MD3391 - Delivery Plan – Reducing Inequalities

Background
1.1.    The Greater London Authority (GLA) has been establishing refreshed delivery and governance arrangements over the last few months. 

1.2.    In undertaking these changes, we have:
•    defined a set of London-level, long-term outcomes that reflect Londoners’ aspirations for the city – the GLA and the GLA Group, in partnership with others, are working towards these
•    agreed a small set of strategic, high-level programmes that the Mayor will commission the GLA Group to deliver, so that the GLA and the GLA Group make the appropriate contributions towards the London-level outcomes.
1.3.    MD3274: Updates to GLA Governance Documents, published on 13 June 2024, marked the first formal step in implementing new portfolio and governance arrangements. It set out approved revisions to the arrangements through which the Mayor exercises and, where appropriate, delegates his powers. It also laid out some changes to the way the GLA’s senior leadership works, to ensure that the GLA is successful in exercising its strategic role and in securing delivery.
1.4.    The GLA is now bringing forward, for approval, delivery plans for the 14 strategic, high-level programmes that are led by the GLA and involve functional bodies, as appropriate. These are numbered 1-14 and set out below, along with delivery plans 15-21, where the relevant GLA Group organisation is taking a leadership role: 
1.    Building more homes
2.    Making best use of land
3.    Improving London’s housing stock
4.    Reducing inequalities
5.    Accommodation and wider support for those who need it most
6.    Reducing non-residential emissions
7.    Delivering a greener, more climate-resilient London
8.    Cleaning London’s air
9.    Supporting Londoners to benefit from growth
10.    Supporting and inspiring young London
11.    Boosting London’s growth sectors
12.    Helping local economies to thrive
13.    Upgrading London’s infrastructure
14.    Supporting community, cultural and sporting events in London
15.    Reducing violence and exploitation
16.    Building safer, more confident communities
17.    Supporting and overseeing reform of the MPS
18.    Improving the criminal justice system and supporting victims
19.    Healthy streets
20.    Decarbonising transport
21.    Providing more effective, accessible and affordable public transport.
1.5.    The Mayor has been issuing mandates for these proposed programmes to prospective senior responsible owners (SRO). Mayoral mandates define what the Mayor wants to see from each programme – including their scope, objectives and cross-cutting priorities. Programmes and their associated delivery plans have been developed by the proposed programme SRO – working with the relevant Deputy Mayors, Mayoral Directors and others in response to the Mayor’s mandates. They have been developed to strike the right balance between setting out plans and retaining flexibility to respond to events and learning, as delivery progresses. This approach recognises the importance of agility, in the context of a changing landscape.
1.6.    Delivery plans lay out the London-level outcomes to which each programme contributes. In considering the GLA’s specific role in contributing to the London-level outcomes, programme SROs have focused on the GLA’s role as London’s strategic regional authority. This has meant looking carefully at where activities most effectively sit within the London system; and how the GLA can work with partners to unlock and drive progress. In some cases that will be through direct delivery or funding. In others it will be through more indirect mechanisms – such as system reconfiguration, coalition formation, technical support or capacity building.
1.7.    Resource allocations to each programme are based on the allocations contained in the GLA: Mayor Budget 2025-26. Changes required to delivery plans over time will be agreed by the Mayoral Delivery Board (MDB) or the Mayor, in line with our revised governance arrangements.
1.8.    Delivery plans lay out how each programme makes a positive difference to the relevant London-level outcomes. Key programme outputs are also detailed and will be reported quarterly to the MDB, which is responsible for monitoring the performance and delivery of each programme.
Overview of the Reducing Inequalities delivery plan
1.9.    The Mayoral mandate for the Reducing Inequalities programme is appended to this Decision form at Appendix 1. The proposed delivery plan is appended at Appendix 2 and presented by the Assistant Director for Health, Children and Young Londoners as the proposed SRO, for the Mayor’s approval. 
1.10.    The Mayor is invited to approve the plan, and the resources allocated to it. This would enable the GLA, working with partners, to contribute to the core London-level outcomes: 
•    Londoners are treated fairly and with dignity 
•    Londoners can have a say in the running of the city
•    Londoners get on with and support each other
•    Londoners’ incomes meet their everyday needs 
•    Londoners have access to a health and care system that supports them when they need it
•    Londoners live in a city that supports their mental and physical health.
