Crime, Policing and Emergencies

Culture

Economic Policy

Education

Environment and climate change

Equality and Diversity

Health

Housing and Homelessness

International

Planning and Development

Sustainability

Transport

Thirty-Sixth Mayor's Report to the Assembly

This is my thirty-sixth report to the Assembly, fulfilling my duty under Section 45 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. It covers the period from 9 October - 5 November 2003.

Transport
GLA Group Budget
Trafalgar Square
Draft London Plan
Environment
International Issues
Equalities
Borough Visits
Culture
Social Inclusion
GLA Organisation
Health
Events
The Londoner
Planning and Development Control
Key Engagements

Transport

London Underground

As all Londoners and commuters will be aware, London Underground suffered two derailments over a single weekend in October. The first occurred at Hammersmith on the Piccadilly Line on Friday 17 October. There were no injuries and all passengers were detrained after just over one hour. The second derailment, which injured six passengers, happened at Camden Town on the Northern Line on the morning of Sunday 19 October.

Full inquiries were immediately commissioned to investigate the cause of these incidents. The safety of passengers and staff is paramount and we are working hard to determine exactly what happened and see what lessons can be learnt. Transport Commissioner Bob Kiley and LU Managing Director Tim O'Toole attended a special safety conference with the Infraco consortia and trade unions and Tim promised to investigate all safety concerns raised by the unions and to make changes to improve Underground safety. The initial report into the Camden Town derailment has been published and work continues to establish exactly what caused these two incidents.

Spending Review 2004

On 21 October Bob Kiley and I set out London's case for an additional £900m a year for 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08 for London's transport. The funding will be used to continue to improve London's transport system and to start to deliver the major projects needed to add the extra capacity necessary to accommodate the city's growth and prosperity.

London is the most rapidly growing city in Europe. Over the last three years the number of passengers using the bus network has increased by more than one million a day. At the same time, London has become the first major city in Europe to reduce congestion in the central area with the world's biggest congestion charging scheme, introduced on time and to budget.

London is the international gateway to the UK economy and has the highest productivity of any region of the country. The whole country's productivity is intimately bound up with London's success. London's international competitiveness is threatened by a prolonged failure to invest sufficiently in transport, housing, policing and infrastructure to sustain the city's growth.

The Government has been working with the Greater London Authority to address this investment backlog. Over the last three years Transport for London has shown that every penny allocated to transport in London is used efficiently and cost effectively. We have set out precisely the investment that will be needed over the next three years to get the most out of the existing transport network and to expand the system to accommodate the city's growth.

That will require an increase in the transport grant to London of the order of £900 million for each year covered by the next Spending Review. As London makes a net contribution of the order of £10-20 billion a year to the national exchequer, that is a reasonable investment to help sustain London's ability to aid the entire UK economy.

TfL has asked for this additional funding, an increase of around 19 per cent on current resources, in order to accommodate the predicted population, housing and economic growth and keep London at the heart of the financial world. The benefit to passengers of this modest additional funding is:

• the go-ahead for major projects and enhancements to cater for London's growth - e.g. Thames Gateway Bridge, DLR extensions to Stratford, Woolwich and Barking Reach, four light transit schemes and further bus network expansion
• assets returned to and kept in a state of good repair and steps taken to meet increases in demand - e.g. longer trains and platforms at DLR stations, LU station capacity schemes, funding for improvements to National Rail, and further increases in bus frequency
• projects to enhance service quality and reliability - for example the installation of a new and accurate real-time 'Countdown' information system and a programme of bus lanes and other priority improvements.

Oyster Card

From early October an anticipated 400,000 passengers who buy 7-Day Travelcards and Bus Passes were able to switch to Oyster using the internet or over the phone. Later in the year it will be available from Tube station ticket offices and local travel ticket outlets. Oyster card was first introduced in Spring 2003 to Annual and Monthly Travelcard and Annual Bus Pass customers and 100,000 Londoners currently use it.

West London Tram

At my press conference on 21 October I indicated my intention to go to consultation over West London Tram in early spring 2004 if possible - before the Mayoral election. I have been encouraged by the positive response the proposed scheme has had amongst local residents and businesses and the urgent need to address the problem of rapidly increasing congestion in this area.

Congestion Charging

On 23 October TfL published the 6 Months On report on progress with the Central London scheme. The report shows that traffic levels are steady, road accidents look to be significantly reduced and public transport is coping well. The report also makes it clear that many of the reported detrimental effects on business are actually attributable to other factors including an economic slow down and reduced visitor numbers which pre-date the introduction of the scheme.

TfL also hosted a Congestion Charging seminar, which was attended by around 200 delegates including representatives from around a dozen overseas local and national government organisations.

At the end of October, I began my consultation with the London Assembly on revisions to my Transport Strategy relating to the possible extension of the current congestion charging zone westwards, taking in more of the City of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.

Further to this, I have formally agreed to delegate the arrangements to Transport for London for undertaking a revision of the Transport Strategy in relation to the proposed western extension of the Central London Congestion Charging Zone.

TfL will draft a revision of the Strategy, carry out consultation and advise me on the consultation responses prior to the preparation of a final version for my approval.

