Transcript The Government's Proposals for Additional Powers for the Mayor of London and London Assembly

GLA REVIEW
The Government’s Proposals for Additional Powers for
the Mayor of London and London Assembly
Scope of the Review
 Manifesto Pledge
 London is different – a city & a region
 Building on success – leadership and performance
Terms of reference
 Could GLA do better with additional powers and responsibilities?
 GLA should remain a focused and strategic authority, rather than major
service delivery agent;
 Appropriate balance between national government, the regional tier and
local authorities;
 Review focused on the role of the GLA rather than on governance
structures as a whole
 Consultation began in November and closed in February; outcomes
announced in July.
Housing
 What was proposed
 Option A - Mayor to take on responsibilities of the London Housing Board; write
the London Housing Strategy (LHS); make recommendations to Government on
the Regional Housing Capital Allocations in London.
 Option B - As A, but Mayor to decide broad allocation of the affordable housing
portion of the Regional Housing Pot.
 LHS could be statutory.
 The conclusion – Option B. Mayor will produce a statutory LHS and strategic
Housing Investment Plan.
 Delivers a strong strategic housing role for the Mayor.
 Will ensure better integration between housing and Mayor’s other strategies
Skills
 What was proposed:
 Four options for giving the Mayor a greater say on adult skills. Mayor’s
preferred option - a single LSC for London accountable to him.
 The conclusion:
 Mayor to chair the London Skills Board
 Board will prepare an adult skills and employment strategy
 One LSC for London, required to spend according to priorities set out in
the strategy
 The reasons: Gives the Mayor a strong strategic role on adult skills within the
existing national LSC structure.
Planning
 The proposal:
 Three options for change - significant additional powers for the Mayor;
more limited new powers or minimal change.
 The conclusion:
 Mayor to be able to direct changes to boroughs’ programmes (LDSs) for
the development plans they produce.
 Mayor to have a stronger say on whether draft local plans (DPDs)
conform to this London Plan.
 Mayor to have a discretionary power to decide strategic planning
applications.
 The reasons: Gives Mayor a stronger voice on planning to ensure strategic
planning policy is implemented.
 Outstanding issue: Strategic thresholds and policy test criteria subject of
further consultation.
Waste
 The proposal:
 Four options: A Single Waste Authority (SWA), either accountable to the
Mayor or borough-led; sub-regional arrangements; or do nothing.
 Consulted in similar terms on options for waste planning
 The conclusion:
 No SWA.
 New London-wide Waste and recycling Forum and Fund
 Dedicated London Waste Infrastructure Development Programme
 Duty on waste authorities to deliver waste functions in general conformity
with Mayor’s Waste Strategy
 Mayor’s new planning powers will bite on waste planning.
 The reason: Package of measures give Mayor a strengthened role within
existing structures, allowing London’s waste authorities to focus on meeting
EU Landfill Targets
Other provisions
 Range of addition powers for the Mayor in:
 Culture - Mayor to make appointments to London Arts Bodies
 Health - Mayoral duty to tackle health inequalities and prepare a statutory
health inequalities strategy
 Climate Change and Energy - Mayor to produce a statutory Climate
Change and Energy Strategy; and statutory Climate Change Adaptation
Strategy. Duty on GLA to adapt to, and take action on, climate change.
 Functional Bodies
 Mayor to appoint the MPA Chair
 Mayor to appoint two members of the LFEPA Board, and be able to
issue directions and guidance to the Authority.
 Extends the Mayor’s strategic framework for London into important new
areas, and gives the Mayor greater influence over the functional bodies.
Other provisions
 Stronger powers for the Assembly to complement the additional powers for
the Mayor.
 The Assembly will:
 Be able to set its own budget
 Publish an annual report
 Be able to hold confirmatory hearings for key appointments the Mayor
proposes to make
 The Mayor will be required to have regard to responses to consultation by the
Assembly and functional bodies and write to the Assembly with reasoned
justification where he is not acting on its advice
 Most GLA staff will be appointed by the Head of Paid Service.
Summary
 Government believes that:
 The package provides a robust and coherent set of additional powers
for the Mayor and Assembly
 Ensures the GLA remains a focused and strategic body
 Enhances the strong leadership London needs as a successful world
city
 Provides a sound basis for the capital to meet future challenges –
including hosting the 2012 Olympics.