1.11.    Inequality in London is deep-rooted and multifaceted. It is driven by poverty; discrimination; unequal access to public services; and limited opportunities. These inequalities – economic, educational, health-related, and more – are interconnected and reinforce each other across generations.
1.12.    London has the widest income gap in the UK, with the richest earning nine times more than the poorest. After housing costs, London also has the highest poverty rate: in 2024, 26 per cent of residents were living in poverty. Despite being the UK’s wealthiest city, the poorest Londoners have 33 per cent less income than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK.
1.13.    Health inequalities in London are deeply entrenched: data shows that average healthy life expectancy ranges from 58 years in our most deprived neighbourhoods, to 70 years in our most affluent. Significant health inequity persists in health outcomes between different communities; for example, South Asian and Black Londoners are up to four times more likely to develop and live with the life-limiting effects of heart disease and other related conditions. 
1.14.    The Mayor’s ambition is to make London the fairest city in the world. Many of the tools needed to deliver this ambition, and address the systemic inequality experienced by Londoners, lie beyond the GLA’s direct control. However, as a strategic authority with responsibilities for social development and reducing inequalities, the GLA has a critical role to play in driving meaningful change. This will be achieved through the GLA’s system leadership role – in leading by example, through the practices of the GLA Group and direct interventions that address key areas of inequality. 
1.15.    Work to address structural inequality in London requires a cross-cutting approach. It is therefore woven throughout all of the GLA’s strategic programmes. Delivery of the Reducing Inequalities programme is closely aligned with other programmes, including: 
•    Supporting and inspiring young London
•    Supporting Londoners to benefit from growth
•    Accommodation and support for those who need it most
•    Supporting community, cultural and sporting events in London.
1.16.    It also requires dedicated work to address specific issues of inequality, as set out in the Mayor’s mandate for this programme. Details of this delivery plan are organised according to the London-level outcome to which each aspect contributes. 
1.17.    The proposed delivery plan sets out the budget for each project within the programme. Projects detailed in the delivery plan fall into one of two categories:
•    projects that are already set out in detail in an existing Mayoral Decision (MD) or Director Decision, as detailed in paragraph 1.18
•    projects for which this MD seeks Mayoral delegation to the SRO to take expenditure decisions, as detailed in paragraph 1.19. 
1.18.    The projects with MDs and/or other relevant approvals already in place are:
•    income maximisation and child poverty: 
o    MD3402 – £5,659,000
o    DD2763 – £220,000
•    working with national and local government to tackle poverty: MD3285 – £50,000 in 2025-26 
•    further activity on civic and democratic participation, Loved and Wanted, faith engagement, direct engagement and partnership with London’s communities, and tackling inequalities in partnership with equity-led civil society organisations projects – MD3408, totalling £2,339,000. 
1.19.    Projects for which this MD seeks Mayoral delegation to the SRO to take expenditure decisions are: 
•    projects to ensure that Londoners are treated fairly and with dignity, including work to engage Londoners to shape GLA Group programmes and policy, work to embed equality and equity and projects to increase trust and confidence in public services (totalling £536,000 in 2025-26, £536,000 in 2026-27 and £536,000 in 2027-28)
•    projects to strengthen the GLA’s working with London’s communities (totalling £1,119,000 in 2025-26, £1,112,000 in 2026-27 and £1,167,000 in 2027-28)
•    support for the London Anchor Institutions’ Network (LAIN) (totalling £412,000 in 2025-26, £416,000 in 2026-27 and £420,000 in 2027-28)
•    projects to help ensure that Londoners have access to a health and care system that supports them when they need it – including work to support the development of London’s health and care system, carry out work on health innovation, tackle health inequalities, and implement the Mayor’s tests on NHS reorganisation (totalling £787,000 in 2025-26, £787,000 in 2026-27 and £787,000 in 2027-28)
•    projects to help ensure that Londoners live in a city that supports their mental and physical health – including work in partnership to support mental health and wellbeing, action to use the creative and cultural assets of London to improve wellbeing, action to improve heart health, and action to mobilise the full range of Mayoral policy to improve health and wellbeing (totalling £787,000 in 2025-26, £787,000 in 2026-27 and £787,000 in 2027-28).
1.20.    The Assistant Director for Health, Children and Young Londoners will ensure compliance with the obligations set out in the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014. These describe when written records of decisions and their content need to be published. Assistant Director Decisions will be required, where appropriate, to meet these transparency requirements, including in instances where GLA funds are paid to external organisations.
