Thirty-first Mayor's Report to the Assembly

This is my thirty-first report to the Assembly, fulfilling my duty under Section 45 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. It covers the period from 13 March - 7 May 2003.

War with Iraq
Transport
London Development Agency
Crime and Policing
Poverty
Children and Young People
Health
Trafalgar Square
Culture
Stakeholders
Draft London Plan
Housing
Borough liaison
Consultation
Environment
International issues
Building and Organisation
Budget and Best Value
Media Issues
Planning and Development Control
Key engagements

War with Iraq

I begin my report with the most significant event that has affected all our lives over the last two months, since I gave my last report, which is the recent war with Iraq. Although I have voiced my opposition to the war, as did many Londoners, as Mayor of London, I was very concerned to act to minimise and, where possible, avert the serious implications and effects that Britain's role in the conflict could have had on London and Londoners.

One of my greatest concerns was the threat of a terrorist attack on our city. Fortunately no direct attack was faced in London. Work by police, leaders of every community, and our security services dashed any terrorists' hopes but focus continues to be concentrated on any possible threat. Londoners owe them a huge debt.

Another great concern was the effects that international hostilities could have on community relations in London, particularly the heightened threat to Muslim communities. Prior to the outbreak of war on the 18 March, I met leaders of London's Muslim communities to discuss the imminent threat of Britain joining an American-led war on Iraq and its effects on community relations in London. At the meeting I pledged to work with London's Muslim communities to oppose the war and to seek an urgent meeting with Sir John Stevens, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to discuss concerns that the war will harm community relations resulting in an increase in racist attacks. I am pleased to report that there were no major incidents during the conflict and again, I would like to thank the police and the Muslim community for working well to ensure the safety and security of Londoners.

But unfortunately London has not managed to evade all damage. As earlier GLA research suggested, parts of London's leisure and tourist industry have not entirely escaped the war's indirect effects. The economic impact on central London has been noticeable, with some sectors undoubtedly affected, but this is thankfully not desperate. Two trends stand out. There is evidence of a downturn in corporate and business travel but so far a relatively normal situation in budget and medium price sectors.

There is a distinct downturn in people coming into central London and I am working with business and the visitor and tourist industry to tackle this. I know from regular contact with shops, restaurants and visitor attractions that business was affected by the international situation and there has been a reduction in visitor numbers coming into central London. Although much of this effect is psychological, not reflecting that ours remains the world's safest capital city, its consequences for London's economy would be real if continued. I have therefore made plans alongside leaders of London's leisure and visitor industries to ensure that this part of the capital's economy bounces back rapidly. Further details of the Totally London promotion are mentioned later in this report.

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Transport

Congestion charge

Current signs are that the central London congestion charge scheme is bedding down well with levels of payment stabilised at approximately 100,000 per day and traffic levels entering the zone down by around 20% compared with pre-charging levels.

Early problems with customers and contractors inputting wrong data caused a number of incorrect PCNs to be issued to drivers who had, in good faith, attempted to pay the charge. TfL has reacted very quickly to this, issuing new public information advertising reminding customers to retain a receipt for payment and to ensure they know their correct vehicle registration number. In the early weeks many PCNs were cancelled for this reason and the final appeals process for some of the remaining problems is now starting.

I am confident that the correct course of action has been taken and that the coming weeks will see a dramatic improvement in this area.

I have asked TfL to look into the technical feasibility of a number of extensions and additions to the current scheme. This work will take several months and would involve very thorough evaluation and consultation if it were decided to take any extension forward. In any event I have no intention of bringing forward these additions before the next Mayoral election.

There has also been some media comment that any extension to the zone would impact on the current 90% discount on the charge that applies to residents of the zone. I have publicly stated that I have no plans to reduce or withdraw the resident's discount.

Although some business groups have implied that the congestion charge has had a negative effect on business, others have more prominently acknowledged that this was a period when Central London was without any service on the Central Line and was suffering a downturn in visitor numbers as a result of the international tension over the conflict in Iraq. TfL plan to release the first results of their comprehensive monitoring of the effects of the scheme in the autumn

On 3 April I announced figures outlining the costs to London of cancelling the congestion charge scheme. Cancelling London's congestion charge scheme would cost London £81 million to terminate its contracts with service providers and, in addition, lose the capital £650 million in revenue from the scheme over the next five years.

London's transport system would lose on two fronts - the 20 per cent reduction in central London traffic would be reversed and we would lose a total of £731 million over five years which would otherwise be devoted to improving transport in the city.

If the scheme were cancelled immediately after next year's mayoral election, it would still cost London £71 million to terminate its contract with the service provider and four years' lost revenue, totalling at least £691 million.

London has led the world in an innovative step to cut traffic congestion and two thirds of Londoners think the scheme has been effective. There will obviously be teething problems, but cities from all over the world are coming to London to learn from this example. The prophets of doom have been proven wrong and should have the good grace to admit it.

I told the London Assembly's Transport Committee that cancelling Transport for London's five year contract with Capita, the service provider, would cost:

• £20 million in costs and liabilities of the service provider such as redundancy payments;
  
• £54 million to cover the costs of investment which the service provider would otherwise recover over five years;
  
• £7 million in compensation to the service provider for loss of profit.
  

In addition, as the scheme is on course to raise at least £130 million a year which will be used to finance transport improvements, the total loss to London over five years would be far greater than the contract termination costs alone.

Revision of Transport Strategy

I have determined that it is appropriate to revise my Transport Strategy and to delegate the arrangements for undertaking a revision to Transport For London.

I have authorised TfL under Section 38(1) of the GLA Act to take responsibility for the consultation required in connection with the preparation of the revised transport strategy in accordance with the 1999 Act. Once I have determined the final strategy and have published it under section 142 of the Act, TfL will print and publicise the strategy. I have authorised TfL to do anything which is calculated to facilitate or is conducive or incidental to the exercise of the specific agreed functions as permitted in section 34 of the 1999 Act.

TfL will work closely with GLA officers to ensure the strategy properly reflects my priorities as set out in the draft London Plan and is consistent with my other strategies and duties.

Borough Spending Plan

In April I announced that I am committing an additional £29.2m to borough projects across London, including millions of pounds to make journeys to school safer. Together with my transport body, Transport for London (TfL), I have promised a further £3.65m for 'safer routes to school' projects over the next three years. This is in addition to money already allocated to the London boroughs last October.

There is no doubt we can do more to promote, support and improve the safety of the all the options for children and parents travelling to school. This extra money for safer routes to school is only a down payment for future years.

I will be announcing further funding for these projects later this year but I wanted to make a minimum commitment to the boroughs now so they can start talking to local communities about what they would like.

Thames Gateway Bridge

On 12 May the Thames Gateway Bridge public consultation will start and it will run through to July. No decisions have yet been made about the precise form of the bridge and how it links into the local transport network, the public transport services that would use it or the tolling regime. By creating awareness of this consultation through leafleting, exhibitions and local media articles Londoners will have a chance to have their say before these decisions are made. It will then be for central Government to decide if and when this important project should proceed.

Millbank Millennium Pier

A new pier to serve Tate Britain at Millbank was floated up the Thames from Rochester on Monday 14 April. The Millbank Millennium pier, designed by the team behind the London Eye, has a contemporary design and includes a lighting scheme with colours that change with the rise and fall of the tide plus 60 twinkling lights. It will open to the public in a few weeks time.

New River Summer Timetable

New river summer timetable is available. Copies are available from central London piers, central London tube station ticket offices and central London travel information centres. You can also find details on www.tfl.gov.uk.

Thames Valley Multi-modal study

I have approved GLA recommendations to the Secretary of State for Transport on the findings on the Thames Valley multi-modal study. The study is one of a series of multi-modal studies being undertaken by the Department of Transport. The aim of the study is to identify transport problems and opportunities within the study area and develop an integrated transportation strategy to address these issues.

The Government Office for the South East was responsible for this study and in July 2001 commissioned a consortium led by WS Atkins to undertake the study. The final report was published in January 2003. The Regional Planning Bodies affected by the strategy, including the GLA, have been required to submit their recommendations to the Secretary of State by the end of April 2003.

