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London Assembly Reports - Economic and Social DevelopmentReports 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 Laura Warren, Scrutiny Manager, email laura.warren@london.gov.uk. The impact of the 2012 Games on Lottery funding in LondonFebruary 2008 Our report reveals that diverting funding from Lottery good causes in London to shore up the budget for the 2012 Games may actually do more harm than good. Both the Cultural Olympiad, a four-year programme aimed at increasing participation in cultural activity, and the Government’s Olympic sports participation target to increase the number of physically active people by 2 million by 2012 are heavily dependent on smaller grassroots organisations. But these organisations will be hardest hit by the funding diversion. The report makes recommendations to minimise the impact on these organisations:
Response to the London Skills and Employment Board’s draft skills and employment strategyFebruary 2008 The London Skills and Employment Board is due to publish its long-term skills and employment strategy for London in March 2008. The strategy will be informed by a public consultation that took place between October 2007 and January 2008. The Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee met with representatives from the Board on 15 January 2008 and submitted this response to the consultation. London's street markets January 2008 Our report paints a mixed picture of the prospects for the capital’s street markets and calls for urgent action to protect and promote them. The report is the outcome of the first comprehensive survey of its kind of London’s markets. Spanning the past decade, it reveals that while some markets are flourishing, others, many of which have been at the heart of local communities for generations, are in serious decline. Some borough-managed street markets are fighting an ongoing battle with dwindling sales, competition from supermarkets and escalating rents; some have already been forced to close. The investigation shows seventeen markets are smaller than they were ten years ago, fifteen have been lost altogether, and only seven have expanded. Empty pitches are a serious threat to the survival of some markets, with the proportion of markets with empty pitches up from 38 per cent in 1997 to 48 per cent in 2007. In light of the problems facing many of London’s markets, the report makes a number of recommendations for urgent action, with the Mayor of London taking a central role, along with the Greater London Authority, the London Development Agency, Visit London, and the boroughs themselves. The LDA's funding of cultural projectsNovember 2007 Our investigation highlighted serious concerns with the processes used by the London Development Agency (LDA) to manage and monitor the cultural projects that it funds to the tune of tens of millions of pounds. The Committee’s report, which has a particular emphasis on six projects, concluded that:
A Lasting legacy for London?Assessing the legacy of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games The London Assembly commissioned research into the long-term benefits of hosting the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The research, produced by London East Research Institute at the University of East London, examines the lasting impact hosting the summer Games had on Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney and Athens, measuring their achievements in nine key areas including employment, urban renewal, skills and sports participation. It found:
In addition to the London Assembly's report, the full research document
is available: London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games: The employment and skills legacyMarch 2007 The people of London’s poorest and most disadvantaged area have been promised thousands of new jobs and training opportunities as part of the regeneration legacy of the London 2012 Games. However, our report identifies a number of risks that may jeopardise this promise being fulfilled. It makes a number of recommendations to minimise the risks and protect the employment and skills legacy of the Games. In particular, it calls for training to be carefully tailored to fill the right skills gaps – in this case, construction skills and English language tuition. Fit to Work? Incapacity benefits in LondonFebruary 2007 Incapacity benefits directly affect hundreds of thousands of Londoners, and are the subject of major Government reforms. This report calls for measures to ensure that the reforms work for London, and recommends improvements to the services provided to claimants with mental illnesses or learning disabilities. Film Friendly London November 2006 Film making is a vital part of London's economy, employing tens of thousands of people and promoting the city worldwide. It is in all of our interests to attract and welcome film makers to London's studios, production facilities and locations. London is in hot competition with other places around the world for this multi-billion pound business. This report encourages all Londoners to be 'film-friendly', and identifies specific ways that London's public agencies can work better with film makers, especially location crews in our world-famous but crowded streets. You're hired - apprenticeships in LondonJune 2006 We have found that apprenticeships play an important part in providing the skills that London's employers and London's economy need, and helping young people get into skilled jobs and careers. But we have made some recommendations that seek to overcome some problems we have identified:
Review of the London Development Agency’s childcare programmeJune 2006 The Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee found, in summary, that:
UB50? Access to the labour market for people over 50 in London February 2006 Having considered the issues facing older people, the Committee makes the following recommendations.