Transfers to/from other programmes
1.21.    Development of this delivery plan has prompted refinements to the published budget. As such, Mayoral approval is sought for budget transfers between Reducing Inequalities and other programmes, in accordance with GLA governance processes. These transfers are listed in paragraphs 1.22-1.27. Totals for each year are outlined at section 5, below.
1.22.    Funding for the London Music Fund was included within the Reducing Inequalities programme when the GLA 2025-26 budget was approved in March 2025. It is proposed that it is more appropriate for these activities to be included within the Supporting and Inspiring Young London programme. This MD seeks approval to transfer this funding accordingly.
1.23.    Funding for the Survey of Londoners, and a central directorate post, was included within the Reducing Inequalities programme when the GLA 2025-26 budget was approved in March 2025. It is proposed that it is more appropriate for these activities to be included within the Core programmes. This MD seeks approval to transfer this funding accordingly.
1.24.    Funding for the Mayor’s Community Weekend, and part of the funding for the Liberty Festival, were included within the Reducing Inequalities programme when the GLA 2025-26 budget was approved in March 2025. It is proposed that it is more appropriate for these activities to be included within the Supporting Community, Cultural and Sporting Events in London programme. This MD seeks approval to transfer this funding accordingly.
1.25.    Funding for the Economic Development Customer Relationship Management system was included within the Reducing Inequalities programme when the GLA 2025-26 budget was approved in March 2025. It is proposed that it is more appropriate for these activities to be included within the Boosting London’s Growth Sectors programme. This MD seeks approval to transfer this funding accordingly.
1.26.    Funding for the London Plus Grant, the London Communities Emergencies Partnership resilience grant and London Funders Membership were included within the Supporting and Inspiring Young London programme when the GLA 2025-26 budget was approved in March 2025. It is proposed that it is more appropriate for these activities to be included within the Reducing Inequalities programme. This MD seeks approval to transfer this funding accordingly.
1.27.    Funding for the Loved and Wanted Community Support project was included within the Accommodation and Wider Support for Those Who Need It Most programme when the GLA 2025-26 budget was approved in March 2025. It is proposed that it is more appropriate for these activities to be included within the Reducing Inequalities programme. This MD seeks approval to transfer this funding accordingly.
GLA funding from reprofile of prior year underspend
1.28.    GLA funding from a reprofile of underspend of programmes from the prior year 2024-25 within this delivery plan is being allocated across 2026-27 to 2028-29 to fund the shortfall in the London Anchor Institutions’ Network project and the extension of three fixed-term posts supporting the Income Maximisation project.
Securing additional funding for projects in the delivery plan
1.29.    Where funding is secured in the future to support the delivery of projects with legacy approvals in place, this decision form seeks approval to agree the receipt of such funding by the GLA without the need for a further MD. This would be for any funding secured to deliver projects that are already approved, and which contribute to the Reducing Inequalities delivery plan.
1.30.    Where additional funding from government (or other sources) is secured in the future to expand, or extend, existing approved projects contained in the Reducing Inequalities delivery plan, and the parameters remain the same, or similar, as originally agreed with the government (or the relevant body), this MD seeks approval to delegate to the Assistant Director for Health, Children and Young Londoners, approval of the receipt of such funding after consulting with legal advisers and the GLA’s Chief Finance Officer, and subsequently having secured agreement from the MDB. For the purposes of considering whether the parameters are similar as originally agreed with government (or the relevant body), the Assistant Director for Health, Children and Young Londoners will have regard to whether the outcomes to be delivered have changed significantly, or if there is a significant change in attendant risks of the original scheme. If the outcomes to be delivered have changed significantly, there is a significant change in attendant risks, or the decision is viewed as novel, contentious or repercussive, an MD will be required.
1.31.    Any decisions to accept additional funding will need to comply with the obligations set out in the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014, as highlighted in paragraph 1.20, above. Any decisions to accept additional funding that do not require a formal decision form must be documented via a Record in Writing, as defined in MD3274: Updates to GLA Governance Documents, signed in June 2024. These decisions will be publicly reported every quarter. 

2.1.    The delivery plan for the Reducing Inequalities programme describes how the GLA will: 
•    address inequality in London through system leadership that brings partners together to achieve change
•    lead by example using the functions and actions of the GLA Group to address inequality
•    use the available resources to directly intervene and address key inequalities. 