ORBIT multi-modal study

I have approved GLA recommendations to the Secretary of State for Transport on the findings on the London Orbital Multi-modal study (Orbit). The study is another of a series of multi-modal studies being undertaken by the Department of Transport. The aim of the study is to examine the existing and future problems for orbital travel and to provide a long-term sustainable management strategy for the M25. This strategy investigates measures to ameliorate the problems on the M25 now and in the future.

The Government office for the South East is responsible for this study and in Spring 2000 it commissioned a consortium lead by KBR to undertake the study. The final report was published in November 2002. The Regional Planning Bodies affected by the strategy, including the GLA, have been required to submit their recommendations to the Secretary of State by the end of March 2003.

Buses

Route R68

Major improvements to the R68 bus route to help passengers reach Kew Retail Park. The route has been extended beyond Lower Mortlake Road to and from Kew Retail Park via Chalkers Corner.

Bus Lane Enforcement

As part of my commitment to improving London's bus services, I approved the Association of London Government's proposal to increase the penalty for illegally using an operational bus lane from £80 to £100, effective from 1 April 2003.

Transport for London and London's boroughs are cracking down on bus lane cheats that block the Capital's bus lanes by deploying more cameras and trained camera operators than ever to ensure there is greater scrutiny of London's bus lane network to keep it free for London's 6,500 buses. We are sending a clear message - if you illegally use operational bus lanes there is a very good chance you will be caught and will now pay a higher penalty.

A campaign is underway involving billboard, bus stop, newspaper and radio advertising, direct marketing and public relations to communicate the increased penalty and the drive to rigorously enforce bus lanes throughout London.

Stickers on London buses that state the penalty for driving in a bus lane have been changed to reflect the new £100 penalty.

TfL and London's boroughs operate a system of bus-mounted, roadside and CCTV cameras to enforce London's bus lanes and by the end of 2003 there will be more than 1400 cameras monitoring the network. These moves build on work already undertaken by TfL and London's boroughs to tackle people who drive and park in bus lanes, delaying thousands of bus passengers daily. Some sites have already seen improvements in bus lane compliance of up to 89 percent as a result of effective enforcement.

The result of this increased enforcement is reflected in the annual number of Penalty Charge Notices [PCNs] issued to people illegally using bus lanes. The PCNs issued by Transport for London between 1 April 2002 and the end of March 2003 totalled around 250,000, a rise of 105,000 over the previous year.

Victoria Bus Station

Victoria Bus Station was closed over the Easter holiday from midnight on Thursday April 17 until 6am Tuesday April 22 to make way for the first stage in a major revamp. The roof was removed and once all improvements are complete the station will be brighter, safer and easier to use.

Cycling

I attended the launch of the All Ability Cycling Group on Tuesday 25 March where I was joined by cyclists with disabilities and my Road Safety Ambassador, Jenny Jones. The All Ability Cycling group has been organised by the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) in partnership with Transport for London Street Management.

The All Ability Cycling Group wants all Londoners - including disabled people, planners, transport specialists, health professionals and the general public - to be aware that cycling is open to all. A key objective of this launch event was to promote the range of activities available to people with disabilities.

Also this month, cyclist Gary Fisher and Road Safety Ambassador Jenny Jones were at the official launch of the 'Rough Guide to Cycling in London' sponsored by Transport for London Street Management and Trek on Thursday 3 April.

Following the success of TfL's stand at the Cycle 2002 exhibition, Rough Guides approached the Cycling Centre of Excellence to ask if they would be interested in co-sponsoring a Rough Guide to Cycling in London. The result is the largest cycling publication ever produced with a print run of 200,000 - and it is free. It will be distributed through Trek Dealerships, 39 HMV stores in the London area and promoted on radio station XFM.

The guide is a useful resource to existing cyclists and shows those who presently do not cycle in the Capital what they are missing and what they can do to overcome the obstacles.

TfL has a comprehensive programme to deliver significant benefits to London's cycling environment and this guide provides the perfect compliment to the already hugely popular London Cycle Guides.

Teenage Pedestrian Launch

My Road Safety Ambassador Jenny Jones also launched the latest phase of Transport for London Street Management's Teenage Road Safety Campaign on 7 April. Last year 235 children were killed or seriously injured on London's roads. Young teenagers, many travelling independently for the first time, are particularly vulnerable.

To raise awareness of road safety amongst teenagers, TfL are running an interactive website - Crunch. The website contains competitions, celebrity interviews, quizzes, games and comic strips that all contain road safety messages for young people using computer game imagery, style and language.

The hard-hitting campaign tackles a very important issue. To get the number of casualties in this age group down the campaign needs to communicate directly with this historically hard to reach audience and outline the need to take greater care when they are out and about. The research TfL did before launching this campaign shows how strongly teenagers connected to the images and understood the shocking reality of road safety. Parents and carers were very supportive of a campaign aimed at this age group.

BikeSafe-London launch

Officials from Transport for London, City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police joined motorcyclists at the legendary bikers hangout 'ACE Café, London' on Thursday 10 April for the official launch of BikeSafe-London.

In London powered two wheeler riders form a disproportionately large number of road casualties. Although representing only 2% of road traffic they account for nearly 18% of deaths and serious injuries.

The BikeSafe-London initiative invites powered two wheeler riders to attend rider skills days which combine observed rides, led by trained serving police officers with presentations examining the common causes of motorcycle collisions in London.

Taxis and minicabs

Minicabs

Safer and more reliable minicabs moved a stepped closer in April with the start of the requirement for individual drivers to be licensed by the Public Carriage Office. This follows the successful completion of licensing of more than 2,100 operators throughout London to raise standards among legal minicab firms. Driver, operator and eventually vehicle licensing, together with a crackdown on illegal minicab touts will deliver a safer and more professional service for the capital.

Hackney Cabs

Taxi drivers played an important role this month in helping kick off a new campaign to raise awareness in the industry on issues around domestic violence. In an initiative through the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister black cab drivers will receive awareness training as part of their induction on what they should and should not do if picking up women fleeing domestic violence and publicising useful contact numbers for them.

Withdrawal of Tube advertisement

Following my intervention, London Underground has agreed to discontinue advertising by Sandals Holiday resorts. The company bans same sex couples from some of its resorts, advertising them as destinations for 'romantic, mixed sex couples only' holidays.

I do not currently control the tube, but after the matter was brought to my attention by letters of complaint from the public I asked Transport for London to raise the matter with London Underground.

I am pleased to say that London Underground agreed that it is not acceptable for a company with such an openly discriminatory policy to advertise on public transport in this city.

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London Development Agency

Chair of the LDA

On 27 March I announced that George Barlow OBE would leave his post as the Chair of the LDA at the end of March. I passed on my sincere thanks to George for the incredible amount of hard work he has undertaken in establishing the London Development Agency. The contribution he has made in getting the agency up and running in such a short space of time has established a firm foundation for the LDA to move forward to tackle London's many economic and employment problems. I was also grateful for the work he has overseen in drafting and then publishing my first Economic Development Strategy.

The decisions the Government is about to take on the Thames Gateway and an Olympic bid will mean major changes in the work of the London Development Agency, so the time is now right to put in place the team that will carry this work forward to what will hopefully be a successful Olympic bid in July 2005.

We have agreed that this was the best time to make these changes and I am grateful for his sound advice on the Board changes involved.

Following George's departure I appointed Honor Chapman CBE as the acting Chair of the LDA. Honor Chapman, who has been the Vice Chair of the LDA since July 2000, is consultant to international real estate services and investment management company Jones Lang LaSalle, where she has been a Partner and International Director since 1979. Honor's background and experience of international development mean she is ideally placed to make a major contribution to the new challenges facing the LDA. I look forward to working with her in the future.

I also announced the appointment of Dame Judith Mayhew as acting Vice Chair of the LDA - one of two Vice Chairs for the Agency. Judith has been an LDA Board member since the Agency's establishment in July 2000. She is also Deputy Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee of the Corporation of London, and she also acts as my Cabinet Advisor on the City and Business. Both acting appointments commenced on Monday 31 March 2003.

LDA performance monitoring

I have approved the GLA third quarter monitoring report of the LDA performance, in accordance with the LDA monitoring and performance evaluation framework, which I approved on 20 June 2002. The Assessment report has now been submitted to the Government Office for London.