New Year's Eve Transport

On 14 October I announced that an all-night transport service would run on New Year's Eve as a further boost to the ongoing drive to bring visitors to London. Visit London's revamped website will act as a New Year's Eve celebrations one-stop-shop, providing details and booking information on the hundreds of parties in clubs, bars and restaurants across the city, and providing an online hotel booking service with a lowest price guarantee.

I was delighted to announce that London's tube, bus and tram network, and many overland train services out of London, will run all night on New Year's Eve. This is also great news for the tourism industry in London. All night transport will help sell New Year breaks in London, but the news also helps underline the message of Visit London's new advertising campaign, that London is fast becoming the world city for the twenty-first century.

From midnight on New Year's Eve there will be a free all night tube service covering most stations on the underground network and a free enhanced night bus service. Croydon Tramlink and the Docklands Light Railway will also run a free twenty four hour service, and there will be half-hourly overland rail services until 5 am from Liverpool Street to Shenfield, Paddington to Slough (some services will run to Reading), Waterloo to Kingston via Richmond, Waterloo to Kingston via Wimbledon, Victoria to East Croydon via Norbury, Victoria to Orpington via Bromley South, Victoria to Dartford via Bexleyheath, Charing Cross to Dartford via Woolwich, Charing Cross to Dartford via Sidcup, and Charing Cross to Bromley North via Lewisham.

Pilot Concessionary Fares Scheme

On 16 October I announced a new concessionary fares scheme to help people moving from benefits into work during their first six months of employment. The scheme will be open to all people moving from 'out-of-work' benefits such as Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance and Incapacity Benefit, into employment who are in receipt of Working Tax Credit. Under the new scheme they will be entitled to discounted fares for their first six months in work.

The scheme will be piloted for six months from January 2004 in the east London boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Hackney and in the City of London, and in the west London boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow and Ealing.

Beneficiaries will be able to purchase discounted weekly or monthly LT cards, which will entitle them to a 30 per cent discount on all bus, tube, Docklands Light Railway and Croydon Tramlink services.

This scheme is intended to help address some of the problems created when people mover from benefits back into employment by easing the transition into work for the first six months by cutting transport costs. I am confident that these discounted fares will help many low-income households in West and East London.

The scheme will particularly benefit people with children, especially lone parents, as they account for the majority of Working Tax Credit recipients. A further aim is to increase the take-up of the new Tax Credits in London, which has the lowest rate of receipt in the country.

This announcement was made at the Tackling Poverty conference and followed the release of an independent report from the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion, which finds that policies to encourage people into work are less effective in London than in other parts of the UK due to the high costs of housing, childcare and transport.

London Buses

Pay Before You Board
Early customer research into the "pay before you board" scheme for central London shows that 70 per cent of respondents welcomed the changes to speed up services. The scheme, which started on 23 August 2003, means that cash passengers now buy cash tickets from 300 machines in central London, rather than the driver. The aim is to cut boarding times by more than ten per cent.

Initial customer research on passengers getting off buses in the West End in the first weeks after introduction found:

• 70 per cent of passengers thought the scheme was a good idea;
  
• 80 per cent were aware of pay before you board;
  
• 18 per cent had already noticed speedier boarding on their bus; and
  
• 14 per cent of passengers had used the machines to buy either a single ticket or one-day bus pass. The remainder had passes or tickets from other sources.

Bus waiting times
On October 17, TfL announced that the reliability of London's bus service is the best since records began. Investment in bus priority, more buses, better management of services, and the congestion charging scheme are bringing shorter wait times and faster journeys to London. The new figures show year on year improvements for the number of journeys made by bus, reduced delays due to traffic and lack of staff and more regular services.

London's bus service is now the most reliable since performance figures were first collated more than a quarter of a century ago, in 1977. I am delighted with these figures but remain determined that even more improvements must and will be made to London's bus service.

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GLA Group Budget

Budget Update

As reported last month the local government grant settlement is expected around the middle of November, up to 2 weeks earlier than last year. For the GLA this will include details of grants for police and fire services and the floors and ceilings that will moderate the amounts. Last year the GLA was at the ceiling and this meant a loss of £13.6m to other police and fire authorities; equivalent to some £5 on the precept at Band D. For 2004-05 Ministers have decided to split the police and fire floor and ceiling group into separate groups for each of the services. The GLA will therefore be split between these two groups. Assembly members will be provided with a briefing on the settlement and advice on its impact when the information is available.

GLA Budget and Business Plan 2004/05

I have approved the GLA Budget and Business Plan submission for 2004/05 subject to final amendments to be agreed by the Executive Director of Finance and Performance. I have also agreed that the submission is reported to the Assembly's Budget Committee on 20 November as the formal consultation with the Assembly on the draft component budget for the Authority.

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Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square Byelaw

On 24 October I announced that from Monday 17 November the feeding of pigeons by people, other than those authorised by myself, will be prohibited as part of an overall, ongoing strategy to reduce the number of pigeons in the Square.

The aim of the new byelaw, which has been confirmed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, is to help support and maintain the dramatic reduction in pigeon numbers achieved through a number of measures introduced since I became responsible for the management of Trafalgar Square.

The byelaw will, along with my other measures, counter years of over-feeding of pigeons.
The humane reduction of pigeon numbers has meant a cleaner, healthier environment on Trafalgar Square. Cleaning costs and treatments have been reduced, as guano levels are now fairly low. This is vital since Trafalgar Square is a major world landmark and its redesign with greater pedestrian accessibility means that many thousands more visitors are now using the square every day of the year.