2.2.    The objectives and expected outcomes of the programme are set out in the Reducing Inequalities delivery plan, at Appendix 2.
2.3.    The core London-level outcomes to which this programme will contribute are: Londoners are treated fairly and with dignity; Londoners can have a say in the running of the city; Londoners get on with and support each other; Londoners’ incomes meet their everyday needs; Londoners have access to a health and care system that supports them when they need it; and Londoners live in a city that supports their mental and physical health.
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Mayor and GLA must comply with the public sector equality duty (PSED) and must have due regard to the need to:
•    eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act
•    advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not
•    foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.
3.2.    The ‘protected characteristics’ are: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership (but only in respect of the requirements to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination), race (ethnic or national origins, colour or nationality), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, and sexual orientation. 
3.3.    Consideration of the PSED is not a one-off task. The duty must be fulfilled before taking a decision, at the time of taking a decision, and after the decision has been taken, to ensure that equalities impacts are kept under ongoing review.
3.4.    The GLA also considers wider structural inequalities in its decision making – such as the experiences of carers, care-leavers, migrant Londoners and those facing socioeconomic disadvantage. 
3.5.    The Reducing Inequalities delivery plan helps achieve a number of the Mayor’s statutory equality objectives. Progress on delivery of these objectives is reported on each year in the Mayor’s Annual Equality Report.
3.6.    Programmes within the Reducing Inequalities delivery plan will address inequalities faced by groups with protected characteristics, as well as wider groups facing structural inequality, in the following ways:
•    Londoners facing structural inequality across the protected characteristics can directly influence and shape Mayoral policies and programmes via the following forums, all chaired by the Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice: 
o    the GLA’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group
o    the Deaf and disabled people’s Organisation Forum
o    race equality roundtables
o    new forums for engaging with LGBTQI+ Londoners, women and girls and older Londoners.
•    The civic and democratic participation project helps Londoners tackle inequalities and barriers to their civic and democratic participation, especially among Black, Asian and other minority ethnic Londoners; migrant Londoners, including EU and Commonwealth Londoners; young Londoners; Deaf and disabled Londoners; LGBTQIA+ Londoners; homeless, social and private renting Londoners; older Londoners; and those from a low socio-economic background. These are the Londoners currently less likely to be registered to vote or represented in the democratic system, or to possess an approved photo ID to vote.
•    The London anti-racism collaboration for health (LARCH) project supports action to tackle structural racism and reduce health inequalities. The report, by the Institute for Health Equity Structural Racism, Ethnicity and Health Inequalities in London,  forms the evidence base for LARCH, bringing together research and data on the drivers that shape structural inequalities. LARCH’s work recognises race as a key factor for shaping health outcomes, whilst recognising that this intersects with other protected characteristics.
•    Funding for ThriveLDN will support its core enabling functions, including producing research and insights, engaging communities, supporting the legacy of the Wellbeing Champions programme, and convening system partners. These will support Londoners from particular faith backgrounds, Londoners with disabilities, and women and girls.
•    Work delivered with national and local government to tackle poverty will contribute to better outcomes for London households living in, or at risk of experiencing, poverty by working towards and influencing improvements to various forms of national and local support. Groups in London that are disproportionately likely to experience poverty or destitution include Londoners from Black, Asian or other minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled Londoners, older and younger Londoners, single-parent households, and migrant households – particularly those subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition.
•    Work to address income maximisation supports people with protected characteristics – including older Londoners; disabled Londoners; and Black, Asian and other minority ethnic Londoners. Demographic data from June to December 2024 suggests that 70 per cent of people supported by the Advising Londoners Programme were from a Black, Asian or other minority ethnic background. Previous benefit take-up activity has supported older Londoners by increasing take-up of Pension Credit, a benefit targeted at over-65s; this has secured £9.5m in benefit claims for older Londoners across the capital.
3.7.    Reducing Inequalities projects, where already approved, have evidenced their equalities commitments via the Decisions process. This includes completing Equality Impact Assessments (EqIAs), where relevant. A programme-wide EqIA is under way to ensure that the Reducing Inequalities programme, as a whole advances, equality of opportunity, and fosters good relations, between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.
3.8.    Where projects in the Reducing Inequalities delivery plan require further MDs or other formal approvals, equalities considerations will be finalised through these decisions, including a full EqIA where appropriate.