These recommendations are designed to add value to the Mayor’s strategy for older people and will help to make a positive impact on the lives of people aged over 50 in the capital who are seeking to return to work. The Business of the Games The opportunities for small and medium sized London firms
arising from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games This report from the Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee states that London’s small and medium-sizes businesses need more support from the Mayor and Olympics authorities to compete with multinational firms for contracts involved in the 2012 Games. The Committee makes the following recommendations to help businesses profit from the Games:
London’s night time economy November 2005 The Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee has carried out a scrutiny investigation into London's night time economy to find out what ideas and good practice exist to support the night-time economy and improve things for people who live side-by-side with London’s night life. Among the ideas that we found were:
On the Cards The proposals for new casinos in London The Gambling Act 2005 is one of the most controversial pieces of legislation created by the present government. It will dramatically alter the gambling landscape and could lead to the creation of new American style casinos in London. At their best, these new casinos have the potential to boost London’s appeal as a tourist destination; create new jobs in the leisure economy; and promote regeneration. At their worst, they may act as a magnet for crime and a source disturbance. Casinos in London must bring the benefits without the downsides. Any proposals for a new regional casino must:
Finally, the London Plan, and existing planning policies, need to be updated to take account of the new gambling legislation. Financing the Future A report on innovative financing mechanisms for major regeneration projects This report is primarily about alternative ways to fund the infrastructure of a growing city, but also whether our new tier of government can “grow up” and has the maturity to take greater responsibility for the financing mechanisms that will make such investment possible. The report argues that the regeneration unlocked by infrastructure investment has the potential to generate economic growth Given innovative funding mechanisms, this gain can be partially captured through taxation and charges. The report shows that many of the innovative tools of joint public/private finance that are used to generate funding for major projects in other countries are not currently available in London. It argues that there is a strong case for the introduction of more creative financing mechanisms to fund major projects in the in the capital, and calls for the Treasury to relax its current local government finance regulations to allow regional and local government institutions greater freedom to develop local financing solutions. The report also suggests that, until the argument for greater flexibility is won, more could be done within existing rules, to learn from best practice and speed up some developments which seem to take years to bring to fruition despite the benefits being apparent to everyone involved. Regeneration, Competitiveness and Sustainable DevelopmentApril 2004 Private sector companies and some public sector agencies are increasingly adopting socially responsible business practices. In London the various regional strategies prepared by the Mayor seek to involve the private sector in achieving goals, and the GLA functional bodies also work closely with the private sector. This report sets out to examine how the private sector and (to a lesser extent) the public sector can directly contribute to London’s long-term economic and social development through the way mainstream operations are run, and looks at the degree to which organisational civic-mindedness (also known as responsible competitiveness) is operating in London. The report finds that there are few genuinely pan-London initiatives, and even those that do exist tend to be schemes which, whilst available for Londonwide take-up, are concentrated in localised areas of need. At the same time, the growing body of London-wide policy initiatives, notably Mayoral strategies, have yet to harness the private sector in a systematic way and so realise the full potential of organisational civic mindedness. The report considers the challenges for London and makes practical recommendations on the potential role for the Mayor/GLA in enhancing the value of organisational civic-mindedness for London through exhortation and encouragement. Inward InvestmentApril 2004 On the face of it inward investment from overseas companies into the UK is a good news story for London. The capital tends to dominate the UK picture and the UK tends to dominate the European inward investment scene. London has long been well organised, with the private sector fully engaged, and the LDA helping to provide a strategic framework. But there are indications that the market is getting tougher and the competition smarter. This report from the Assembly's Economic & Social Development Committee reveals that there is no room for complacency, and calls for more action from the London First Centre and the LDA to capitalise on London's unique selling points and market them more aggressively, concentrate on key sectors such as higher education, work more effectively with London boroughs and regional partners, and develop effective signposts of the services and support available to new and established businesses in London. Social EnterprisesApril 2004 If you have purchased a copy of the Big Issue weekly, hired a vehicle from Ealing Community Transport, or visited a Greenwich leisure sports centre than you have patronised one of the 5,000 social enterprises in London. Social enterprises - businesses which trade for social purpose - employ 200,000 people in the capital in a wide range of sectors. Whilst his short report from the Assembly's Economic & Social Development Committee found insufficient evidence to support arguments that London's social enterprises are significantly disadvantaged or underdeveloped, it does reveal the need for greater political leadership and better financial and business support if social enterprises are to realise their full potential. No room for complacency...March 2004 Provision of affordable housing in London is a key issue; both for those who are responsible for managing, developing and funding housing, and for those who live in the houses provided. Housing now tops the list of Londoners’ concerns, according to independent surveys. For some, it’s the lack of a permanent home: homeless households in temporary accommodation have reached a four year high. For others, such as first time buyers, prices have risen far above what people on average incomes can afford. Many have to commute long distances to find an affordable home, while other Londoners feel trapped in overcrowded or sub-standard housing, whether on inner city estates or the private rented sector. There is no easy answer to London's complex housing problem. The London Assembly believes part of the answer lies in London itself taking more responsibility for strategic aspects and being allowed to invest a greater share of the wealth that the capital creates into housing our essential workers. Opinions differ about the precise mix of policy measures needed to tackle London's growing housing crisis. The Economic and Social Development Committee offers this short report as a contribution to the debate and recommends that:
