Boris reveals plans for London power grab
London mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled plans to reform development powers in London and take direct responsibility for the legacy of the 2012 London Olympics.
Speaking today at the first meeting of London borough leaders since the election, Johnson confirmed he planned to take powers for the Greater London Authority (GLA), in areas including housing and development. He also announced plans to cut overlapping functions between different government agencies.
Johnson said he wanted government approval and changes in legislation to:
- Reform the Olympic Park Legacy Company as a Mayoral Development Corporation, reporting directly to the Mayor
- Replace the Government Office for London, which has been scrapped, with a smaller GLA group
- Devolve powers of the London arm of the Homes and Communities Agency and the London Development Agency to the GLA
- Reduce the number of bodies regenerating the Lower Lea Valley area, which is currently seven, to prevent duplication and confusion
- Give responsibility for the Royal Parks Agency, the Port of London Authority, and the Metropolitan Police Authority
- Offer a bigger role to the London boroughs around skills and housing
Johnson said: “The capital is a global powerhouse with a population as large as Wales and Scotland combined, yet despite providing this world city with clear leadership, the Mayoralty has few formal powers, despite substantial informal powers. This will no longer do.
“Too much is controlled by Whitehall and measured by standards that don’t apply specifically to Londoners, meaning our devolution settlement has remained weak with much room for improvement, particularly where decisions should be taken by those in the local communities they affect.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, said: “I welcome this contribution from the Mayor of London. The new Government is committed to genuine decentralisation of power. In London, this means transferring power and responsibility down from Whitehall and its quangos progressively downwards to City Hall, to London boroughs and to local neighbourhoods.
“We have already started with the abolition of the unnecessary Government Office for London and delivered more freedoms and less red tape for local councils. I now want to build a political consensus for further devolution of power, and our Localism Bill in the autumn will provide an opportunity to amend legislation accordingly.
“This should include giving London boroughs freedoms that councils outside London will enjoy, and examining the scope for devolving power from City Hall to London boroughs and local communities, in line with the principle of giving power to the boroughs and beyond.”
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Anything that takes ersponsibility from Leaside Regeneration Ltd (if ever there was a misnomer this is one) can be nothing of benefit.
Poplar Riverside regeneration – “within 2-7 years” – that was 8 years ago. Does anyone want to visit the Ailsa Street area to count the bricks laid?
Masterplan follows masterplan, but the bricklayers are never seen.
Can’t even get a zebra crossing put in. Jim Fitzpatrick said (it’s in the hansard) that money had been made available and the crossings would start in March 2005. Still shown as a project on the Leaside Regeneration website.
It is baffling, but that’s how it is when you have so many bodies hiding behind each other – inaction!
Go Boris – go: Challenge – get just one thing, just one, done on the Ailsa Street site and I will believe that you mean business.
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