed to a numerical 1-8 classification, with 8 being the highest.

GCSEs have been accused of dumbing down and becoming too easy in recent years.

But Mr Smith hit out at critics who call the current GCSEs too easy, saying the exams offered a good marker of who was a bright student.

He added: "I think it's pretty tough to achieve an A* at GCSE already and one can be confident that a student achieving multiple A and A* grades is a very able student.

"It must be somewhat demoralising to work really hard to achieve good grades then hear commentators say that their qualifications were easier to achieve than their predecessors."

The single-exam format is reminiscent of the O-level exams, which GCSEs replaced in 1988.

Photographer Avril Jones, commenting on the Advertiser's Facebook page, said this reversal in style would make students suffer in the same way she did.

She said: "When I was at school I felt it would be better if some of your O-level marks came from coursework and observation throughout the year.

"That would help people who are very smart and work really hard but suffer badly from exam nerves.

"I don't really see why it has ever been felt essential for people to learn by rote for exam purposes when, in real life, you would have the freedom to research any challenges you face before deciding on a solution."

Labour's Stephen Twigg, the shadow education secretary, said the Government should develop proposals based on the countries that perform best in education, such as Finland and Japan.

But Ms Jones criticised politicians' quick-fix attitude towards education.

She added: "We now live in a world where politicians desperately want everything to work on a neatly computerised, 'one-size-fits-all' basis.

"But one size does not fit all and students should be taught by whatever methods work best for them."

THE trust that runs Croydon University Hospital expects to post a £14.5 million deficit in the current financial year - in part to hire more doctors and nurses.

More than £3 million of that overspend will go towards extra staff and training in the hope of driving up standards.

Croydon Health Services believes the cash can be recouped when improved care leads to more patients and increased funding.

Gavin Barwell MP said the approach was "overwhelmingly the right decision" for the future of the hospital.

Unison, the public sector trade union, applauded the trust for "risking going further into deficit to protect frontline services".

Extra staff accounts for under half of the trust's predicted operational deficit of £8.8 million.

It has also emerged the new Purley War Memorial Hospital is expected to be valued £5.6 million less than the £11 million it cost to redevelop, bringing the trust's total deficit for 2013/14 to a projected £14.5 million.

This follows three straight years in which the trust posted a surplus and news of Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group's predicted £20 million deficit.

Azara Mukhtar, interim director of finance, said a "significant" investment was being made to improve care.

"Patients and staff have told us what more can be done to improve the quality of care and this is an absolute priority for the year ahead," she said.

"Making these investments will help ensure patients receive the best possible care wherever they are treated."

The £3 million investment includes £720,000 to maintain the rapid access, triage and treatment function in the hospital's A&E department.

Some £650,000 will be spent to recruit consultants and acute doctors to staff A&E and other medical specialities in hope of creating a high-quality, 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service.

Around £540,000 will be used to hire more midwives and £377,000 on doctors and nurses for overnight care for inpatients at the trust.

The trust will also spend £1.1 million on more nurses for all wards, to make it less reliant on healthcare assistants.

Other projects include improvements to the building, new facilities and equipment.

Standards must be improved at the hospital if it is to achieve Foundation status, which leads to greater independence, by the deadline of 2014.

Trusts which do not reach this level face being merged with those that do.

While standards of care are a key criteria in this process – and staffing levels have been a key concern raised about the hospital in recent years – financial viability is also an important factor, meaning the trust's strategy is not without risk.

Unison regional officer Michael Walker said: "We know what happens when cuts to frontline nursing and medical staff are carried out without clinical concern, and therefore we welcome the decision to risk going further into deficit to protect frontline services."

Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell is firmly behind the trust's plan.

"This is the right decision, overwhelmingly so," he said.

"There has been an issue with the consistency of the quality of care for a long time.

"The hospital has been operating with too few consultants and below the required level of midwives.

"There have not been enough nurses or healthcare assistants and the number of bank (agency) staff has been very high.

"If you put these things right then you go a long way to improving quality. Hopefully that means a lot more patients will be happy to be treated there."

He added: "It's not without its risks. They have to deliver quality of care and a surplus.

"In the medium term, the hospital will have to show it is financially viable.

"But at the moment the fundamental problem is the level and consistency of care."

A MAN who was threatened with having his house burnt down feels he may be one step closer to justice as a watchdog investigates why the police have done nothing to help him.

Andrew Small moved to Newark Road, South Croydon, in 2009. He decided to get involved with the community as much as possible and ran a campaign to prevent the council from introducing parking charges in his road.

However, he was rewarded with a series of terrifying e-mails from an unknown person who accused him of stealing money from the residents' association and said his garage would be burnt down.

"I phoned the police to tell them about the emails and they gave me a crime reference number," Mr Small explained.

"When I got home that evening, I had a note on my doorstep from the police saying they needed to speak to me urgently. I called them and two officers came round – I thought it would be about the e-mails I had reported.

"But when they got to my house, they said they had received a report from someone saying that a youth was walking around the area with a petrol can asking if anyone knew where I lived."

By this point, Mr Small said he was scared and went to the police station to make a statement.

"My wife was beside herself with worry and naturally we were really upset," he said.

"Then the police issued a harassment order which is just a worthless piece of paper. They didn't decide to investigate the matter or ask for copies of the e-mails to find out more about who sent them."