Most importantly, the Square has been reclaimed as a pleasant and enjoyable place for Londoners and visitors alike. The introduction of a cafeteria on the square has given it a more pleasant environment, providing a focus for visitors to stay and enjoy themselves rather than leaving after taking their obligatory photographs. None of these improvements would have worked if the Square were still infested with thousands of pigeons.

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Draft London Plan

London Aggregate Working Party

I have approved the submission of a tender to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for a contract to provide secretariat services for the London Aggregate Working Party for the sum of £71,400 (inc £9,000 to pay for the publication of a report) until March 2006.

London is currently the only English region without such a Working Party and this submission seeks to address this.

If the GLA's tender submission is accepted by the ODPM and the contract referred to is awarded to the GLA, the GLA will enter into a consultancy contract for secretariat services for the sum of £62, 400. I have agreed to amend the London Plan programme budget to reflect all incomes/ costs associated with the ODPM tender and the Secretarial contract. I have agreed a single tender action in relation to the award of the consultancy contract if successful, on the basis that the duties require special expertise in minerals planning and experience ion running a regional aggregates working party.

Sustainable and Accessible Urban Landscapes

I have retrospectively approved the GLA's participation in the European Commission's Interreg IIIb programme on Sustainable and Accessible Urban Landscapes (SAUL) in the North Western European region.

I have retrospectively agreed match funding on the form of staff time as a partner in the SAUL project. The GLA's match funding totals £20, 032 over the 4.5-year lifetime of the project.
SAUL is the development phase of a successful Interreg Ilc project, New Urban Landscapes and the lead partner is Groundwork UK who will project manage SAUL.

Removal of Residential Boat Moorings

On 17 October I wrote a letter of protest to the Leader of Southwark Council, Nick Stanton, condemning the Council's enforcement action against the residents of the river boats moored at Downings Road on the Thames.

These residential boats add to the diversity of the river and do not harm other residential amenity. Their location is consistent with my policy approach to use of the river Thames as set out on the Blue Ribbon Network Annex of the draft London Plan and endorsed by the independent Panel report following public examination. I have expressed my deep opposition to the actions that Southwark Council is currently taking to evict these residents from the moorings at which they have long been established.

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Environment

Additional Recycling Funding

On 22 October I welcomed the announcement that another £20 million would go to recycling projects in the capital through the London Recycling Fund partnership. The success of Recycle for London illustrates that the administration of a London-wide fund, led by a partnership of the GLA, ALG and London Waste Action, enables a strategic approach, with support to boroughs and maximises the efficient use of the money.

The partnership originally distributed £21.3m for recycling and waste minimisation projects across the capital in 2002/3 and 2003/4, later topped up by a further £3.6m. Now the Government has confirmed an additional £20m for 2004/5 and 2005/6.

This is London government in action and it has brought a massive boost for recycling projects right across the capital. Securing more than £45m for these vital projects over four years is a mark of the great success not just of the new partnership approach, but also of the way the money has been successfully and effectively spent. The money will go a great way towards ensuring the policies in our waste strategy are delivered.

The new money will be distributed by the London Recycling Fund to the capital's waste authorities, who can apply for money from the fund providing their projects meet a series of key criteria. The money spent so far has already funded new projects worth twice the original amount spent, acting as an invaluable 'pump primer' attracting additional investment. Examples of how the money has been successfully spent include:

• £1.9m to the West London Waste Authority and its constituent boroughs of Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, and Richmond for major improvements to the recycling capabilities at three main civic amenity sites in the area - Forward Drive, Harrow; Greenford Road, Ealing; and Space Waye, Hounslow. The Fund also is supporting the enhancement and/or introduction of garden waste collection schemes in all six boroughs. To handle much of this waste WLWA is being funded for the plant and construction costs for a green waste transfer facility at the Transport Avenue site in Brentford.
• £ 2.7m to the North London Waste Authority boroughs of Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest to improve recycling on estates and for flats throughout North London.

Recycle for London Campaign

I have approved the procurement of additional related design services to the approximate value of £16, 610 to be undertaken by Radius Design Consultants for the Recycle for London Campaign. This follows the increase in scope of the initial contract and the decision to create and distribute an information pack to libraries, and by request by Londoners, and the printing of folders and additional artwork.

British Environment and Media Award

On 22 October, I was presented with an award at this year's British Environment and Media Awards (BEMAs) presented by WWF - the global environment network - and created by Media Natura.

I was honoured to receive The Special Awareness Award for the work I have undertaken on the introduction of the congestion charge, given in recognition of achieving an outstanding impact on public consciousness. The congestion charge is making a real difference in central London and has significantly reduced traffic.

Wildlife Crime Conference

I have approved the hosting of the first Wildlife Crime Conference to be held at City Hall in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit and allocation of £5,285 from the Environmental Programme Budget for this purpose. The conference will discuss issues such as crimes against legally protected species living in Greater London, crimes committed by Londoners in other parts of the UK and the illegal trade in endangered species such as taxidermy and elephant ivory.

Best Practise Guidance for Recycling

I have approved the appointment of Enviros Consulting Ltd to investigate best practise guidance for recycling and sustainable waste management practises in London. This will include establishing what already exists and the prioritisation of development for a series of best practise guides. I have agreed to waive the contracts code of practise as only two companies submitted tenders.