London Tourism Action Plan

I have approved the LDA's London Tourism Action Plan 2003/04 and 2005/06 which has been developed to implement my three year plan for tourism - Visit London. The action plan is a comprehensive programme for change; it defines the activities of the LDA and other partners in relation to tourism. The key priorities are to provide clear leadership and a voice for London in the tourist sector; ensure an effective contingency framework for tourism in London is in place; and to support the management of London's late night economy and 24 hour city concept.

Tourism launch

Totally London

As mentioned in my opening comments, as part of the action which is taking place to help London's leisure and tourism industries recover from the effects of the war in Iraq, I have announced plans for Totally London month - from 17 May to 15 June, a promotion over four weeks and five weekends in which London will be presenting the very best the city has to offer. Many of the city's entertainment and visitor industries have agreed to participate in the scheme making available, in a unique way, everything that gives London its special attraction.

Theatres, restaurants, visitor attractions, hotels and shops have informed me that they will mount special promotions that month. There will be an unlimited day's bus travel for £1 at weekends during the month. I am discussing with London Underground the possibility of free weekend travel for children later during the month.

The Evening Standard and London's biggest commercial radio station, Capital Radio, have announced they will be supporting Totally London month. There will be once-in-a-lifetime competitions in which Londoners can win an opportunity to enjoy the very best of London.

Totally London material will be available to London leisure industries wanting to stage promotions that month. I hope all communities will participate. I have already discussed with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner ways the MPS, building on their recent successes, will ensure that this is not only one of the most enjoyable but the safest months Londoners and visitors have ever had.

This is a unique opportunity for a good time and good business to go together. London's incredible range of attractions are always there. For a month they will be available with a packaging, in some cases a value, that is unique for Londoners and visitors to enjoy.

In relation to this, I have authorised the extension of the contract with Blencathra Productions for a period of six months. Blencathra have been working for the GLA private sector team since January 2002 and helped the GLA develop a cohesive approach and programme on creative industries. The work is directly linked with Totally London campaign. The six month period will give officers the time to follow an EU procurement procedure to award a further contract to take forward the GLA's work in this sector. I have authorised the tender process under EU procurement rules. The tendering process has stared and I will make a decision about the awarding of contracts when the evaluation exercise has taken place.

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Crime and Policing

Crime figures

On 23 April I welcomed the latest figures from the Metropolitan Police Service showing a fall in street crime, burglary, car crime and murder in London. These figures are clearly good news for the capital. The MPS have faced a particularly challenging period since September 11th, having to balance the need to protect the security of London with the need to tackle crime. These figures suggest that the Met are increasingly able to meet these challenges.

The figures for the period of April 2002 to March 2003show that street crime has been reduced by nearly 16 per cent, burglary down by over 2 per cent and car crime down by just over 1 per cent. The number of murders has dropped by 3 per cent with the murder clear up rate at just over 81 per cent. The number of fatal shootings fell by 16 per cent.

I am pleased I have been able to work with the Commissioner and the MPA over the last couple of years to ensure that the Met has the resources available to them to meet the challenges they face. We now have 2,000 extra police on our streets and by this time next year there will be more police in London than at any time in our city's history. Quite clearly as these figures prove, having more police on the streets does deliver results.

Since I was elected, I have provided the Metropolitan Police with funds to recruit an extra 3,050 police officers. This is in addition to the extra 680 anti-terrorism officers and 500 police community support officers funded by the Home Office in 2002/3. The Home Office and I have also jointly funded a further 500 police community support officers for London in 2003/2004. The total number of Metropolitan Police officers now stands at just under 28,000. By March 2004, the total policing number will reach 31,000.

This number includes the new Transport Policing Unit, which for the first time ever sees police officers patrolling key bus corridors in London. The Unit is funded through my Transport budget with funds provided for the recruitment of over 430 police officers and 157 police community support officers specifically for the unit. Since its establishment in June 2002 the unit has made more than 1,000 arrests for a variety of offences including robbery and procession of firearms.

National Front march

I was very concerned to see that despite widespread opposition, the National Front march through Bermondsey was allowed to take place on 19 April. On 14 April I wrote to the Home Secretary calling for a ban on the march, which took place on Saturday 19 April. The Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, community leaders and leading London politicians all called for a ban on the National Front march. The march should have been banned. It was not a political demonstration but a racist provocation right through the middle of Bermondsey and was planned for the Saturday closest to the tenth anniversary of the murder of Stephen Lawrence. The recent local election results in other parts of Britain show that there is a real threat from racist groups and parties across the county and it would be disastrous for all Londoners if these groups got a foothold in our diverse city. Inaction over racist behaviour is intolerable and unacceptable.

I also criticised the London Borough of Southwark for refusing to support a ban. The Leader of Southwark has written to me to say that "freedom of speech is a fundamental right" and that he would not apply to the Home Secretary for a ban on the march. Southwark Council's inaction is a disgrace. This is not about the freedom to demonstrate but the freedom from racist violence, intimidation and harassment. It is about the right to live in peace in your own neighbourhood.

Gun amnesty

On 31 March I gave my support to the launch of the month-long National Gun Amnesty, reiterating my strong commitment to getting guns off London's streets.

As stated above, Sir John Stevens and the MPS have done a good job of reducing gun crime in the capital. Latest figures have reflected this, showing that gun crime in the capital has fallen by 25 percent. In Brixton it is down by 46 and Southwark by 60 percent. However, even with the success of initiatives like Operation Trident, which last year seized over 100 firearms and already this year has recovered a further 48, there are still too many reported incidences of guns being used on London's streets.

Many of the weapons recovered last year were replicas converted to enable the offenders to inflict harm. This is not acceptable and is adding to the already pressured environment of crime fighting for the police. I hope we will have a London-wide consensus that we need a total ban on the manufacturing of replica guns.

Clearly the best form of prevention is to get all guns and replica guns off our streets. The success of the amnesty will help make London a safer place, by allowing the police to focus on those offenders who are armed, with the intent to cause fear and harm. It was a great step forward in fighting gun crime in our city.

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Poverty

Tackling Poverty report

Inner London has the highest rates of poverty in Great Britain in 2000/01, with 48 per cent of children, 35 per cent of pensioners and 27 per cent of working age adults living in poverty after housing costs are taken into account.

On 28 April I set out a range of proposals to tackle poverty in London including recommendations on affordable childcare, ethnic minority employment and low pay. The proposals are contained in a consultation document, Tackling Poverty in London, that has been distributed to government, local government, and stakeholders including unions and the voluntary sector.

I will establish a working group to examine poverty levels amongst London's Pakistani and Bangladeshi population, which have by far the highest rates of child poverty in London, affecting 73 per cent of children.

Poverty in London is a major issue that has not received the attention it deserves from government. Inner London, which has a population roughly the size of Wales, has by far the highest poverty rates in Great Britain. Overall responsibility lies with central government, but I believe that London government also has a vital role to play in tackling this issue. I hope that this consultation paper stimulates debate around the options available to us to help Londoners escape the poverty trap.

The recommendations were developed following my report on poverty in the capital, London Divided, published in November last year.

The Employment Act 2002

On 7 April I gave my welcome to new government regulations in the Employment Act 2002 that are now in force which mean employers must consider applications for flexible working from employees with children.

The new rules, to help working parents, could also play a key role in tackling child poverty in London. New analysis which I recently commissioned indicates that flexibility in working hours could contribute to increasing employment for many women with young children in London.

London has the biggest problem of child poverty in the country, and lack of employment among households with children is the main cause. Flexible working can offer a valuable route for women with young children to get back into the labour market. Employers also stand to benefit from a more committed and productive workforce. I have urged all employers, public and private, to follow the example of the Greater London Authority and put in place flexible working policies now, rather than waiting for staff to apply.

Lack of employment is a major contributing factor to child poverty in Inner London, which at 48 per cent is the highest in Great Britain. Lone parents in London have particularly low rates of employment, and the new analysis shows that this reflects particularly low rates of part-time working. Nationally, 24 per cent of lone parents are in part-time employment, compared to only 14 per cent in Inner London.

The analysis concludes that part-time working is a major route back into the labour market for women with young children in other parts of the country, but in London it is often not a realistic option due to high housing and childcare costs. It is unreasonable to expect women with young children to have to choose between a poverty income and entering full-time 9 to 5 employment. Flexible working hours tailored to the needs of employees with children could greatly increase access to the labour market.

