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London Assembly Budget and Performance Reports

Reports may be downloaded, free of charge, in PDF and RTF formats - the site help page provides information about these formats.

For further information on any of the reports below, please contact Ian Williamson, Scrutiny Manager, email ian.williamson@london.gov.uk.

Youth expenditure in the GLA Group

July 2009
Youth expenditure in the GLA Group PDF
Youth expenditure in the GLA Group RTF

Our report reviews the Mayor's spending on and targets for young people. It finds that there is good work being done, but calls on the Mayor to set clearer targets by which he may be judged, and to better define his youth priorities.

A report by the Budget and Performance Committee on the GLA group environment spend 2009/10

June 2009
Budget and Performance Committee report PDF
Budget and Performance Committee report RTF

Our report reveals that despite costing more, the environmental benefits and impact on climate change of the Mayor’s environment spending remain unclear. The Committee found that less than a third of the total GLA group environment spend will be on combating climate change, and less than 4 percent will be spent on reducing waste.

The vast majority will be spent on other initiatives designed to ‘make London a greener and more pleasant city’ for which the environmental benefits are not very clear or are still being worked out.

The report makes a number of recommendations to increase the effectiveness of the GLA group’s work on environment:

  • The GLA group should set targets, outcomes and budgets for all its environment programmes to make it easier to monitor how the group is progressing towards its long-term targets.
  • Targets should be set for CO2 emission reductions by each functional body and progress should be monitored at regular intervals.
  • Capacity of the LDA environment programme should be monitored and all group underspends should be explained.
  • As part of the annual budget setting process starting from 2010/11 a GLA group environment spend document should be produced.

Response to the Mayor’s Draft Capital Spending Plan for 2009/10

February 2009
Response to the Mayor’s Draft Capital Spending Plan for 2009/10 PDF
Response to the Mayor’s Draft Capital Spending Plan for 2009/10 RTF

The Budget and Performance Committee's response outlines areas of significant risk in the Mayor's spending plans for 2009/10.

A combination of challenges from the recession and uncertainty over central government funding are putting pressure on plans for the Olympic Games, building new police stations and rolling out new transport infrastructure.

Response to the Mayor's consultation draft budget 2009/10

January 2009
Response to the Mayor's consultation draft budget 2009/10 PDF
Response to the Mayor's consultation draft budget 2009/10 RTF

The economic downturn is now the biggest challenge facing Mayor Boris Johnson as he sets his first budget for the capital, according to this report. The Mayor is grappling with this challenge, while attempting to re-orientate City Hall to his new priorities.

The report says that, with less than one month to go before the budget process is complete, there is still a lack of clarity about some structural, policy and financial decisions, and where some of the savings required by the Mayor will come from. In order to demonstrate value for money, the Mayor needs to show that he is not just about spending less but showing what more Londoners can get for their money. The Committee's analysis of the Mayor's draft budget shows that in 2009-10, the precept freeze can be achieved without too much pain. However, in future years, significant questions remain about how the MPA and LFEPA particularly can continue to cut their budgets without affecting services.

Response to the Mayor's consultation on the draft GLA budget

December 2008
Response to the Mayor's consultation on the draft GLA budget PDF
Response to the Mayor's consultation on the draft GLA budget RTF

This report responds to the Mayor's consultation on the draft GLA budget. The response emphasises the need to show how value for money is being delivered by setting out what will be achieved with the money the GLA is spending. It also calls for more information on any work still underway to identify further budget reductions.

Pre-budget report 2008

October 2008
Pre-budget report 2008 PDF
Pre-budget report 2008 RTF

Mayor Boris Johnson’s quest for value for money must achieve a balance between spending less and still providing the services and facilities the capital needs, according to our report. The Mayor needs to make clear how much will be spent, what will be achieved, what projects will no longer be funded, and how he will deal with the impact of inflation on the budget and additional major projects - like Crossrail - that need funding.

The report says the Mayor’s freeze on the precept adds to the already considerable financial pressure on the GLA and functional bodies – Metropolitan Police Authority, Transport for London, London Development Agency. A number of recommendations are made to the Mayor:

  • Full costings of each new proposal announced by the Mayor– such as planting street trees and extending transport policing – and details of how they will be funded must be provided.
  • The Mayor must give a clear definition of value for money and set out how this will be achieved.
  • The consultation draft budget should include clear business planning objectives as well as revised information on income projections, borrowing plans and use of reserves.