The Smalls have continued to suffer from harassment, intimidation and fear ever since.

"I have spoken to a lot of residents and it's the same - they have had many experiences but everyone is too frightened to speak out and the police and the housing association have just put up a wall of silence."

Mr Small decided to complain to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) in 2011 about Croydon's failure to investigate his claims. They decided he had a case and told Croydon Police to consider the issue.

"But of course, they found nothing to criticise themselves over so I have appealed to the IPCC twice to have the case reviewed.

"Both times my appeal was upheld but referred back to Croydon Police.

"It's ridiculous – how can the force investigate itself properly? Now I have won my third appeal and the IPCC have agreed to send one of their officers to oversee the case."

An IPCC spokesman said: "Following a third upheld appeal from Mr Small on March 15 the IPCC is not satisfied with the Metropolitan Police's handling of the complaint and has taken the decision to supervise a further investigation by the MPS to ensure the points of the complaint are adequately addressed and that the information provided regarding the outcome fully explains the findings and the rationale behind them."

Charlotte Davies, chair of the South Croydon Community Association, said many people in the area had given up on reporting issues to the police.

"It is pointless ringing 101 because reports don't get logged. As a group, we are thinking about creating a phone app so locals can upload reports onto a map to record our own data.

"It's got to the point where we don't trust police or council data."

A CUBAN-THEMED restaurant in Upper Norwood is combining passions for food and travel to boost business.

The Casa Cuba coffee shop and cocktail bar in Church Road is owned and run by 37-year-old Miguel Gibson-Galguera and his wife, Sandra.

It offers a mix of cocktails made with Cuban rum, authentic light meals including the classic sandwich made with roast pork, ham, cheese and pickles and, of course, fresh coffee made with beans from Mr Gibson-Galguera's home country.

Casa Cuba was opened last October and has already established itself. Its success has, however, grown out of Mr Gibson-Galguera's original idea to open the venue as an addition to his already thriving tour operator businesses Live Holidays and Cuba Direct which are based in the same building.

He explained the companies offer holiday packages to Cuba, Vietnam, South East and South America and while much of the business is conducted by phone and online, he is determined to keep a personal touch going. That is where he saw Casa Cuba making its initial mark.

Mr Gibson-Galguera said: "By using the face-to-face approach we can talk to people over a coffee and help them arrange the best possible package to meet what they want. The facts show that there is an 80 to 90 per chance of people making a booking if you have this initial face-to-face meeting."

He also intends to use Casa Cuba as a venue for workshops, explaining in more detail the history and attractions of holiday destinations. Now the separate popularity of Casa Cuba is pushing him towards expansion.

He said: "I have bought some premises upstairs and the idea is to move the tour operating side of the business to the first floor.

"We would then be looking at opening a more formal restaurant serving Cuban dishes and nouveau cuisine downstairs."

Mr Gibson-Galguera came to Nottingham from Cuba 13 years ago and after taking a degree in English moved to the Upper Norwood area six years later where his business ideas took root.

He said: "I am very excited about the future."

THE makers of a new documentary charting Crystal Palace's journey to the Premier League have promised viewers will see "sparks fly".

Daniel Van Der Molen, 26, and Joseph Mainland, 27, followed the club from the day Ian Holloway took charge of the club right through to their promotion glory at Wembley.

The duo, who form Molen Media, could not have picked a better season and have produced a rarity – a film with a happy ending.

They were behind the scenes at the Amex Stadium for the already infamous "poogate" incident and features in-depth interviews with manager Holloway and the club's owners.

But Daniel said the film was never planned and began through fortunate timing.

He said: "We were invited to film a day in the life of a football club owner with Steve Parish back on November 3.

"It was planned for a long time but, as luck would have it, the day we had booked turned out to be Ian Holloway's first day in his new job.

"We thought it had the potential to be a good story to follow through to the end of the season and it just snowballed from there.

"We didn't really think it was going to be as dramatic as it turned out."

Footage released in the trailer shows a snippet of Holloway's furious reaction to finding the unwanted "mess" in Brighton's away dressing room.

Daniel added: "The game at Brighton is a treat for fans to watch because some real sparks fly behind the scenes.

"I think in the circumstances that was completely justified – although we didn't get up close to the offending item in the dressing room.

"We also spend a lot of time with the Crystal Girls [cheerleaders] which is never a bad thing."

The pair are now in negotiations with broadcasters to show the film.

Daniel said he was aware previous football documentaries have proved quite harmful to clubs and managers.

Queens Park Rangers' documentary about their promotion in 2011 was derided by the footballing community and Graham Taylor was widely mocked for the film Do I Not Like That, while he was England manager.

Daniel said the club were very helpful to them during the production process but that it was not quite access all areas.

He added: "Looking at other documentaries that have been made about football clubs, they can make those clubs look quite stupid.

"I don't think this does at all – it shows four fans who have bought their football club and really love it. The club is so well run.

"We didn't want to get too close or overstep the mark and Ian Holloway, quite rightly, made it clear that his teamtalks are a sacred thing."

Daniel, who is an Ajax fan because of his Dutch father, said the making of the film has turned him into an Eagle.

He said: "I used to go to Palace a lot when I was much younger and I asked my dad for a Palace shirt but my dad bought me two – an Ajax and a Holland shirt. I didn't have much choice!"

"But I have always considered Palace to be my English team and I love the club after this."