Environmental Events at the Museum of London

I am staging a series of free evening lectures for the general public on environmental issues this autumn at the Museum of London, as part of the Museum's exhibition on Urban Grime: the state of London's environment from 19 September - 18 January 2004.

Each lecture will highlight how London is affected and what Londoners can do to help. No background knowledge is required and all Londoners and visitors are encourage to attend

The topics include: Heatwaves and floods: London's tropical future?; Wild London;
Gasping for breath: the struggle for clean air in London; Rubbish: who should pay?

The Museum is running a number of other events in association with this exhibition, aimed at families, young and older children and adults, including lunchtime lectures, gallery tours, events and competitions.

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International Issues

Mayor of Shanghai

On 5 November I welcomed the Mayor of Shanghai, Han Zheng, to City Hall during his visit to London.

During the visit, we signed a Partnership agreement between our cities. I hope this will provide the basis for policy dialogue between our cities. Shanghai is the commercial gateway to China, with 25% of all foreign trade flowing through the city. There are many economic and cultural links between our two cities, in particular in terms of the contribution of Chinese communities and business in London, on which this Partnership Agreement will be built in years to come.

Equalities

Respect Conference

On 6 November, the respect conference will take place in City Hall, with around 300 delegates expected to attend.

This follows my commitment to sharing best practise around respect and anti-racism with other public authorities in the UK and the fact that London can learn from the experience of other cities in developing good practise on key activities and mechanisms for involving communities.

Speakers at the conference represent cities around Britain and communities and national organisations that are joined in the fight against racism.

I have approved the organisation of a conference for public authorities and other interested bodies to communicate good practise and discuss the legal powers and duties of public authorities with regard to promoting anti-racism and celebrating diversity. The respect festival and other respect activities are to be used as an exemplar of London's initiatives around promoting anti-racism.

I have approved the budget allocation within the Project Development Fund of £33,135 for the respect conference and £10, 000 for national advertising. I have agreed to vire the following sums to the Project Development Fund to facilitate the conference: £18,135 Human Rights Conference Budget and £25,000 Stakeholders Programme Budget.

"Into the Mainstream": GLA Equalities Report

I have agreed that the Executive Director of Finance and Performance finalise my 2002/03 Equalities Report in consultation with the Policy Director for Equalities and Policing.

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Borough Visits

Richmond, Kingston and Wandsworth tour

On 30 October I paid a regional visit to South West London. I visited Fircroft Primary School to look at how the pupils have been working to improve London's environment through work with a local artist on recycling.

I visited Tooting Bec station to launch the Pulse Policing exercise, which provides a visible presence and aims to quickly flood a crime hotpot area with uniformed officers, providing reassurance to the public. I met with TOCU officers who are taking part in the initiative.

I also paid a visit to the Tower Youth Club in Wandsworth. This project has been running for 13 years as a voluntary organisation and provides facilities and various activities for young people on the Hazlehurst estate. I met with some of the young people who are involved in the project and saw demonstrations of some of their work in action.

I also opened the Shiraz Mirza Community centre in Kingston, named after the borough's first asian Mayor. The centre aims to be a multi-cultural hub for residents, community and voluntary groups and I met with many of those people who will directly benefit from it.

In the afternoon, I launched the Kingston Park and Ride Scheme, designed for shoppers to get into the centre of Kingston without the problems of parking in the centre, and I also paid a visit to the town centre, including the Mosaics Under the Bridge project.

I also visited Teddington Police Station and met with the Borough Commander and volunteers who staff the station, demonstrating the effectiveness of community partnerships.

Finally, I visited the Wetlands Centre in Barnes that serves as a great demonstration of what can be achieved to support environmental projects in London, and is one of the best examples of the creation of wildlife habitats in Europe.

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Culture

Diwali Celebration

On 19 October celebration for Diwali took place on Trafalgar Square. The event included music, dance, Indian arts and light displays. The event was part of my programme of Asian events and the promotion of cultural activities on Trafalgar Square.

I approved funding of £10, 000 for the celebrations of Diwali and approved the waiving of the contracts code in relation to the engagement of Greenwich and Docklands Festivals to produce the event.

Black History Month

As the culmination of Black History Month programme of events, on 30 October, an evening of classical melodies by Wajahat Khan, a highly acclaimed Sarod virtuoso of India took place at City Hall. This ended a successful month of activities celebrating the contribution of black people and communities to London's culture.

The previous weekend, I hosted the second major Black History Month Conference, 'First Voice: Dialogue with the Diaspora' at Wembley Conference Centre on 25 October, which was attended by over 2000 people.

I sought to increase the size, scope and relevance of this important annual event, not just for Black Londoners but for all Londoners. London is the most diverse city in the world. The history of its development should include all those varied and distinct communities who through transatlantic slavery, empire and colonialism, empire and settlement, have built and shaped modern London.

The clear message from Black History Month and events like the London Schools and the Black Child Conference is that Black children - and adults - need role models and to see themselves reflected in books, on television, in schools. Black Londoners have a critical contribution to make to the capital's future success, economically as well as culturally. With the establishment of my Commission on African and Asian Heritage and the Education Commission on the Attainment Levels of African Caribbean Boys, the hope is that some of the ideas and issues can be taken forward in a practical way.

