Mayor rejects Assembly improvements as his budget passes

9 FEBRUARY 2012

The Mayor of London has been accused of refusing to listen to recommendations to improve his £14.6 billion Greater London Authority (GLA) budget for 2012-13.

The final budget setting meeting[1] at City Hall today approved the Mayor’s budget unchanged as no proposed amendments commanded the necessary votes to pass[2].

However, in a motion passed[3] by the London Assembly at today’s meeting the majority of Assembly Members condemned the Mayor for failing to accept Assembly recommendations on action to strengthen policing, reduce the impact of higher transport fares and improve cycle safety and air quality.

Mike Tuffrey AM, who proposed the motion, said:

“The Mayor has yet again turned a deaf ear to sensible proposals from a variety of Assembly Members that could get more bang for the GLA’s buck. Such intransigence is not just disappointing but also detrimental to Londoners interests.”

John Biggs AM, who seconded the motion, said:

“The Assembly is disappointed that the Mayor has not properly responded to the legitimate concerns of Londoners as expressed by their elected Assembly Members. Budget making inevitably involves hard choices but we feel that the Mayor could have made a better balanced decision.”

The full text of the motion reads as follows:

"This Assembly notes that in presenting his Final Draft Consolidated Budget the Mayor has left unchanged his spending priorities, despite the Assembly's recommendations, agreed by majority resolution in January[4].  The Mayor has also failed to include the many individual initiatives proposed by the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green party groups, nor taken up the items for savings identified by them.

Accordingly this Assembly calls on the Mayor to amend the budget plans for 2012/13 in the following specific areas, all commanding majority Assembly support:

On policing, reverse the cuts in 150 sergeants, invest more in safer neighbourhoods and take action on gangs and youth knife crime through Operation Connect and the Safer London Foundation.

On transport, reduce the impact of higher fares, improve cycle safety at dangerous junctions, accelerate the introduction of cleaner bus engines with at least an additional 50 hybrids and introduce an inner clean air zone.

On housing and jobs, accelerate the home energy efficiency programme to at least an extra 25,000 homes and create more apprenticeships.” 

Notes for Editors:

  1. The budget is set according to Schedule 6 of the GLA Act 1999 which requires any amendment to the Final Draft Consolidated Budget receive a two-thirds majority of Assembly Members present and voting. If no amendment is successful the budget is deemed approved unamended.
  2. The GLA Budget 2012-13 was approved by 9 votes in favour, 5 against with 8 abstentions.
  3. The motion was agreed by 13 votes in favour, 9 against.
  4. See news release Mayor’s budget fails on key London priorities, says Assembly
  5. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.