 

Risks and issues
4.1.    The following programme-level risks to the delivery of the Reducing Inequalities programme have been identified:

4.2.    The Assistant Director for Health, Children and Young Londoners as the SRO for the programme, will be responsible for implementing and overseeing a risk framework for delivery. Project risks and mitigations will be managed at a project level (as is currently the case) and reported periodically to the programme board. The programme board will also review the above programme-level risks and mitigations; and will report on these to the MDB, as well as progress against programme objectives, as part of the GLA’s quarterly reporting regime. 
Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities
4.3.    The Reducing Inequalities delivery plan sets out details of interventions that will support the Mayor’s commitments and policies. These support the commitments set out in the Reducing Inequalities mandate (Appendix 1).
4.4.    The Mayor’s equality objectives (2022) include a range of objectives to reduce inequalities affecting people with protected characteristics. The delivery plan: 
•    includes interventions that tackle structural inequalities; engages Londoners to incorporate their views into policy and programme governance
•    puts in place the tools so that the GLA and GLA Group can deliver EqIAs
•    ensures compliance with equality laws and reporting annually on progress toward the Mayor’s equality objectives.
4.5.    The delivery plan supports the Mayor’s 10-year London Health Inequalities Strategy 2018-28 (published October 2018), and the delivery of its Implementation Plan 2025-28. This work brings together projects across the GLA Group portfolio that will have the greatest impact on reducing health inequalities. It includes the core Group Public Health function, supporting the Mayor’s ambition to achieve health in all policies. 
4.6.    The Mayor of London is committed to addressing the climate, nature and air-quality crises, with a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. This plan emphasises a just transition, ensuring that climate actions also promote social equity. The Reducing Inequalities delivery plan includes action to reduce environmental inequalities by aligning with other Mayoral strategies.
4.7.    Work within this programme also supports outcomes for the Supporting and Inspiring Young London and Celebrating London programmes; it provides support for low-income families and other communities facing disadvantage. It will also contribute to safety mandates, by helping provide opportunities to keep young Londoners safe from harm. 
Consultations and impact assessments
4.8.    For projects that already have a formal Decision form in place, the consultation or underlying evidence of need undertaken for these projects is set out in the relevant Decision forms. 
4.9.    Where further MD forms will be required to progress the projects in the Reducing Inequalities delivery plan, consultation will be undertaken where appropriate. This will be shaped through engagement with relevant stakeholders such as delivery partners, London’s civil society and community infrastructure organisations, and communities themselves. 
4.10.    There are no conflicts of interest arising from those involved in the drafting and clearance of this Decision form. As and when individual conflicts of interest arise during the delivery of initiatives contained in the Reducing Inequalities delivery plan, they will be addressed in line with the GLA policy on registering and declaring interests.
 

5.1.    The programme budget is set out in the delivery plan and summarised in the table below.

5.2.    The budget allocated to this delivery plan is presented in the GLA: Mayor budget 2025-26, approved on 31 March 2025 under MD3330.
5.3.    It is proposed that the budget will be transferred between this programme’s delivery plan and other programmes’ delivery plans, in accordance with our governance processes, and subject to Mayoral approval of this MD.
5.4.    The budget set out at paragraph 5.1 reflects the net effect of these proposed budget transfers, and the proposed budget reprofile from prior year 2024-25 underspend to fund shortfalls to this programme outlined in paragraph 1.28.
5.5.    Any budget commitments for future years are subject to the annual budget-setting process.
5.6.    Any further transfers and movements within the budget for this Delivery Plan will be handled in accordance with GLA governance processes. 

6.1.    Under section 30(1) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (the GLA Act), the Mayor, acting on behalf of the GLA, has the power to do anything that he considers will further any one or more of the GLA’s principal purposes, which are:
•    promoting economic development and wealth creation in Greater London
•    promoting social development in Greater London
•    promoting the improvement of the environment in Greater London. 
6.2.    In deciding whether or how to exercise the general powers in section 30(1), section 30(4) requires the GLA to have regard to the effect which the proposed exercise of the power would have on:
•    the health of persons in Greater London
•    health inequalities between persons living in Greater London
•    the achievement of sustainable development in the UK
•    climate change, and the consequences of climate change. 
6.3.    Where the GLA exercises the power under section 30(1), pursuant to section 30(5), it must do so in the way it considers is best calculated to:
•    promote improvements in the health of persons in Greater London
•    promote the reduction of health inequalities between persons living in Greater London
•    contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the UK
•    contribute towards the mitigation of, or adaptation to, climate change, in the UK.