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Social Inclusion

Childcare Strategy

I have authorised the publication of the London Childcare Strategy which will be launched on 11 November. The strategy has been developed and produced in partnership with the LDA. A public consultation exercise on the draft London Childcare strategy has been completed, responses analysed and a final version produced.

Refugee and Asylum Seeker Project

I have approved the allocation of an additional £1,960 from the social inclusion programme budget to cover the costs of extra work within the project to assess the impact of media images and political coverage on community relations in London, bringing the total contract costs to £26,694.

I have previously expressed my concern about media images of refugees and asylum seekers and how they may inflame hostility. Following interim work by the GLA, it was agreed that further work would be undertaken to a value of £24,000. The purpose of the research is to ascertain how far media coverage of refugees and asylum seekers and political commentary about them represented in the media contribute to crime against refugees and asylum-seekers communities living in London and the fear of crime amongst them, also to look at racist attitudes and activity in London and other risks to community relations in London.

The additional funding will allow an extra 10 days of research time, based on the fact that setting up focus groups with young people and asylum seekers has been significantly more difficult and time consuming than anticipated and that the amount of media coverage of refugees and asylum seekers issues has significantly increased over the time.

Pensioner Poverty

On 13 October I addressed the London Older Peoples Assembly and released interim findings of research into pensioner poverty in the capital at the event that was organised by the London Older Peoples Strategies Group (LOPSG).

The new research, Low incomes among older people in London - interim findings on pensioner poverty, was published by the GLA and will be completed in 2004. It follows the publication of London Divided, my 2002 report on income inequality and poverty in London, which revealed high rates of pensioner poverty. The interim report will, in addition to providing interim results, also set out the context for the more detailed analysis of pensioner poverty in London to come.
The research shows that after taking into account the capital's high housing costs more than a quarter of London's pensioners live in a household with a 'below poverty line' income rising to a third for pensioners living in inner London.

Pensioner poverty in inner London is a continuing problem. I therefore commissioned this further research on the factors contributing to low incomes among London's older people, which shows that the true levels of pensioner poverty can only be assessed by taking account of London's high housing costs. The interim research also shows that poverty rates are particularly high for two groups of inner London pensioners - those living alone and those living in rented accommodation. London's pensioners can be sure that the report's final findings will inform development of my future policy towards social inclusion.

LOPSG is a coalition representing over 100 older peoples groups in London and is the principal forum for my consultation with older people in the capital. London Older Peoples Assembly, first held in November 2002, is one of a number of LOPSG organised events that I have supported, which was also supported by Help the Aged this year.

Making Work Pay in London

On 14 October, "Making Work Pay in London", a report by the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion commissioned by myself, the ALG and the LDA was launched, detailing how Londoners are disadvantaged in the government's plans to 'make work pay'. The government's policies to encourage people into work are less effective in London than in other parts of the UK due to the cost of housing, childcare and transport, according to independent research.

The report shows that a lone parent with two children outside the capital is better off working full-time than on benefits at the minimum wage of £4.20 an hour, even after meeting childcare costs. But in London the same parent would need to earn £7.76 an hour - more than £3.50 an hour above the minimum wage - to be better off in work. Couples with children who earn the minimum wage outside London are £17.79 better off working than on benefits, but in London they would need to be earning £6.56 per hour - 46 per cent more - before they would be as well off.

The report argues that this contributes to the unacceptably low levels of employment in London, where only 70% of the working age population is working. Further research, which I commissioned, which was published later in the week, shows that there are 198,000 households with children in London with nobody in employment, nearly one in four of all households with children in London.

I strongly support the steps the government has taken to make work pay, through the Working Tax Credit and the minimum wage, and this report shows how successful they have been at national level. But it also shows that these policies are much less successful in London. With the capital's high housing, childcare and transport costs, lower paid work is simply not an option for many Londoners, especially if they have children, leaving hundreds of thousands of Londoners trapped on benefits. We urgently need a solution that delivers for London as well as for other parts of the country if we are to tackle child poverty in the capital.

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GLA Organisation

Best Value Programme Update

I have agreed revisions to the GLA's Best Value Guidance subject to agreeing the section on sustainable development with the Executive Director of Policy and Partnership. I have agreed that revisions to the performance monitoring framework on Best Value Service Improvement Plans and revisions to the GLA Best Value Programme, ie:

The publication of summary GLA Group performance information will be in the April 2004 edition of the Londoner.

In addition I have noted the current position on the delivery of the 2003/04 Best Value Programme and the publication by ODPM of new statutory guidance on the application of the Best Value framework to the GLA, LDA and TfL.

The Assembly's Budget Committee will consider this report on 20 November.

Facilities Management best value service audit

I have retrospectively approved the appointment of Black Pear Ltd as a consultant to undertake a review of all FM services and contracts by October 2003 in accordance with the FM Best Value service improvement plan following a written quotation exercise. I have approved a virement from the FM salary budget of £22,100 to the FM consultancy budget.

City Hall use best value service audit

I have retrospectively approved the appointment of Alexi Marmot Associates as a consultant to undertake a review of the use of City Hall by October 2003 in accordance with the FM Best Value service improvement plan following a written quotation exercise. I have approved a virement of £12,800 from the FM salary budget to the FM consultancy budget.