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Children and Young People

Draft Children and Young People's Strategy

On 8 April I launched 'Towards a child friendly London', the draft of my Children and Young People's Strategy. London is home to 1.62 million children under the age of 18 - more than one-fifth of the total population of the city, but they do not have a vote and have little say in how things are run.

My draft Children and Young People's Strategy is based on extensive consultation with children - research which has demonstrated that London's under-18s take a real interest in the way their city is run, and have lots of intelligent ideas about how to improve it. The aim of the Strategy is to ensure a greater voice for London's children and young people, so that we can better address the issues that concern them, including tackling child poverty and promoting inclusion and equality for all of London's children.

My Deputy Mayor, Nicky Gavron, has led on the development of this strategy. A major conclusion of the work on the strategy is that children and young people have strong well-articulated views but no voice. Therefore one key aim is that the under-16s to have a voice and the over-16s to have the vote. Funding for a fully staffed Children and Young People's Unit at City Hall to ensure that children and young people's best interests and voices are put at the heart of policy making at the Greater London Authority and in the capital will be in place shortly

'Towards a child-friendly London' is based on the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which states that children should be seen as full citizens, with all the rights that that entails, except the vote. The strategy gives priority to improving the lives of the most deprived and marginalised children in London.

I have approved the costs of the production, printing and launch of the draft strategy up to £30, 000

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Health

Access to Primary Care report

On 8 April a joint report, from the London Assembly and myself, was launched in which it is revealed that London faces huge challenges before patients in the capital will see any real improvements in their ability to access services from GPs, community nurses and pharmacists.

Widespread recruitment and retention difficulties and inadequate premises all have a negative impact on the quality of healthcare services in London and inhibit the primary care sector's ability to deliver on key NHS targets. In addition, the NHS is grappling with the challenge of providing the range of services necessary to meet the needs of London's diverse communities sensitively and effectively.

Primary Care is the way into the health system for most patients, which is why it is gratifying to learn that Primary Care Trusts and frontline staff are working hard to find better ways of meeting the needs of non-English speakers, refugees, disabled people and others who face barriers to care.

But it is also clear that the staffing problems in the sector are growing to crisis proportions. We will soon need to replace the GPs who are coming up to retirement age, including a large number of South Asian doctors who have sustained the health service since the 1960s. Their loss will be a real blow to the NHS in London, and if the problem is not tackled urgently, it could well store up long-term problems for the health of Londoners.

The year-long investigation into Access to Primary Care found that the biggest restraint on progress is the difficulty in recruiting and retaining the full range of primary care staff, as well as receptionists and practice managers, leading to closed GP lists and selective registration, and limited consultation times. Transport difficulties, the cost and availability of housing, the threat of a looming GP retirement crisis, and the challenge of working in deprived areas all contribute to the staffing crisis.

An alarming 70 percent of London's GP premises fall below the Department of Health minimum standards on areas including safe storage for records, disabled access, heating and having a proper treatment room. According to the report, several Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) experienced problems with a shortage of sites for development, the expense involved in acquiring land, and the complexity of dealing with planning issues, making it difficult to provide extended healthcare services.

With two out of five of London's GPs working alone in their practices, the enquiry heard concern over whether they will be able to deliver the NHS plan for the Primary Care sector. Although it was acknowledged that there were advantages to single-handed practices, evidence taken during the investigation suggested that they would need to find new ways of working with each other so they could provide a wider range of specialist services to patients.

London Agenda for Action on Alcohol

I have approved proposals for the GLA joining with other GLADA partners to consult widely on the proposals for the London Agenda for Action on Alcohol.

London Drug Users Involvement Project

I have approved a contract for a partnership of Crime Concern, Centre for Public Innovation and the National Drug Users Development Agency following their successful selection in the procurement exercise for the London Drug Users Involvement Project. The contract is for the delivery of a project to improve the involvement of drug users in planning and decision-making in London. The costs of the contract is £100,000 provided from the confiscated assets fund.

The purpose of this project is to identify appropriate structures and mechanisms across London for drug user involvement, addressing the challenge of involving drug users in decision-making - particularly in decisions about housing welfare, employment, policing, and the criminal justice system. This project will also provide tangible evidence and practical approaches to support and maintain drug user involvement in decision-making at a pan-London, regional, borough and local level.

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Trafalgar Square

Nelson Mandela statue

On 24 March I hosted a reception to launch an appeal for funding toward a statue of Nelson Mandela which will stand in Trafalgar Square.

Earlier in the day I spoke with Nelson Mandela who expressed his appreciation for the work being carried out to erect a statue in his honour in Trafalgar Square. I relayed Dr Mandela's thanks to those who are helping to honour him at a reception in City Hall.

I strongly believe that there is no better place for a statue of Nelson Mandela than Trafalgar Square. In Nelson Mandela we have someone who in his life has summed up the triumph over injustice.

I have also made a special appeal to Londoners to make a donation to the Mandela Statue Fund, however small, so that the Mandela statue is a tribute from the people of London as much as it is a tribute from the people of Britain.

Application for a byelaw in Trafalgar Square

I have approved the application to the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport for the confirmation of a byelaw prohibiting the feeding of pigeons on Trafalgar Square. I have also approved the statement of the reasons for making application for submission with the application. The primary reason addressed in the statement is recognition that limiting the availability of food to pigeons is the primary method of reducing pigeon visitation levels to Trafalgar Square. The statement also cites reasons such as:

• the need for the byelaw to complement my strategic framework;
  
• the extent of pigeon numbers in Trafalgar square;
  
• the effects that the pigeons are having on Trafalgar square;
  
• the impact on the environment including physical and aesthetic impacts;
  
• the potential for health risks; and
  
• the impact on future developments and maintenance of Trafalgar Square.
  

The byelaw allows the flexibility to carry out the feeding of birds on the Square should circumstances render such an action appropriate. This allows the feeding of the pigeon population in accordance with an agreed programme and ensures that the current planned feeding regime would not contravene the byelaws.

The proposed byelaw is consistent with the strategies adopted to date to reduce pigeon numbers on the Square and hence assisting the delivery of my vision for Trafalgar Square to be the symbolic as well as literal heart of London; a lively and accessible place to be enjoyed by Londoners and visitors alike. Confirmation of the byelaw will also directly impact on my objective to improve the Trafalgar Square environment through a reduction in the pigeon population.

Appointment of an independent scientist

I have also approved the appointment of the independent scientist as outlined in the GLA's agreement with the Save the Trafalgar Square Pigeon group. As part of the agreement with the group, it was agreed to appoint an independent scientist to monitor the welfare of the pigeons as the food is phased out over a six-month period.

I have agreed to waive the contracts code of practice in this instance as the original proposal estimated the cost to be around 10,000. However, on receipt of the written proposals it appeared that the cost would exceed the £25, 000 threshold. The costs were higher than predicated due to the specialisation, complexity and uniqueness of the work, and the lack of availability of data on which to base the animal welfare assessments. Only one tender indicated that the work could be carried within the proposed six-month time period.

Refreshment and cleaning services

I have approved the appointment of Costa Coffee as the successful tender for the license to operate the Café currently under construction at Trafalgar Square. I have also approved the appointment of OCS Ltd for the cleaning of the toilets and provision of attendants at the toilet facilities currently under construction at Trafalgar Square. Both tenders were developed in accordance with GLA protocols and in accordance with OJEC requirements.

The value of the café contract is worth £1.2 million over the period of three years. The value of the cleaning contract is £442, 000 over three years.

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Culture

St Patrick's Day Festival and Parade

Tens of thousands of Londoners joined London's official St Patrick's Day celebrations on Sunday 16 March. I was delighted to host these celebrations which included the St Patrick's Day Parade through central London followed by a free family festival on the South Bank. Every walk of life was represented on the Parade, with contingents from the Metropolitan Police, the Fire Brigade, the Dublin Fire Brigade band, ex-servicemen and women, schools, colleges and every county in Ireland.

The St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival celebrates the contribution of generations of Irish people to the life of London and provides a great family day out for all Londoners.

The celebrations were organised with Smurfit Communications, publishers of the Irish Post, and a wide range of London Irish community organisations led by the Council of Irish Counties Association.

London's St Patrick's Day has won all party support and I was joined for the celebrations by the Lord Mayors of Dublin and Belfast. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair sent his warmest wishes to everybody involved in London's St Patrick's Day celebrations, going on to say that "It is a great opportunity for people to come together to celebrate the Irish community's unique contribution to life in Britain's capital."

Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern TD, Conservative leader Iain Duncan-Smith and Charles Kennedy leader of the Liberal Democrats also backed this year's event. Musician Tim Wheeler of Ash, broadcasters Terry Wogan and Eamonn Holmes, actor Adrian Dunbar and comedian Ardal O'Hanlon sent messages of support.

As part of the celebrations, I signed a Friendship Agreement between London and Dublin to build upon the economic, social and cultural links between the two cities. On 15 March I met Lord Mayor of Dublin, Dermot Lacey to sign the historic agreement. It is the first time London has signed such an agreement with an Irish city, and the aim will be to promote, among other things, culture, tourism and business relations to the benefit of both cities.

Respect festival

Plans and preparation are well underway for thisyear's respect festival which will be held at the Dome in Greenwich on 19 July. The festival is being dedicated this year to the memory of teenager Stephen Lawrence, who was murdered in a racist attack ten years ago.

Amongst the preparations, on 9 April, the second quarter final poetry slam was held at City Hall with young Londoners demonstrated their commitment to challenging racism. Young people between the ages of 12-18 across London have been encouraged to use Slam! - the competitive art of performance poetry - to address the issue of racism. The respect poetry Slam! was presented by myself in association with the Poetry Society and sponsored by London Arts. The semi-final will take place in May and winners will be invited to take part in a special showcase event at the festival.

On 23 April the capital's photographers were given the chance to win top prizes in the first ever Respect week photo competition. I have invited photographers of all ages, whether amateur or professional, to come up with images that reflect London's diversity, inspired by the theme, 'respect the diversity of Londoners and their communities'.

As well as having the chance to win camera equipment, selected work will be shown in a Respect week exhibition at City Hall, in the official festival magazine and on the website.

This year's Respect will encompass many different activities as well as the festival meaning more people can actively get behind the anti-racist message.

Vaisakhi Celebration on Trafalgar Square

On 30 March I hosted a celebration of the Sikh New Year and spring festival, Vaisakhi, on Trafalgar Square. Organised in conjunction with the Vaisakhi London Committee, representaing business and religious leaders, the colourful celebration included staged dance, traditional and modern Sikh music and Asian food was provided for all those attending.

The event was part of my commitment to support the celebration of London's diversity by promoting the many different festivals marked by London's communities.

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Stakeholders

Research on women's concerns in London

I have approved the establishment of a project team to carry out further research to determine the specific concerns of London women with regard to policies and services of the GLA group and determine how Mayoral policy and GLA service delivery should meet the specific needs of women in London. Research has shown that women have specific concerns over a number of issues such as personal security, transport and childcare to name a few. I am concerned to ensure that the policies and services of the GLA address the needs of all sectors of London's population. I have approved funding of £40,200 for the first phase of the project which will cover project management and administrative costs and the commissioning of research. Phase 2 of the project will require £25,200.

"Know Your Rights" week

On 2 April I highlighted the problem of underclaiming of benefits by older people at a City Hall event to promote Age Concern 'Your Rights' week. Up to 36% of pensioners do not claim their entitlement under the Minimum Income Guarantee, a third do not claim Council Tax Benefit and between forty and sixty per cent of those entitled to Attendance Allowance do not claim it.

The very high levels of deprivation amongst London's older people is an issue I take very seriously. My London Divided report in November 2002 revealed that thirty six percent of pensioners in Inner London live in poverty, a rate far higher than anywhere else in Britain.

Improving the take-up of benefits available to older people will not in itself eliminate the problem of pensioner poverty, but there is no question that the hardship faced by many pensioners in London is worsened by failure to claim their full entitlements. I think it is crucial that older Londoners make sure that they are claiming every penny to which they are entitled.

There needs to be an equally strong message to central and local government to think more carefully about what stops older people applying for benefits. Unnecessarily bureaucratic application forms, and a lack of support for those who do not have English as a first language, will hit the most vulnerable pensioners the hardest.

May Day reception

On 1 May my Deputy Mayor, Nicky Gavron hosted my annual reception for London trade unionists in London's Living Room. The reception was also addressed by Brendan Barber, the TUC's General Secretary-elect.

I sent a very strong message to anyone planning to engage in violence on May Day that they should forget about it. The police prepared well for any disruption and every avenue was pursued to bring to justice anyone who broke the law. There was an official TUC-sponsored march and rally designed to celebrate May Day in a non-violent way, organised in co-operation with the authorities and I urged everyone who wanted to campaign peacefully against third world debt, for global justice and peace to join this march and have nothing to do with the small minority who wished to exploit May Day as a platform for violence.

Launch of "Belief" poster campaign

On 10 April I was joined by a number of faith leaders from across London at City Hall for the formal unveiling of the 'Belief' poster campaign.

At a time of heightened international tension as a result of the war in Iraq, I was delighted that so many of the capital's main faith groups were prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder against racial and religious intolerance. London's vitality and dynamism are a direct result of the many communities and faiths that coexist side by side. Racism, Islamophobia and any form of religious intolerance have no place in London and I am committed to ensuring the capital remains a safe city, in which all Londoners, regardless of race or religion, are respected and able fully to participate.

Those attending the meeting included representatives from many of London's faith communities including: Board of Deputies of British Jews; the Bishop of Kensington; Muslim Council of Britain; Network of Sikh Organisations UK; London Council of Jain Organisations; Hindu Council of UK; Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe; the Buddhist Society and the United Reformed Church.

The poster ran in selected newspapers and ten thousand were circulated to organisations across London. The total cost of the advertising for the campaign was £50, 000.

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Draft London Plan

Examination in Public

The seven-week Examination in Public of my draft London Plan came to a close on 17 April. Professor Drew Stevenson, my special adviser on the draft London Plan, made closing remarks on my behalf and the rest of the London Plan team, giving our views on the positive outcomes of the process.

During the weeks of detailed discussions into the key issues surrounding the draft London Plan, my team and I have found it to be a very helpful process and I hope all participants have shared this view. I am looking forward to receiving the report from the panel, hopefully in July. I will then consider the report, along with the many other written submissions, before publishing my final London Plan by the end of the year.

The examination has been a fruitful process, and strengthened precisely the kind of partnership working that we need to implement the London Plan.

Wharves

On 11 April I published for consultation, a report on proposals for safeguarding riverside wharves in London. The report contains a detailed assessment of wharves along the River Thames and assesses their future potential as working wharves.

Extra wharf capacity is needed, based on industry growth predictions by the Port of London Authority and the Government. In particular, wharves all along the river are needed to give industries greater flexibility and help to reduce the number of trips by heavy goods vehicles on London's roads.

The review, which is the first step towards implementing the policy approach outlined in my draft London Plan, proposes that three of the 29 wharves currently safeguarded by the government should be released for development. I was also asked to assess another 42 sites downstream of the Thames Barrier, and have proposed that the government should safeguard 26 of them, releasing a further 17 from potential blight.

Detailed assessments have been undertaken of all of the 52 sites to be safeguarded to assess their viability as working wharves. Following consultation and safeguarding directions being issued by the Secretary of State, I will implement a strategy to bring into use those that are not currently in use as working wharves. These include Hurlingham, Convoys, Peruvian and Orchard wharves. In some cases the GLA group will work with the land owners to find solutions, but where land owners refuse to bring the wharves into active use, I will use compulsory purchase order powers to acquire and activate wharves.

Safeguarding wharves is an important way of balancing land uses along the river. It is not an anti-regeneration policy and I will not allow it to cause blight. I have asked the London Development Agency and Transport for London to start work now to bring wharves that are currently not in use back to life.

Developers should not be concerned that these sites are being safeguarded at the cost of losing development land. The sites make up less than five per cent of land along the Thames and are mostly located in existing employment locations. But they are crucial for the continued expansion of the river cargo handling industry to carry cargoes such as construction materials, to support green industries and for waste handling.

The report into future safeguarding of wharves has been published for a 12-week public consultation period, following which I will ask the Secretary of State to issue new safeguarding directions. The policy and its application will be reassessed through future reviews of my London Plan.

