• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

No. We are not accepting that at all. We are seeking further clarification. Shall I move on to maybe more fruitful ground? You have appointed a whole number of Deputy Mayors, as I think we discussed at the previous meeting; five of them so far and counting. There may be more. You did not totally rule out the possibility of there being additional Mayors as well! The question is, is there any power that you would not delegate? Perhaps to focus your thinking, there is an article in the Financial Times today which crystallizes my thinking on this, which is...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

I dispute the word 'informal', but yes.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Are you a high powered person?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

If we summarise your answer, which was essentially that you did not answer the question, you may get round to appointing an environmental adviser - which was your number one priority - some time between now and Christmas I guess. Munira Mirza is your adviser I believe on cultural issues

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Can I first of all congratulate you on your appointment of Neale Coleman as a Section 67 officer. He will, I am sure, give you continuing excellent advice on the Olympics, as he did to your predecessor. A few simple questions: The first question is about your announcement in your manifesto in your campaign that the environment was a prime priority for you and yet you have not yet appointed an environmental adviser. Is there a reason for this? Was it again a mismatch between the rhetoric and the reality of the Mayoralty.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

OK. Could you advise us whether Mr Lewis has yet taken up his appointment and signed a contract with the Authority?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Let us put it slightly differently. The problem I have is that, as I understand it, you have appointed people and you have delegated things to them. Last time we were in this Chamber we found that you had delegated your planning powers to Mr Clement, which is fine and lawful. If one reads the job description for Mr Parker it appears that you are delegating virtually everything that is not nailed down to him, so you could go off on holiday for four years and he would be doing the job for you. Is that not somewhat inconsistent with...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

I think that is rather a reckless statement but it forms part of the record of the meeting. Can I move on then to my final question - the Wizard of Oz question I call it - which is that you have designated all these things - Final question is that you have delegated these powers but you have also designated people with certain positions. You have the Chief Deputy Mayor or whatever the designation is for Mr Parker, but the reality is that he is no different from Simon Fletcher who was the previous Mayor's Head of Office. He...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Although of course in the meantime you have expended potentially £500,000 on consultants to fill the gaps that the absence of those people - You have appointed people as consultants whose annual costs would be £500,000 at least. Can I move on then.

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Have you made all of them and clarified their roles?