The Labour Party in Croydon

Labour: fighting for you across Croydon and Sutton

 

Join and have your say

Jane Avis - Working Hard for Croydon South Constituency

• Jane publishes her declarations of interest

  Jane Avis has listed the following declarations of interest, in line with Labour's commitment to openess and transparency in public life. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS FORM FOR JANE AVIS Constituency: Croydon South Political...

  more...

• Purley Danger

  Jane Avis has taken a keen interest in Purley Town Centre and the Conservative Council's plans to knock down the Car Park, Swimming Pool and old Sainsbury store. The council...

  more...

• Croydon South Labour Party Delight

  Croydon South Constituency Labour Party is delighted to welcome Jane Avis as our Parliamentary Candidate for the next General Election. Jane lives in the constituency with her family in Selsdon....

  more...

About Jane

Jane was born in Reigate Surrey where she was brought up with her four brothers and sisters on a fabulous council estate in a small country area called Doversgreen.  Jane’s family back-ground is predominantly Scottish, her father originally a coal miner and her mother a factory worker.  The family moved to England just before Jane was born in 1953 seeking work and better housing.

Jane is a Labour Councillor for South Norwood Ward. Here she is pictured with Malcolm Wicks MP outside the new Harris Academy. A brand new building that has has £35million of government money invested in it. Every secondary school is being rebuilt with Labour, including every school in Croydon South Constituency. The Conservatives plan to cut this scheme and divert money to 'new schools'.

Educated at Reigate Priory Secondary School, Jane left school at the age of 16.  Along with many of her generation in the 1970s, she took the opportunity to travel.  She supported herself by taking many varied jobs (2 to 3 at once!): factory worker, waitress, life-guard, farm worker, receptionist and telex operator to name just a few but eventually settled in to a life in banking communications working her way up in to management. 

In 1989 Jane’s then company, Libra Bank, was dissolved.  Although Jane had never left education entirely having taken ‘A’ level courses over the years at night school, she took the decision to ‘complete’ her education by taking University Degree in Politics and Government; she graduated at the age of 39.

Because of Jane’s husband’s work as an Area Manager for the Peabody Housing Trust, Jane lived a peripatetic life on Peabody Estates in Central London; Jane and her husband Michael moved 7 times in a 10 year period but finally settled in South Norwood in 1987; they have lived happily in Croydon ever since.

Having put down permanent roots in Croydon, Jane set about involving herself in the local community.  Jane became a volunteer for Croydon Meals on Wheels, which she did for 11 years and also became involved with Age Concern Croydon where she eventually became its Chair.  Jane immersed herself in local Labour Party politics, taking on various roles such as Women’s Officer and eventually standing in the 1998 local elections for South Norwood.  Jane has now served the residents of South Norwood as its elected member for nearly 12 years and is proud of the many achievements and improvements in which she has played a part; local community art projects (South Norwood library), Croydon in Bloom (District Centre award), South Norwood Lakes million pound investment, District Centre Manager, Safer Neighbourhood Team and much more.

On the Council Jane continued her involvement with older people’s issues taking on the role of Croydon’s Older People’s Champion.  Jane’s extensive experience living and working with housing issues gave her an interest in Housing which led her to be selected for the position the Vice Chair of Housing and today as the Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing.  Jane has also taken a keen and active interest in disability issues and therefore unfailingly attends Disability groups, forums and panels around the borough to offer support and practical.

Jane was proud to be elected as Mayor of Croydon in 2003/4 and while representing Croydon worked tirelessly to promote those issues closest to her heart namely older people’s and disability issues, environmentalism, Fair Trade, vegetarianism and cooperative values.   Jane is extremely proud to be a Cooperative Party Member.  Having been brought up with Cooperative values she now promotes Cooperative ideals which she believes to be the formula for the future prosperity of this country and the wider world. 

Labour vs Tories

Croydon South has always had a strong Labour Vote, despite not returning a Labour MP. The result at the last General Election was as follows:

Conservative: 26617 (51.9%)
Labour: 12374 (24.1%)
Liberal Democrat: 10415 (20.3%)
Other: 1853 (3.6%)
Majority: 14243 (27.8%)

source: UKPOLLINGREPORT