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Housing

Affordable housing

On 17 March a new report commissioned by myself and the Government Office for London was launched. It states that any London boroughs could increase their supply of affordable homes by lowering the thresholds of sites on which affordable housing can be sought. "Thresholds for Application of Affordable Housing Requirements" provides options which the Government could adopt to allow councils to reduce their affordable housing thresholds. Government thresholds currently set the number of homes in a development above which affordable housing can be sought at 15 or more dwellings in inner-London, and 25 in outer-London.

The report's options for change include:

• reducing the current thresholds to 10 or 5
  
• allowing each borough to set its own threshold based on the level of affordable housing development it requires and the extent to which this can be achieved without relying on smaller sites.
  

The report analyses the additional potential capacity in London that would be created by lowering or abolishing thresholds - and examines the potential impact on the supply of affordable housing and overall housing development in the capital.

The report cautions that boroughs will need to be prepared for the additional workload involved in negotiations with developers, and to ensure sufficient public subsidy is available to fund the increase in affordable homes. It also argues that the process for negotiating section106 agreements for planning obligations needs to be streamlined if thresholds reductions are to be implemented successfully and to avoid putting off developers.

Change would require new guidance from Government. The Government has signalled its intention to consult on changing guidance on thresholds in the recent publication Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future. This report aims to assist in the process.

I support reducing or abolishing the affordable housing thresholds to help increase the supply of affordable homes in the capital. This timely report estimates that if thresholds were abolished, potentially around 2,900 extra affordable homes could be provided each year on small sites. Reducing thresholds would help boroughs achieve my minimum target of 10,000 new affordable homes for London each year - and provide a vital boost for those in housing need or who are currently priced out of the market.

The report informed discussion in the Examination in Public of my draft London Plan, in particular the discussion on 11 April where my commitment to securing 50 per cent of new homes in the capital as affordable housing was restated. I was represented at the inquiry by Professor Drew Stevenson, my special adviser on the draft London Plan, and Neale Coleman, my Policy Director on Housing.

There are many people who will wish to challenge these targets and claim they are unachievable. However we are already moving towards higher levels of planning permissions and construction of affordable homes in London. The Government's recent "Sustainable Communities" plan announced much of the cash needed to support increased levels of affordable house building in London. I have made it clear in the past and will continue to make it clear that I will resist any attempts to reduce the target of 50 per cent.

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Borough liaison

Regional visit to Greenwich, Lewisham and Bexley

As part of my day-long visit to South East London on 27 March I was joined by Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Stephen Lawrence who was killed in a racist attack in Eltham ten years ago in April, as I laid a wreath at the memorial dedicated to her son.

The anniversary of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence is a reminder to us all that we cannot be complacent about racism within our communities. We cannot pretend that the ugly problem of racism has gone away. Families are still suffering at the hands of racist thugs as the Lawrences have.

Progress has been made in London over the last ten years. The emphasis that has been put on community policing and attempting to build trust in the police among diverse communities is a move in the right direction. It is a long and difficult task, but a good start has been made in Greenwich where the first co-ordinated unit dealing with hate crimes has been set up, in line with the recommendations of the McPherson report.

I saw first-hand the work of the Greenwich Police anti-racism unit on a visit to Plumstead Police station, where I also met officers from the Transport Policing Unit. These uniformed officers were sent to the Middle Park Estate in Eltham after two bus routes were withdrawn following attacks on their drivers.

The visible police presence stopped the attacks on the estate and officers made several arrests for offences including robbery and assault. As a result, Stagecoach has resumed the 124 and 160 bus services.

I toured the Creekside area in Deptford where the Laban Centre, a new dance academy that also provides services for local people, and the Creekside Environmental Centre have recently been built. The London Development Agency has played an important role in regenerating this area.

The LDA is committed to a broad agenda of social, community and cultural regeneration and is proud to be a major funder of the new Laban building. This is a bold and important venture in a part of London that is ripe for regeneration and the LDA is targeting resources here. This imaginative building will change the image of the whole Deptford area. It will also act as a catalyst for Deptford Creek, bringing firms in the creative industry sector to the area and help kick-start the physical and cultural regeneration of this important part of the Thames Gateway.

I also paid a visit to the Belvedere Industrial Estate and met local people and employers at the Erith Family Centre to answer their questions, and met pupils at Hook Lane primary school in Bexley who have set up an extremely successful recycling scheme and signed up to my Green Procurement Code. I also planted a tree in the school grounds as part of the Trees for London campaign.

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Consultation

Public Phone in

On 10 April, I combined my monthly radio phone-in on BBC London 94.9, with a live broadcast from the 02 Centre in Finchley Road. Londoners came to question me and to hear what I had to say on issues that concern them. This is the first time that I have done the phone-in in public and was pleased to answer people's questions and listen to the concerns of the local community.

Alongside regular events such as People's Question Time, which was last held in March at the Wimbledon Theatre, phone-ins provide an invaluable opportunity for me to hear directly from Londoners and I look forward to taking part in further public phone-ins.

Poll results

I am pleased to report that satisfaction with my performance as Mayor of London has increased dramatically following the introduction of congestion charging as shown by a new MORI poll, taken between 7 and 15 March. 46 per cent of Londoners are now satisfied with the way I am doing my job as Mayor of London, as opposed to 30 per cent dissatisfied. This compares to the end of last year, when a similar proportion of people were dissatisfied with my performance as were satisfied.

Since the introduction of the scheme, support for congestion charging in central London has increased dramatically, with 50 per cent of Londoners now backing the scheme and 34 per cent against. Before the scheme started similar proportions supported and opposed the scheme. And earlier scepticism about whether the scheme would work has been transformed. Sixty seven per cent now believe it has been effective in reducing traffic congestion, while only 20 per cent do not.

Three times more Londoners back a London bid for the 2012 Olympics than oppose it (69 per cent for and 21 per cent against). And polling on other issues reveals majority support for the immediate transfer of London Underground. The government wants to keep control of London Underground until it has imposed its public private partnership, but 63 per cent of Londoners support immediate transfer of the Tube to me so that I can introduce new management, reflecting the priority the public give this issue. Only 20 per cent of Londoners oppose immediate transfer.

Londoners also give a huge endorsement to my policy on affordable housing. 80 per cent agree with my plan to insist that at least half the homes in any new housing development should be affordable, only 12 per cent believe it will deter developers from building new housing developments.

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Environment

Environmental Economic Assessment of my Strategies

I have approved the awarding of a contract to Enviros Consulting Ltd to provide a model that enables environmental economic assessment of mayoral strategies following a mini-tender procurement exercise. The value of the contract is £48,200.

This work is intended to produce a model enabling GLA economics to assess:

1. the extent of any likely adverse environmental impact arising from the policies to accommodate growth in population and employment in the draft London Plan (such as deterioration in air quality, traffic congestion, increases in commuting times, time loss from work due to illness etc);
   
2. implication on energy requirement and thus emissions to accommodate the growth strategies in the draft London Plan;
   
3. the extent to which any such impacts may adversely affect the quality of life in London, encourage outward migration and impact on London's economy (GVA and GDP) because of the decline in population and economic activity;
   
4. the extent of additional health expenditure that may be required as a result of pollution and global warming, including temperature-related illness such as heat-stroke, vector-borne disease, death and injury related to severe weather patterns; and
   
5. the impact on insurance claims and premiums of climate-change related severe weather events.
   

Ambient Noise Strategy

On 13 March I launched my draft Ambient Noise Strategy for public consultation. Londoners can respond to initiatives ranging from quieter street surfaces to noise barriers that would also generate electricity from the sun.

London's big city buzz is tangible. Partly, this is a symptom of London's success. But we also need balance. We have to think more carefully about how we manage our transport systems, and how we design or adapt buildings and public spaces.

One of my priorities is tackling London's huge backlog of cracked, bumpy streets. It is a disgrace that London has for too long been starved of funds for basic street maintenance. As a first step, I want to get good, modern, lower noise surfaces on all the roads where they would be effective.

One key issue is night flights in London and it is the Government who regulate night flights. We are awaiting an important ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on a night flights case brought on behalf of local residents.

Better road maintenance and investment in London's railways are essential. The strategy outlines how less congestion, quieter vehicles, better traffic management to reduce stop-start driving, 'Streets for People' improvements in local areas, including alternatives to the 'road hump', and many other measures, could help reduce noise. Transport for London will soon trial new fuel cell buses. Other quiet technologies will be investigated, including hybrid-electric buses.