Virtual London Demonstrator

I have approved the waiving of the requirement of the contracts code to undertake a mini-tendering exercise in relation to the award of the contract to design and construct a "Virtual London" demonstrator. I have approved the awarding of the contract for the design and construction of the "Virtual London" demonstrator to the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, UCL at a cost of £25, 000.

This follows discussions with London Connects and is intended to create an up-to-date realistic model, which will change over time. It will initially cover the Southwark pool area, including City Hall and will be accessible through a browser.

The project will provide Londoners with information about the impact of planning initiatives, encourage tourism by providing enhanced information about sited of interest, such as City Hall and the Tower of London and will allow a level of interactivity and simulations.

The ultimate intention is to provide incrementally a three dimensional digital map of the whole of London.

City Hall works

I have awarded a contract to undertake works to redecorate the east staircase of City Hall including carpeting to Emcor Facilities Ltd, utilising sub-contracted works (DMH Contractors). I have granted an exemption to the financial threshold procedure of the Contracts Code of Conduct on the basis of the compatibility of the planned works with the maintenance of City Hall.

GLA Pay award

I have agreed a revised funding package to cover the additional cost of the 2003/04 GLA pay award as follows:

I have also sent a response to the letter from the Chair of the Assembly's Budget Committee.

GLA Risk Management Framework

I have noted the results of the review of the GLA Risk Register and agreed the revised corporate GLA Risk Register and the production of Action Plans for residual risks, the lead officers identified for all risks and the proposed changes to the risk monitoring and review framework. The content of this report is sensitive and therefore confidential.

GLA 2003/04 - Performance to 30 September 2003

I have noted the initial performance assessment against the budget and business plan as at 30 September 2003 and agreed:

• the proposed amendments to the Business Plan deliverables, including the allocation of shared deliverables/actions to agreed lead officers
  
• that the assessment would be finalised by the Executive Director of Finance and Performance in consultation with the Policy Director for Best Value and Partnership and Policy Director for Service Delivery

This report will be considered by the Assembly's Budget Committee on 20 November.

Initial Performance Assessment of the GLA Group

I have agreed that the Executive Director of Finance and Performance work with the Audit Commission to develop the proposal for an Initial Performance Assessment (IPA) of the GLA to be carried out during 2004, and that the Executive Director of Finance and Performance commence work on producing the GLA's self assessment element of the IPA.

I have agreed to an exemption from the GLA's Contracts Code in order to engage consultants to work with the GLA to: ensure challenge is integral to the self assessment process and provide a 'peer challenge' to the self assessment. The £600 daily maximum limit for consultants will be waived in respect of these appointments.

Internal Audit Reports

I have noted the level of audit assurance and the management action being taken on the following internal audits:

I have also noted that the Catering Contract was being put in place when the GLA was taking over control of City Hall from GoL and moving staff into the building and that the weaknesses identified were already being dealt with in the review of the Authority's Contracts Code.

This report will be considered by the Assembly's Audit Panel on 27 January 2004.

Architecture and Urbanism Unit

The second phase of the 100 Public Spaces programme has been launched with a number of new projects being championed by the Architecture and Urbanism Unit.

In order to take this forward, I have agreed the undertaking of a procurement process by the Architecture and Urbanism Unit for a senior project consultant on the public spaces projects and to the virement of funds to finance this. The total value of the procurement (including any cumulative value) will be less than £50, 000 so a mini-tendering exercise is proposed.

Financial Regulations and Contracts Code of Practise

I have agreed to the amendment of the Financial Regulations and Contracts Code of Practise in relation to Assembly business as part of the agreed decision making arrangements.

In particular I have agreed to amend the Financial Regulations to provide for the Chief Executive to execute orders and invoices associated with approved Assembly and Secretariat expenditure within the approved annual budget with no limit on value (Director of Finance and Performance to deputise in the absence of the Chief Executive). I have also agreed to amend the Financial Regulations to provide for virements within approved Assembly and Secretariat budgets above £25, 000 and up to £50, 000 to be approved by the Business Management and Appointments Committee and above £50, 000 to be approved by BMAC in consultation myself. I have also noted the virement policy. I have agreed to amend the section on decision making in the Financial Regulations to distinguish between Mayoral, Assembly and GLRO decisions and the associated arrangements for reporting decisions, and the Contracts Code of Practice to provide for the Chief Executive to execute contract documents associated with approved Assembly and Secretariat expenditure within approved budgets with no limit on value (Director of Finance and Performance to deputise in the absence of the Chief Executive).

ICT Strategy Review

I have approved the programme of ICT projects for 2004/05 as part of the overall strategy approved for 2003/06. In addition I have approved the procedures for managing the programme including the arrangements dealing with:

• project management
  
• involving customers
  
• off-programme requests
  
• the provision of external technical expertise
  
• ongoing maintenance and support costs

IT Disaster Recovery services

I have approved the awarding of the contract to Synsyar plc for one year to provide IT recovery services in the event of an incident affecting City Hall. This follows a process to gather three written quotations and will cost £20, 000.

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Health

Workplace Mental Health Resource Pack

On 10 October, I launched a resource pack to provide guidance to employers on recruitment, employment and retention of people with mental health needs. The resource pack Mental Health in the workplace - finding the key to inclusion was launched at a special mental health event that I hosted at City Hall. Held on the eve of World Mental Health Day the event included a range of expert guest speakers from the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Although people with mental health needs have one of the lowest employment rates in the UK there are also many people already in employment coping with a range of mental health problems. Mental health can affect anyone at anytime and their employers large and small must ensure that they are valued and supported equally and that mental health needs generally are promoted rather than stigmatised.

