Agenda and minutes
GLA Oversight Committee - Thursday 21 March 2013 10.00 am

1.1  Apologies for absence were received from Andrew Boff AM and Tony Arbour AM.

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the list of Assembly Members’ appointments, as set out in the tables at Agenda Item 2, as disclosable pecuniary interests;

(b)  Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any disclosable pecuniary interests in specific items listed on the agenda and the necessary action taken by the Member(s) regarding withdrawal following such declaration(s); and

(c)  Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any other interests deemed to be relevant (including any interests arising from gifts and hospitality received which are not at the time of the meeting reflected on the Authority’s register of gifts and hospitality, and noting also the advice from the GLA’s Monitoring Officer set out at Agenda Item 2) and any necessary action taken by the Member(s) following such declaration(s).

2.1    Resolved:

(a)  That the list of Assembly Members’ appointments, as set out in the table at Item 2, be noted as disclosable pecuniary interests; and

(b)  That gifts and hospitality received by Members, as set out in the Authority’s gifts and hospitality register, be noted.

The Committee is recommended to confirm the minutes of the meeting of the GLA Oversight Committee held on 26 February 2013 to be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

3.1    Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting of the GLA Oversight Committee held on 26 February 2013 be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

4.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

4.2  In relation to the Committee’s views on proposals for a GLA code of practice in the use of statistics, as expressed at its meeting of 26 February 2013, Valerie Shawcross AM felt that recent correspondence between the Chair of the Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee and the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) supported Members’ concerns about the proposed GLA code.

4.3  Joanne McCartney AM suggested that the Committee should have a further opportunity to review the proposed GLA code prior to its implementation.  The Deputy Chair felt that, in light of the comments made by the Chair of the UKSA, the GLA Oversight Committee should consider a further paper on the proposed code as an item for more in-depth scrutiny rather than a consultative item of business.  As such, the Chair suggested that the Head of Paid Service’s response to the Assembly’s concerns on the proposed code should be addressed at the next meeting as a separate agenda item rather than discussed as part of the standing Summary List of Actions report.

4.4  The Head of Paid Service confirmed that any delay in responding to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  John Barry; [email protected]; 020 7983 4425 

The Committee is recommended to note the action taken by the Chair of the Committee under delegated authority.

5.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat setting out recent correspondence issued by the Chair of the GLA Oversight Committee under delegated authority in relation to the Mayor's appointment of Ray Lewis as Senior Adviser, Mentoring. The Committee felt that the Mayor's response to questions asked at the London Assembly Mayor's Question Time meeting on 20 March 2013 in relation to Mr Lewis and the revised Mayoral Scheme of Delegation implicitly acknowledged the concerns of both the Assembly and those made by the Bishop of Barking in his letter to the Mayor of June 2010.

5.2  Resolved:

That the recent action taken by the Chair of the Committee under delegated authority be noted.

6.1  The Head of Paid Service informed the Committee that plans, discussed at the Committee’s meeting on 29 January, for the sharing of human resources, information technology and media services between the GLA and the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime were still in progress and that a progress report would be submitted for the Committee's consideration at its meeting in May 2013.

6.2  The Head of Paid Service also advised that following discussions with Unison, and in the knowledge that the union had decided not to make a pay claim for the current year, a staff pay increase would not be awarded. In response to a query, the Head of Paid Service made it clear that he had not consulted the Mayor on the decision. The Committee suggested that in future years it should receive a formal consultation paper on the matter in advance of any decision being made.

6.3  The Committee requested an update on the progress and the public availability of the Mayor's 2020 Vision document. Members were informed by the Head of Paid Service that, whilst he had pursued the matter with the Mayor's Office, the launch date remained to be settled. The Head of Paid  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Report of the Head of Paid Service

Contact: Juliette Carter; [email protected]; 020 7983 4194

The Committee is recommended to respond to the Head of Paid Service consultation on the proposed changes to the establishment in the GLA.