6.4.    The GLA must also make arrangements with a view to securing that, in the exercise of the power in section 30(1), there is due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people in accordance with section 33 of the GLA Act; and consult with such bodies or persons as the GLA may consider appropriate – in this particular case, in accordance with section 32 of the GLA Act. 
6.5.    Under section 34 of the GLA Act, the GLA – acting on behalf of the Mayor, the Assembly, or both jointly – may do anything that is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of any functions of the GLA exercisable by the Mayor; or, as the case may be, by the Assembly, or by both acting jointly. The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the GLA’s powers under sections 30 and 34 of the GLA Act. 
6.6.    Under section 38 of the GLA Act, any function exercisable by the Mayor on behalf of the GLA may also be exercised by a member of the GLA’s staff – albeit subject to any conditions that the Mayor sees fit to impose. To this end, the Mayor may make the requested delegations to the Assistant Director of Health, Children and Young Londoners, subject to the conditions and requirements set out in this MD. 
6.7.    Section 31 of the GLA Act places limits on the general power in delivery of the main purposes of the GLA and prohibits the GLA from incurring expenditure on anything that may be done by Transport for London (TfL), the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, or the London Fire Commissioner.
6.8.    In taking the decisions requested of him, the Mayor must comply with the PSED contained in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.
6.9.    If the Mayor makes the decisions sought, officers must also ensure that:
•    no reliance is placed on, nor commitments made in reliance of:
o    third-party funding, until legally binding commitments are secured for it and officers are satisfied that their proposed use of the same aligns with any conditions of award
o    future budgets, remaining subject to the outcome of the budget-setting process for future financial years, until those budget-setting exercises are completed
o    “returned funding” without confirmation that it can be used as proposed; and, where applicable, liaising with third-party funders and varying current GLA funding agreements to reflect the reallocation of funding
•    where applicable, the Subsidy Control Act 2022 is complied with
•    where expenditure concerns: 
o    purchase of services: they are procured in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code (the Code) and, where applicable, the Procurement Act 2023 (the Act); there is appropriate engagement with TfL’s procurement and supply chain team, which will determine the detail of the procurement strategy to be adopted in accordance with the Code and the Act; and appropriate contractual documentation is put in place, and executed by the chosen service provider and GLA, before the commencement of those services 
o    the award of grant funding: such awards are made fairly, transparently, and in accordance with the GLA’s equalities requirements and the requirements of the Code; and funding agreements are put in place between, and executed by, the GLA and recipients before any commitment to fund is made.
6.10.    The extent to which decisions are sought which involve the making of commitments which extend beyond the current Mayoral term, officers must ensure that the terms of all agreements entered into concerning such commitments do not have the effect of fettering the discretion of any successor administration, considering in particular the London elections taking place in May 2028. Accordingly, officers must ensure that all agreements that involve making such commitments include a GLA right to terminate, at any point, for convenience (at no cost to the GLA), and are managed in such a manner; and any services, supplies, works deliverables, milestones and/or output requirements are structured so as to mitigate risks of the GLA incurring abortive expenditure (which might be reasonably be taken to fetter, practically, the exercise of such discretion).
6.11.    If the Mayor makes the decisions sought, the Assistant Director for Health, Children and Young Londoners, must have regard to the obligations set out in the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 when taking decisions in accordance with the delegations set out in this decision form, or any other delegations in existing MDs. Note, in particular, regulation 7, which provides that, where a decision has been delegated to an officer either (a) under a specific express authorisation or (b) under a general authorisation, and the effect of the decision is to award a contract or incur expenditure that, in either case, materially affects the GLA’s financial position, the officer to whom the delegation has been made must produce a written record of the decision (regulation 7(1) and (2)). Regulation 7(3) provides that the written record must be produced as soon as reasonably practicable after the decision has been taken; and must contain: the date the decision was taken; a record of the decision taken with reasons, details of options considered and rejected, if any; and – where a decision is delegated under a specific express authorisation – any conflicts of interest. Regulation 8 provides that the written record, together with any background papers, must – as soon as reasonably practicable, after the record is made – be made available for inspection by members of the public including on the GLA’s website.
 

7.1.    Timelines are as set out in the delivery plan appended as Appendix 2. 

•    Appendix 1 – Reducing Inequalities Mayoral mandate
•    Appendix 2 – Reducing Inequalities delivery plan