It makes good business sense too for employers to recognize and understand those needs to help reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and develop a healthier workforce.

The resource pack which has been written by the mental health charity, Mentality, will help employers understand the issues surrounding mental health and offers a range of advice to address their concerns or lack of expertise in dealing with mental health needs in the workplace.

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Events

London Conference 2003

The 2003 London Conference will take place on 29 November at the QEII Conference centre. It is hoped that around 1500 will attend the day-long event.

The conference will offer the opportunity for Londoners to debate key issues for London over the coming years. Londoners will be able to hear directly from and ask questions of the people responsible for many of the public services which they use on a regular basis. Following the conference in 2002, it was found that over 60 borough councillors and 100 borough officers registered as delegates, as did a number of business people and representatives of business groups, trade unionists a wide selection of community of groups and other key stakeholders.

I have approved the funding of £128,000 for the event but it is the intention that sponsorship will be raised in order to cover part of the costs of the conference.

St Patrick's Day 2004

I have agreed to conduct a tender for a company to design, manage and deliver the 2004 London St Patrick's Day festival on the South Bank on 14 March 2004 and to supply appropriate stewarding and public liability insurance cover for the parade.

I have agreed that this contract will initially be for £175,000 (and therefore subject to OJEU procurement rules). The procurement will be carried out through a restricted accelerated procedure due to the time constraints in appointing a contractor in time to deliver the event on 14 March 2004.

I have agreed that the GLA will organise my St Patrick's day Dinner at an estimated gross cost of £35,000 for which appropriate external partners will be sought and sponsorship raised.

I have agreed that the GLA will organise support for the St Patrick's Day Parade including convening the St Patrick's Day Parade group with the Council pf Irish County associations and providing funding as appropriate to ensure the presence of marching bands and floats at an estimated gross cost of £25,000.

I have noted the proposed funding package, including the proposals to underwrite some costs pending the outcome of the sponsorship drive. I have agreed that raising sponsorship for the St Patrick's Day events, including the budget underwrites, will be the top priority for the sponsorship consultancy now established within Public Affairs. I have agreed the appropriate staff resource to deliver the above to be assigned from the Cultural Events Team and Public Affairs.

I have taken the appropriate steps to establish a Mayor's London St Patrick's Day Advisory Forum to advise on the delivery of London St Patrick's Day and to engage resources from the Irish Community in London, Irish Business and others in delivering these events.

Peace Reception

I have agreed to hold a London Peace Reception in London's Living Room on 19 November. The funding of £8,000 has been made available from the Project Development Fund.
As a major international city, London has a direct interest in peace and global stability. Final statistics are not yet available but it appears clear that, as predicted, Britain's participation in the US war against Iraq has had a significant impact on London's economy. London-specific figures on the actual impact on tourism are not yet available but across the UK as a whole, overseas visitors to the UK declined by 5% in the second quarter of 2003. Overseas visitor spending fell by 7.5%. This compares with a relatively good first quarter in which visits were up 9% and spending up 6% on 2002.

Visit London predict that tourism in London in 2003 will be down 15% on the previous year, which translates into an £870 million loss for the tourist industry. The purpose of the London Peace reception is to highlight this cost of war to London and our economy.

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The Londoner

Print Contract

I have approved the awarding of the contract to print future editions of the Londoner in 2003/04 and in 2004/5 subject to schedule to West Ferry Printers Ltd. This follows my prior agreement to carry out an EU procurement process to increase the number of printers on the GLA printing framework agreement and the awarding of a three-month contract to print the Londoner to West Ferry Printers Ltd.

The new contract will begin after the printing of the November edition of the Londoner.

Production of the Londoner

I have approved the production and distribution of four additional editions of the Londoner in 2003-04 subject to confirmation of funding. I have approved the production and distribution of eight issues of The Londoner in 2004/05 subject to confirmation of funding. I have agreed the sale of a limited amount of advertising space in the Londoner.

I have also agreed the virement of £40,000 from Policy and Partnerships' Supplies and services budgets to the Londoner budget. I have agreed that officers work with the functional bodies to develop a programme of 11 publications of the Londoner year in 2005/06 and future years.

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Planning and Development Control

Planning Decisions (Stage Two Referrals)

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

Guru Nanak Sikh School, Springfield Road, Hayes
I have written to Hillingdon Council stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Site 2, Brunel University, Cleveland Road, Uxbridge
I have written to Hillingdon Council stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Brunel University outline master plan proposals for the Uxbridge campus
I have written to Hillingdon Council stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Former Compton High School, Bengrath Road, Northolt
I have written to Ealing Council stating that I have decided not to direct refusal of this application.

Planning Decisions (Stage One Applications)

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

• 55-65 North Wharf Road, Paddington
  
• Whipps Cross University Hospital
  
• Plaza Walk, Grove Park
  
• Westbourne Green Site, Harrow Road
  
• Tree House School, Muswell Hill
  
• Caxton Hall, Caxton Street, SW1
  
• Vauxhall Tower, Effra Site
  
• Dulwich College
  
• The Dome Greenwich
  
• Chessington World of Adventure, Kingston
  
• Holwood House Bromley
  
• Pioneer Point, Redbridge
  

Unitary Development Plans

Bromley UDP -Public Inquiry - Housing Density and Affordable Housing policies and the Proposal Site 9, Crystal Palace (Top site)
I have written to the London Borough of Bromley with further written representations on housing density and affordable housing policies of their UDP and also with comments on the proposal site 9, Crystal Palace top site.

