At a time of austerity and local government cuts, Croydon Council could be forgiven for welcoming any money being paid out by Westminster - no matter how small the amount.

Last week, a council press release trumpeted the news that Croydon would be one of 48 local authorities to benefit from a £5m grant intended to help crack down on dodgy landlords.

In ambitious tones, the release proclaimed that the grant money, announced by housing minister Brandon Lewis, would be used to develop a "groundbreaking" new database to track housing fraud in both private and social rented housing.

Alison Butler, cabinet member for homes, said the database would be a "valuable addition" to the council's recently introduced landlord licensing scheme, and expressed gratitude that "the Government recognises the work Croydon is doing in this field."

Croydon's share of the £5m windfall to help kickstart this ambitious project? £15,000 - the second-lowest allocation in the country.

Other London boroughs benefitting from Mr Lewis's largesse include Lewisham (£151,378) and Enfield, which will get a £360,000 share of the grant.

The amount being paid to Croydon, London's most populous borough, represents 0.3 per cent of the total grant money.

Only Derby City Council - a city with a population 100,000 fewer than Croydon - will receive less.

Croydon Council has said the new database will use a software called 'i-Latch' to allow estate agents to check whether a property has a Croydon Council landlord licence, or whether it is being sublet illegally. 

The council's £750 landlord licences were pushed through by the cabinet last year a fortnight before the Government introduced legislation that would effectively ban their introduction.