Scrutiny of the Mayor's Revised Economic Development StrategyDecember 2003 In September 2003, the London Development Agency published the first draft of the Mayor's revised Economic Development Strategy (EDS) 'Sustaining the Success' for consultation with the Assembly and Functional Bodies. The London Assembly's Economic and Social Development Committee conducted a review of the draft revised EDS during October and November, inviting written submissions, conducting four public evidentiary hearings and meeting informally with expert witnesses. The Committee welcomed the comprehensive coverage of the revised EDS and the considerable effort put into understanding how London's economy works and identifying the needs and challenges to be addressed to achieve sustainable economic development in London. But the Committee found that further consideration needs to be given to:
The Committee recognises that the revised EDS is potentially a very useful framework for directing investment in the development of London's economy and the report makes practical suggestions on how the Strategy document might be improved to achieve that. Applying the London PremiumOctober 2003 The Committee commissioned the Warwick Institute of Employment Research (IER) to follow up the Advisory Panel's initial report on London Weighting. The follow up took the form of applying the model recommended by the Panel to three public sector employers in London: the Association of London Government (ALG) on behalf of London Boroughs, the civilian side of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and the Prison Service in London. The report, entitled Applying the London Premium, has as its main findings that, should the model be applied:
E-government in LondonJuly 2003 New Information and Communication Technologies provide enormous opportunities to improve the quality and delivery of public services in London. The Mayor has recognised this and, in line with the Government’s agenda, set out his vision for joined up, integrated electronic public service delivery by 2005. This report examines what progress has been made in the delivery of electronic government in London. The Committee found that good progress has been made since the publication in 2001 of the draft e-government strategy for London by LondonConnects, the agency set up to foster the delivery of e-government in London. But the e-government agenda is now under threat due to insufficient funding to support key London-wide projects, which are vital for ensuring a consistent, coordinated and joined up delivery of public services across the capital. The report includes recommendations to the Government, Mayor, LondonConnects and the local authorities. Breaking Down the Barriers - A report on targeting regeneration resources July 2003 This report looks at the impact of current funding and co-ordination arrangements at grass roots level and the implications for those who run the projects and those who benefit from them and makes practical recommendations to key funding and statutory providers and also grass root practitioners. Evidence to the Committee highlighted concerns about the complexities of applying for funding, the restrictions and burden of funding and administrative requirements, and the difficulties in obtaining information, support and advice on regeneration work. See the main report for details on how the current arrangements for managing and co-ordinating economic and social development affect those working on the ground. London Weighting - report of the London Weighting Advisory Panel June 2002 The dramatic increase in the cost of living and working in London is squeezing many of its vital public sector workers out of the city. London Weighting, an allowance first introduced in the 1920s to bridge the gap between house prices and salaries, no longer seems to be fulfilling its task. Last reviewed in 1974, the justification for London Weighting was to ensure that an employee would receive a comparable salary for working in the city, compared with elsewhere in the country. While this remains true today, it is unfortunate that the Pay Board's method of calculating London Weighting has not stood the test of time. The Advisory Panel's report proposes what it considers to be a fair method of paying public sector workers the extra that they need to work in London - comparison with private sector pay. Read about how the Panel arrived at this decision and why. Rebuilding London's Future: Report of the London Assembly's Economic Development Committee March 2002 This report on regeneration funding in London reviews past regeneration work in the capital and identifies those factors which are essential to effective spend. These include physical improvements, a partnership approach, real community involvement, investment in transport, and closer links between specialist regeneration programmes and mainstream service delivery. The report also identifies a number of good examples of excellent regeneration within London but highlights areas of concern. These include the lack of an intelligence base for regeneration in London which means that regeneration is taking place in a vacuum; the need for information to be available on regeneration funding in London; a worrying division of responsibility for economic and for social development respectively between the London Development Agency and Government Office for London; a pressing need for improved local co-ordination; and the danger of not investing now in areas which are at risk to avoid future deprivation. The report makes 11 key recommendation covering such issues as information gathering and analysis; effective evaluation of projects; a single agency, the LDA, to be responsible for both economic and social regeneration; and improvements to the local and regional management of regeneration. Scrutiny of the Mayor's draft Economic Development StrategyFebruary 2001 Formal report of the Assembly raising concern that the Draft Strategy appeared to be based on existing priorities and patterns of activity, offering a fragmented pick'n'mix approach to economic development, and that it did not offer a balanced approach to economic development across London. For example, the role of London's suburbs and local employment centres had not been given sufficient consideration and there was little to help improve the environmental performance of London's businesses. The report also includes a critical commentary based on a comparison with the draft Transport Strategy as published in January 2001. Key Issues for Key Workers: Affordable Housing in LondonFebruary 2001 Many of London's services are suffering as employers struggle to recruit those people on moderate incomes who drive our city. In this report the Assembly investigates the extent of shortage of affordable housing in London and explores the effect this has on London's health services, schools, transport and policing. The report makes many detailed recommendations for employers, government, the Housing Corporation and mortgage providers to consider. The Assembly also recommended further work on the London Weighting Allowance.
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