On aircraft noise I believe that aviation should pay its environmental costs, like other industries. I want to see more financial incentives used to get noisier aircraft replaced by quieter ones. I also support the view that night flights should be banned. Good planning and urban design have key roles in controlling noise. The draft London Plan which sets out my policies for buildings and land use, and my London Ambient Noise Strategy will together promote higher standards of acoustic design. Photovoltaic cells, which convert sunlight into electricity, can be combined with noise screening, especially on new developments.

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International issues

London - New York Equalities study

I have approved the employment of a consultant to carry out a London-New York Equalities study to identify best practise in New York and compare this with practice in London. The consultancy, The Resolve Consortium, will carry out a detailed audit and analysis of policy procedure and practice in respect of equalities work in employment in the New York City administration, with regard to race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation and faith. Reference will also be made to the impact on disadvantaged groups of the City's service delivery and to examples of best practise in representative institutions in the private and voluntary sector. The cost of the study will be £35, 250 and was awarded following a mini-tendering exercise. It will be completed by July 2003.

Megapoles

I have approved expenditure of £41, 712.6 from European Commission grant managed by the GLA to contract Hilton Hotel group (London Metropole) to provide accommodation and breakfast for the 140 delegates attending the Megapoles Closing Workshop on 26-27 June 2003. The Megapoles project will have run for 18 months.

The event will announce the preliminary conclusions of the project which has focussed on the problems of alcohol and youth in the participating 15 cities and launch consultation with member cities to feed into the final report to be submitted to the European Commission.

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Building and Organisation

London's Living Room

I have agreed to reduce the fee to £5,000 for London's Living Room and Chamber for the organisers of the Grierson Documentary Awards Ceremony in November 2003. The Grierson Memorial Trust is a registered charity. The awards, to celebrate the best in British documentary film-making are now in their thirty-first year and are run on a not-for-profit basis. I believe that the awards will provide an opportunity to showcase the GLA and City Hall.

GLA Technology Strategy

I have agreed the ICT programme for 2003/ 04 and the overall strategy for 2003/04 to 2005/ 6. The new plan should improve ICT services within the GLA and has specific targets and objectives for the next three years.

Insurance Arrangements 2003/04

I have noted the GLA insurance arrangements for 2003/ 04 and the framework for public liability insurance for events. I have also agreed that where event organisers are unable to obtain the standard insurance cover for rallies, marches and demonstrations on Trafalgar square, I will decide whether the event can proceed with a non-standard level of insurance following an assessment of the risks to the Authority by the Director of Finance and Performance.

Corporate Governance Framework and Handbook

I have agreed the GLA Corporate Governance Handbook. I have agreed the parts of the handbook to be placed on the GLA internet and the whole handbook to be place on the GLA intranet. I have also agreed that the monitoring and reporting framework for the Handbook. I have agreed that the Head of Human Resources progress areas for further development identified in respect of HR initiatives.

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Budget and Best Value

Budget 2003/04

I have approved the GLA budget for 2003/04 including the adjustments that have been made to the budget proposal agreed by the Assembly on 12 February. I have approved the GLA Business Plan for 2003/04. I have also approved the "GLA Budget and Business Plan 2003/04" for publication.

Programme Budgets

I have approved the allocation of the following 2003/04 programme budgets:

Annual Report/ Best Value Performance Plan

As required by the GLA Act 1999 and the Local Government Act 1999, I have agreed the GLA Annual Report and the Best Value Performance Plan. The combined report describes the GLA's objectives and targets and our performance over the past year. It also outlines how we have communicated and engaged with Londoners and how progress will be reviewed to ensure the maximum benefit to Londoners.

e-Government Best Value review

I have agreed the completion report and action plan of the delivering better services though e-government best value review. This is further to other review outcomes which I have already agreed such as the GLA's Implementing Electronic Government 2 statement and the Local Government Online Partnership Bids.

The key objectives of the review have been to develop a shared vision for e-government across the GLA group, to identify practical projects where working together will improve the performance or service efficiency of the GLA group to make a difference to Londoners and establish a framework which will allow e-technology to support the delivery of my priorities.

Procurement issues

Following a request for information by the Assembly Budget Committee I have noted the data on contracts over £50k to be provided to the Assembly's Budget Committee. I have also agreed the list of relevant Mayoral Approval Forms (MAFs) and the provision of forms subject to the Budget Committee identifying the specific MAFs required and their consideration as Part 2 Confidential Items to protect commercial confidentiality. In addition I noted that there was a service improvement process already underway on procurement following the best value review and inspection. I have also agreed proposals for improving procurement procedures, which were submitted to the Budget Committee meeting on 9 April.

Implementing Mayoral Strategies Best Value Review

I have approved the final report and Service Improvement Plan for the Implementing Mayoral Strategies Best Value Review.

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Media Issues

Media research

I have approved the commissioning of a research study through Goldsmith's College London to investigate the nature of the media coverage of the GLA. The research will be based on a number of case studies, in particular the way that the introduction of congestion charge has been handled by the Evening Standard and national press.

As a result of this research the authority should be able to:

• provide information to the public more effectively;
  
• better pre-empt, when appropriate, potentially distorted media coverage;
  
• raise staff morale by minimising hostile and maximising favourable coverage for its policies;
  
• develop, over the long term, good working relationships with the London and national media.
  

The contract was awarded without a procurement procedure as Goldsmith's College are considered to have a unique ability to undertake this research because of the detailed knowledge of the issues involved and the academic pre-eminence in the field of journalism.

The cost of the research is £30,000 and will be submitted to me in early autumn.

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Planning and Development Control

Planning Decisions (Stage Two Referrals)

I have sent letters in response to the following statutory referrals:

JVC Business Park, Staples Corner
I have written to the London Borough of Brent stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

2 Puddle Dock and The Mermaid Theatre, Blackfriars
I have written to the Corporation of London stating that I have decided to direct refusal of this application because the proposal would result in the permanent loss of a central London theatre, for which appropriate mechanisms have not been put in place to secure a replacement. A replacement would be required to maintain London's cultural offer, which is a key element of its World City status, as well as significant in the national and regional context. Furthermore the proposal makes no contribution to the improvement of pedestrian crossing facilities at Blackfriars junction or include a comprehensive safety study and construction programme to ensure the development would not compromise the safety or operation of the TFL Road Network.

However, I have indicated that I consider the proposed scheme to have many merits and that subject to a satisfactory resolution of the theatre issue and some outstanding transport concerns, I would be prepared to let the scheme go ahead. The permanent loss of the Mermaid Theatre without sufficient plans in place to support a new theatre project is not acceptable. While the Corporation has accepted the principle of a legal agreement to secure a compensatory payment of £6m for loss of the theatre, no such legal agreement is in existence and there are no clear plans on how the funds would be used to support new theatres. £6m would not be enough to replace the theatre but would be a significant sum to support new theatre projects. My position is supported by the Theatre Trust, which has also expressed concern about the lack of transparency over how the money will be spent.

Express Wharf, 38 Westferry Road
I have written to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Former Oldchurch Park, Romford
I have written to Havering Council stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Land at Church Street, Edmonton
I have written to Enfield Council stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Riverside Way Estate, Uxbridge
I have written to Hillingdon Council stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

36 Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush
I have written to the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Burford Road, Stratford
I have written to Newham Council stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Castle Green Playing Field, Goresbrook Road, Dagenham
I have written to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Ice rink and adjoining land, Streatham
I have written to the London Borough of Lambeth stating that I have decided to direct refusal of this application because the development would result in the loss of strategically important sport and recreation facilities, without appropriate and robust demonstration of continuity in provision of these facilities on the site including their ultimate replacement within a new centre elsewhere within the proposed redevelopment and as such, would be detrimental to regional and local sport and recreation provision. The design, appearance, nature and size of the proposal, without the replacement leisure facilities, would result in a food retail dominated development and would not be an appropriately mixed-use scheme and so would not sufficiently deliver regeneration benefits to Streatham town centre. As such, the scheme would be contrary to national, regional planning policy guidance, my draft London Plan and the Council's adopted and deposit draft Unitary Development Plan and therefore, would not be in the interests of good strategic planning in London.

In the absence of a robust case for delivering other strategic planning benefits, the development does not make adequate or appropriate provision for affordable housing accommodation, contrary to both established national (PPG3) and regional planning (RPG3) guidance and policies in my draft London Plan and Lambeth Council's deposit draft Unitary Development Plan.