SPG-Planning obligations, Corporation of London
I have written to the Corporation of London with further representations on the operation of planning obligations in the city.

Frameworks

White City Opportunity Area Framework
I have asked officers to write to Hammersmith and Fulham Council following their consultation on the draft Opportunity Area Framework. After considering the report, I have concluded that I wish to endorse the draft framework as it will assist in delivering my draft London Plan policies.

South Shoreditch Planning Policy Framework
I have approved retrospectively, the GLA involvement in the South Shoreditch Planning Policy Framework, which is one of the East London Opportunity Areas outlined in my draft London Plan. I have agreed to waive the contracts code and retrospectively appoint Urban Practitioners/ Alan Baxter associates as consultants. I have authorised costs totalling £23, 568 to cover consultancy fees in relation to the South Shoreditch Planning Policy framework, funded by contributions from the other partnership bodies.

Government Consultation

I have responded to the following consultation documents

Draft PPG3 on Housin
I supported the proposed revisions with a number of caveats relating to the management of the process to avoid the loss of employment land which should be retained in employment use. The response set out the approach to employment land release in the draft London Plan and the draft SPG on industrial capacity which was recently published for consultation.

Copies of my planning decisions are available on the GLA website.

London Planning Awards shortlist

On 17 October the shortlist for the first ever London Planning Awards was announced. The Awards, run jointly by myself, London First and the Royal Town Planning Institute recognize outstanding planning achievements by individuals or organisations. The shortlist comprises four main categories

• Best public sector planner or planning organisation (sponsored by GVA Grimley)
  
• Best private sector planner or planning organisation (sponsored by Lovells)
  
• Best planning project or development contributing to London's future (sponsored by Berwin Leighton Paisner)
  
• Best community or partnership initiative (sponsored by St George PLC)

There will also be a special Mayor's Award for best overall entry from any category. Entries have been shortlisted by a panel of judges from the Greater London Authority, London First and the RTPI.

London is a dynamic capital that is home to 7 million people, which makes it one of the most exciting places for planners but brings unparalleled challenges as well. Good planning can create the thriving, inspiring urban centres that make London the world's most vibrant city. These Awards are about giving the positive contribution planning can make to London the recognition it deserves.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at City Hall on 3 December.

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Key Engagements

I have also attended the following key engagements in the last month:

• I met with Andrew Pelling AM to discuss Purley Cross on 9 October
  
• I met with Samantha Heath AM and local Councillors concerning the West London Tram on 9 October
  
• I had lunch with Paul Robeson Jr and representatives of SERTUC and the TUC on 13 October
  
• I spoke at the LWT "IT's for Life" awards ceremony on 13 October
  
• I addressed the Seminar for Muslim Communities at City Hall on 14 October
  
• I met with Stuart Hampson, Chair of John Lewis Partnership and other representatives on the retail industry on 14 October
  
• I attended the opening of the Admiral Duncan bombing memorial bench in Soho on 14 October
  
• I attended People's Question Time in Brent Town Hall on 14 October
  
• I attended the Assembly plenary meeting alongside Barbara Cassani to discuss the Olympic Bid on 15 October
  
• I met with representatives of the Arts Council on 15 October
  
• I attended the opening of the new Fire Brigade control centre at Canary Wharf on 16 October
  
• I spoke about the London Plan at Birkbeck College and attended a reception on 16 October
  
• I attended the London First Diwali Dinner on 16 October
  
• I attended the TfL Board meeting to discuss the Business Plan on 20 October
  
• I attended the International Journalists reception on 20 October
  
• I chaired the LFEPA Budget Steering group meeting on 21 October
  
• I met with Val Shawcross AM concerning the Herne Hill Velodrome project on 21 October
  
• I met Tony McNulty MP, Minister for London on 21 October
  
• I met with officers of the Labour Group of London MPs on 22 October
  
• I addressed the South London Press Local Heroes event on 22 October
  
• I attended the TfL congestion charging seminar on 23 October
  
• I addressed the symposium on Witness Protection at City Hall on 23 October
  
• I addressed the launch of the new Unicorn Theatre on 23 October
  
• I met with John McDonnell MP and Bob Gorringe about Southall Railway Museum on 23 October
  
• I attended the Laban Centre reception at City Hall on 24 October
  
• I addressed the British Gala for the London Film Festival and attended the screening of "The Mother" on 25 October
  
• I attended the Diwali celebrations at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple in Neasden on 26 October
  
• I attended the launch of the "Feel safe in your home" poster on 28 October
  
• I attended the Olympics Stakeholder Panel meeting on 28 October
  
• I attended the Future of Retailing in London Conference on 28 October
  
• I attended the filming of "Ask Ken" on 28 October
  
• I addressed the Commonwealth Local Government Forum UK members conference on 3 November
  
• I attended the London First Dinner with US investment backs on 3 November
  
• I attended the launch of the London Allotments Gazetteer on 4 November
  
• I chaired my regular meeting with SERTUC on 4 November

Ken Livingstone
5 November 2003

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