Response to the Mayor’s 2008/09 Consultation Budget

January 2008
Response to Mayor’s 2008/09 Consultation Budget PDF
Response to Mayor’s 2008/09 Consultation Budget RTF

Following discussions with the Mayor, the functional bodies and external stakeholders, the Budget Committee has made its response to the 2008/09 budget proposals. Our main points include the need for government funding for police and fire brigade work on national and capital-city security, efficiency savings, police recruitment and overtime, pressure on the fire services' budget, continued growth of the Mayor's media team, the incomplete plans presented by Transport for London and the unknown impact of the Metronet collapse on TfL's budget, and the impact of the Olympics on the budget of the London Development Agency.

Pre-Budget Report

December 2007
Pre-Budget Report 2007 PDF
Pre-Budget Report 2007 RTF

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone will shortly publish his eighth budget for consultation.

The London Assembly Budget Committee’s Pre-Budget Report sets out information that the Committee would like to see included in the Mayor's consultation budget for 2008/09.

It also highlights some performance and financial issues for the members of the Greater London Authority Group – Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police Authority, the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and the London Development Agency - that may be of relevance to this budget.

Safer Neighbourhood Policing

February 2007
Safer Neighbourhood Policing PDF
Safer Neighbourhood Policing RTF

Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs), described as “a revolution in policing”, have been a significant priority for the Mayor in his last three budgets. He has used London council taxpayers’ money to fund the roll out of an SNT (a unit comprised of 1 police sergeant, 2 police constables and 3 Police Community Support Officers) to every ward in London. In this report, the Budget Committee explores the impact and value for money of SNTs to date, including the performance measures and evaluation mechanisms being used. It makes recommendations to the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

Additional information has been provided by the MPA on safer neighbourhood policing:

Information from MPA PDF
Information from MPA RTF (text only)

Response to the Mayor’s 2007/08 Consultation Budget

January 2007
Response to Mayor’s 2007/08 Consultation Budget PDF
Response to Mayor’s 2007/08 Consultation Budget RTF

In this response to the Mayor's consultation budget for next year, the Budget Committee comments on some of the main budget issues for the GLA and its functional bodies. These include expenditure on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, counter-terrorism and neighbourhood policing. The Budget Committee also suggests where in the budget the Mayor might make further budget reductions of £8 million to meet his proposed maximum council tax precept increase of 5.3%.

IPF analysis of past budgets PDF
IPF analysis of past budgets RTF

This year external finance experts are contributing to the Budget Committee's work on the Mayor's budget. They have provided a written analysis of past budgets and performance.

Pre-budget report 2006

December 2006
Pre-budget report 2006 PDF
Pre-budget report 2006 RTF

The Mayor will shortly be publishing his seventh budget for consultation. This report sets out information that the Budget Committee would like to see included in the Mayor's consultation budget. It also highlights some performance and financial issues for the members of the GLA Group that maybe of relevance to this budget.

Financing the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

December 2006
Financing the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games PDF
Financing the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games RTF

One year on from London being awarded the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and around £500 million of public money had been spent on the Games. Separately there has been some reporting on expenditure on the Games, but only recently has some information been published on total public expenditure on the Games this year. And the lifetime budget for the Games will not be published until next year (2007). In this report the Budget Committee calls for more information on the financing of the Games to be put in the public domain.

Tube and bus fares

September 2006
Tube and bus fares PDF
Tube and bus fares RTF
Tube and bus fares written evidence PDF
Tube and bus fares written evidence RTF

Since 2004 Tube and bus cash fares have increased year-on-year and they are set to increase further. For Londoners on low incomes higher cash fares could mean public transport becomes unaffordable unless they are using Oyster cards. The Budget Committee has sought to identify how far such Londoners are taking up Oyster cards. It has also considered the extent to which the Mayor consults on his fare changes to ensure any adverse effects are identified and addressed. This report sets out the Budget Committee's findings and includes specific recommendations to the Mayor and TfL. It also includes details of external research commissioned by the Budget Committee into Tube and bus fares.

GLA Group expenditure on tourism

June 2006
GLA Group expenditure on tourism PDF
GLA Group expenditure on tourism RTF

In the last few years tourism has increased in London. At the same time, the amount of money spent by the GLA Group on promoting tourism has also increased. The Budget Committee has sought to identify the extent to which the increased tourism can be attributed to GLA Group spending. This report sets out its findings and includes specific recommendations to the Mayor and the GLA Group in relation to greater transparency of spending on tourism, clearer measurements and evaluation of the impact of this expenditure and greater involvement of stakeholders in decisions about spending.