Whilst not a reason for refusal, I have also noted that the provision for car parking in the development exceeds the relevant adopted local standards contained in the Lambeth Unitary Development Plan and the guidance contained within my draft London Plan. This adds to my concerns that the development overall is not in the interests of good strategic planning in London.

I would be prepared to reconsider my direction to refuse planning permission in this case on receipt of satisfactory details, including a robust financial appraisal of the cost of providing the replacement ice/leisure facility and the funding available to deliver this at the site, and which demonstrates that the replacement and upgraded ice rink/leisure centre will be constructed and opened prior to any other element of the proposed scheme. In addition, I would need to receive sufficient legal and other assurances from the Council and the applicant that no demolition of any of the existing facilities takes place without the appropriate funding for the replacement facilities being obtained and a contract let for the construction of the new ice rink/leisure centre.

Planning Decisions (Stage One Applications)

I have asked officers to send letters giving my comments about the following stage one referrals:

• Freemans Warehouse, 135-142 Clapham Road
  
• Former DERA site, West Drayton
  
• 125 Manor Road (Sainsbury's), Richmond
  
• Brunel University Masterplan
  
• Herne Hill Velodrome
  
• Jo Richardson Community School
  
• Merton College
  
• Vauxhall Tower, Effra Site
  
• Land West of Ferry Lane, Rainham
  
• Thurston Road Industrial Estate
  
• Goodman's Field, Tower Hamlets
  
• Lone Barn Farm, Bromley
  
• 14-15 Pembury Close
  
• Tanner Street Gateway Development
  

The Dome, Greenwich
My Officers have written to the London Borough of Greenwich giving my view that development plans for the Dome site must include more affordable housing or I will direct refusal of the application.

The plans from Meridian Delta Limited for the Greenwich Peninsula including the Dome site currently promise 35 per cent affordable housing. This is well below the 50 per cent target set out in my planning blueprint for London, the draft London Plan. It would create a 'dangerous precedent for affordable housing in the Thames Gateway' particularly in light of the government's Sustainable Communities Plan that highlights the area as London's key site for new housing and jobs.

I have told Greenwich Council that developers must look at proposals to increase the number of affordable homes for key workers, such as police, teachers and nurses. Redevelopment of the Dome site and the surrounding land is an enormous opportunity for London which I am determined will not be wasted.

That is why I am insisting the Dome plans must provide more housing of this sort - in line with the Government's own policies. If it cannot be done on publicly owned land like the Dome there is little chance that private developers will do it on other big sites in the Thames Gateway.

My letter follows an independent financial viability assessment on the site, carried out for the Greater London Authority and Greenwich Council. I have offered broad support for the wider proposals for the site, subject to specific further amendments.

The council, developers Meridian Delta Limited and partners have the opportunity to re-negotiate their plans before re-submitting them to me for a final decision.

Destination Wembley: Revised draft Development Framework

I have written to Brent Council with my comments on the above document. I have considered a report on this case and advised them of my comments and concerns. I broadly welcome the revised draft development framework in terms of its wider vision and objectives, but it does not yet sufficiently address my strategic planning concerns. It requires amendments to the following:

• Update the document to reflect current strategic policy and land interests;
  
• Reflect properly what my draft London Plan says about Wembley and it's substantive development policies, including reference to the identification of Wembley as a strategically identifies Opportunity Area, quoting the new jobs and housing targets. The need to produce a planning framework to accord with my draft London Plan;
  
• Reflect properly my position as the strategic planning authority for London;
  
• Clarify the proposed car parking standards;
  
• Dilute the requirement to require an International Convention Centre so as not to render future development unviable;
  
• Give more flexibility for the location of the bus interchange and/ or some indication of the type of facility that is desired;
  
• Clarify the public transport accessibility of the site as regards buses;
  
• Require a more flexible and robust approach for the masterplan to ensure that a more realistic strategy is adopted that will beneficially deliver development on this strategically important site;
  
• Include a delivery and compulsory purchase order strategy as a necessary implementation step in the framework;
  
• Reduce the level of detail and prescriptive obligations and objectives so as to ensure relative flexibility; and
  
• Give greater recognition to key landowners (including Quintain and Network Rail) in terms of the important role of the private sector in partnership with Brent and the GLA group to deliver the necessary regeneration.

Northway Garage Planning appeal

I have agreed that the Secretary of State's decision to award the full costs of a public enquiry, both of the appellant and the local planning authority, against myself should be challenged by way of a judicial review.

I directed Brent Council to refuse planning permission for a 505 bedroom student residential development scheme in August 2001. Following an appeal by the developer and a public inquiry the Public Inspector submitted his reports to the Deputy Prime Minister on 2 September 2002. The ODPM dismissed the appeal but awarded costs against me for acting unreasonable in directing refusal of planning permission which had resulted in unnecessary expense.

I have decided to appeal the decision on the grounds that while the Inspector's recommendation was that the application should be refused for the reasons which I gave, my direction cannot be strategic because "the adverse impacts of the scheme are entirely local", the Deputy Prime Minister's decision letter recognises that "a particular proposal can have strategic effects even though the immediate effects were entirely local".

Unitary Development Plans

London Borough of Wandsworth UDP
I have written to the London Borough of Wandsworth giving my comments on the
decisions on the Inspector's Report and proposed post-inquiry modifications UDP review.

Any member requiring a copy of a planning report should contact the PDU, or refer to the GLA website.

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Key engagements

I have also attended the other key engagements in the last two months:

• I attended the Cricklewood Homeless Concern on 13 March
  
• I met with John Biggs, London Assembly Member concerning Peruvian Wharf on 13 March
  
• I met with Alistair Darling MP, Secretary of State for Transport on 13 March
  
• I met with Alex Maskey, the Lord Mayor of Belfast on 14 March
  
• I met with Honor Chapman, the Vice-Chair of the LDA on 17 March
  
• I met with Mike Ward on 17 March
  
• I attended People's Question Time on 18 March
  
• I visited Tottenham Hale Tube Station and Northumberland Park on 19 March
  
• I met with Val Shawcross & Headteachers from Lambeth & Southwark re. Congestion Charging on 19 March
  
• London Falling? Top Up Fees Meeting with ULU & NUS on 19 March
  
• I met with the Inspectors from the Audit Commission on 19 March
  
• I chaired the TfL Board meeting on 20 March
  
• I met with Cllr Anne John, Leader of Brent Council on 20 March
  
• I attended the Joint Statement Signing with the Housing Corporation on 20 March
  
• I visited Willesden Green Mosque on 21 March
  
• I addressed the Stop the War demonstration on 22 March
  
• I met Sir John Stevens & AC David Veness about Community Relations on 24 March
  
• I met with Tony McNulty, MP Minister for London on 25 March
  
• I hosted the Metropolitan Police Volunteer awards on 26 March
  
• I spoke at the London School of Economics on 31 March
  
• I attended the launch of the London Muslim Coalition on 1 April
  
• I attended the vote against the BNP, cross- party press conference on 2 April
  
• I met with Margaret Lally, Refugee Council on 2 April
  
• I met with Cllr Cockell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council concerning the night time lorry ban on 2 April
  
• I visited the LDA and met with staff on 2 April
  
• I met with Lord Rogers on 3 April
  
• I spoke at the London First River Crossing event on 3 April
  
• I spoke at the launch of the voluntary sector compact on 7 April
  
• I read the witness statement for the Bishopsgate Goodsyard injunction on 7 April
  
• I hosted the London First Centre and Japanese Chamber of Commerce reception on 7 April
  
• I attended the media correspondents lunch on 8 April
  
• I met with LDA senior management to discuss the Corporate Plan on 8 April
  
• I met with Samantha Heath AM to discuss sustainability and the London Energy Partnership on 9 April
  
• I met with Michael Snyder, Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee in the Corporation of London on 9 April
  
• I hosted the Green Procurement launch on 10 April
  
• I met with London trade unions on 10 April
  
• I met with Derek Turner on 10 April
  
• I attended the London Marathon on 13 April
  
• I attended the EU funding launch at the House of Commons on 6 May
  
• I met with Siobhan McDonough MP about the Tram Network in South London on 7 May
  
• I met with KPMG about the structure of the LDA on 7 May

Ken Livingstone
7 May 2003

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