7.1  The Committee received the report of the Head of Paid Service that set out proposed changes to the Intelligence Unit and the External Affairs Directorate with a net reduction of 6 posts overall and a total expected saving of £450,000 per annum.

7.2  The Chair of the Committee queried the stated intent, in both the report and the consultation document issued to staff, to create stronger lines of communication with the Mayor's Chief Economic Adviser as being one of the main aims of the GLA Economics restructure. It was, he felt, an error to build a team specifically to support transient political appointments.

7.3  The Head of Paid Service explained that whilst GLA Economics was expected to work closely with and take its direction from the Mayor's Chief Economic Adviser, the proposed restructure was intended to reflect the business and staffing needs of the GLA and address an overdue need to review the management structure within the team.

7.4  Caroline Pidgeon AM sought reassurance that the restructure would not affect the work of GLA Economics, particularly in areas such as London's Living Wage where it had undertaken highly-valued work. The Head of Paid Service referred the Committee to paragraph  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of the Director of External Affairs

Contact: Dáire Basra; [email protected]; 020 7983 4033

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the proposals for the 2013 State of London Debate; and

(b)  Provide any views, ideas or suggestions on further ways to improve State of London as a consultative event.

8.1  The Committee received the report of the Director of Marketing.

8.2  The Chair stated that he felt that the proposals for the 2013 State of London Debate (SOLD) demonstrated a paucity of imagination and innovation and therefore reflected badly on the Authority as a whole. The Chair pointed to the low attendance of the previous (and similarly organised) SOLD event as evidence of a need to do more to change the approach. The Chair suggested that further work should be undertaken to engage younger people, that events should be held in the weeks preceding the debate and that consideration should be given to a greater involvement for the London Assembly. 

8.3  Caroline Pidgeon AM echoed the view that the Assembly should have a stronger role in the event, that the choice of venue was uninspired and that the 2013 SOLD event should aspire to the success of the 2009 SOLD event held at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster.  The Member added that this year's event could be the vehicle for proper debate and discussion on the Mayor's 2020 Vision and should make full use of exhibition space to fully engage the public.

8.4  Joanne McCartney AM  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Mark Roberts; [email protected]; 020 7983 4428 

The Committee is recommended to agree the overall proposed allocation of the Assembly budget for 2013-14 as set out in the report.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Ed Williams; [email protected]; 020 7983 4399 

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Consider the proposed revisions to the GLA’s Standing Orders attached as Appendix 1; and

(b)  Subject to the decision in relation to recommendation 2.1, agree to grant delegated authority to the Chair of the Assembly to: (i) consult the Mayor of London about the proposed changes to the GLA’s Standing Orders in advance of the London Assembly’s Annual Meeting on 1 May 2013; and (ii) following consultation with the Mayor, to approve the final proposed revisions to the GLA’s Standing Orders for consideration at the Annual Meeting of the Assembly. 

10.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

10.2  Resolved:

(a)  That the proposed revisions to the GLA’s Standing Orders attached as Appendix 1 of the report be agreed; and

(b)  That delegated authority be granted to the Chair of the Assembly to: (i) consult the Mayor of London about the proposed changes to the GLA’s Standing Orders in advance of the London Assembly’s Annual Meeting on 1 May 2013; and (ii) following consultation with the Mayor, to approve the final proposed revisions to the GLA’s Standing Orders for consideration at the Annual Meeting of the Assembly. 

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  John Barry; [email protected]; 020 7983 4425

The Committee is recommended to note its work programme for 2012/13 and identify any additional issues it wishes to consider at future meetings.

11.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.  Valerie Shawcross AM noted a spelling mistake made in the report in relation to future agenda items.

11.2  Resolved:

That the work programme for 2012/13 be noted.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled to be held on 24 April 2013 at 10am in Committee Room 5.

12.1  The next meeting of the Committee would be held on 24 April 2013 at 10am in Committee Room 5.

13.1  There were no urgent items of business.