Response to the Mayor’s 2006/07 Consultation Budget

January 2006
Mayor’s 2006/07 Consultation Budget PDF
Mayor’s 2006/07 Consultation Budget RTF

In this response, the Budget Committee assesses the extent to which its six pre-budget criteria have been addressed. It comments on Government funding for counter-terrorism, expenditure on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the level of cash savings proposed for the GLA Group and the proposed 16.6% increase in the council tax precept. It also comments on the individual budgets proposed for 2006/7 and the main budget proposals. On Safer Neighbourhood Teams, the Committee seeks more evidence of their impact. In respect of TfL and the GLA, it suggests that their call on the council tax precept could be reduced. For LFEPA, it highlights the potential long-term financial implications of a significant use of reserves and, for the LDA, how increased expenditure on the Olympic Games will impact on its other work.

Pre-budget report

December 2005
Pre-budget report 2005 PDF
Pre-budget report 2005 RTF

On the eve of the Mayor issuing his 2006/7 draft budget for consultation, this report sets out some criteria against which the Budget Committee will assess the draft budget. It would like any additional funding for counter-terrorism provided by Government and clarity on expenditure on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is seeking rigorous examination of funding for major initiatives such as the roll out of more community policing. It would like to see increased efficiencies and savings across the GLA Group and no more than the smallest possible increase in the council tax precept. It has asked the Mayor to provide Londoners with clear information on his budget and consult upon it widely.

Response to the Mayor’s 2005/06 Consultation Budget

January 2005
Mayor’s 2005/06 Consultation Budget PDF (294K)
Mayor’s 2005/06 Consultation Budget RTF (836K)

The Mayor anticipates that the final increase on the council tax precept will be lower than the 7.2 per cent he has proposed in his consultation budget. The Committee suggests that, given the rise in fares this year and TfL's ability to borrow £3 billion over the next five years, there is scope to reduce TfL's £26 million demand on London's council taxpayers. The report also discusses the growth of community policing teams (and the need for more sophisticated evaluation and better training), the financial pressures on the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority budget (LFEPA), the cost of the western extension of the Congestion Charge Scheme and key issues for each of the bodies within the GLA Group.

Transport budget plans for 2004/05

February 2004
Transport budget plans for 2004/05 PDF (122K)
Transport budget plans for 2004/05 RTF (2.3Mb)

This report examines the changes in Transport for London's budget plans for 2004/05 between the Mayor's Consultation and Draft Budgets for 2004/05.

Response to the Mayor’s
2004/05 Consultation Budget

January 2004
Mayor's Consultation Budget 2004/05 PDF
Mayor's Consultation Budget 2004/05 RTF

While welcoming a reduction in transport element of the precept and a freeze in the City Hall element, the Committee noted the government's statement that the Mayor's proposed 12% precept increase does not meet its expectation of a low single figure increase. The Committee highlighted postponing the westward extension of the Congestion Charge zone as one possible way in which to limit the precept increase to single figures, while remaining mindful that short-term decisions on the precept can lead to a yo-yo effect in future years. Among other issues raised in the report is the Committee's exasperation at the LDA's inability to present clear data on its budget plans.

Issues for the Mayor's Consultation Budget 2004/05

November 2003
Mayor's Consultation Budget 2004/05 PDF
Mayor's Consultation Budget 2004/05 RTF

This report analyses the main budget issues facing the five GLA Group authorities for the 2004/05 budget process.

Public Interest, Private Profit

October 2003
Public Interest, Private Profit PDF
Public Interest, Private Profit RTF

This report presents the Committee's findings from its review of Transport for London’s contract with Capita for the Congestion Charging Scheme.

Review of GLA Procurement

May 2003
Review of GLA Procurement PDF
Review of GLA Procurement RTF

This report looks at GLA procurement processes and practices and in particular procurement for the St Patrick's Day events in 2002 and 2003 and the GLA's Contracts Code. It makes a number of recommendations to the Mayor and asks that a response is made to the Assembly's Business Management and Appointments Committee.

Report of the Budget Committee to the Assembly on the Mayor's Budget Proposals for 2003/04

January 2003
Report on the Mayor's 2003/04 Budget Proposals PDF
Report on the Mayor's 2003/04 Budget Proposals RTF

This report considers the planned expenditure for 2003/04 of the Core GLA and the four Functional Bodies (Transport for London, London Development Agency, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, and Metropolitan Police Authority). It contains a summary of the key issues arising from the Committee’s scrutiny of the Mayor’s budget proposals, and makes recommendations to the Mayor for consideration during the budget process.

 
 
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