• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

OK. There is an interesting challenge here which is that virtually the whole of the rest of the world is very keen to make sure that the Olympics do not go over budget, whereas a lot of my constituents in East London are very anxious to make sure that, in making sure the Olympics do not go over budget, we do not spend too little on the regeneration benefits for the area. The individual borough councils, for example, have aspirations as to how the Olympics will improve their areas. One that pops up is the Olympic Boulevard idea, supported by...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

OK. If we take the example of the Olympic Boulevard, that is the main Olympic marathon route back into the Olympic Park after they have done their 26 miles. The aspiration would be that that looks good on television, for example. That is not your responsibility?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

I want to go back to jobs and I want to talk about the jobs that are your responsibility. Can you confirm for us the total amount of jobs projected? I was present at a recent presentation by your excellent Head of HR which really electrified the room, local communities, and put meat around the skeleton of the plans. I would like you to confirm with us here today the absolute numbers that you are expecting to employ. I also understand that you have employed - is it your first 500 or 5,000 people? I saw something printed this week...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

Right. But is there a risk then that if we are really going to get the things that local communities aspire to have, we are going to have to look for additional funding from additional places to fund those things? So, if we want the Olympic Boulevard to happen, so that it is a major thoroughfare of London connecting a new business district at Stratford with the City of London , that will have to be funded from elsewhere; TfL or someone else?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

OK. We talked briefly about bridges earlier on. On the one hand there is a very real security concern which means the Olympic Park will be sealed off from the rest of the planet, more or less, during the Olympic Games. On the other hand, an aspiration that after the Games its benefit will flow massively over that boundary and into the adjoining communities. To what extent do your investments in the Olympics ensure that that happens, or is it not your problem?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

OK, thanks. If I can briefly move on now to sustainability standards? Last month the Mayor told us that now the budget had been agreed, we can expect improvements in the environmental standards for the Olympics. What changes will be made now that you have the money in the budget?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

Thank you. David [Higgins] mentioned the size of the Park earlier, but the new planning application does reduce the amount of open space in the Park by the equivalent of 34 football pitches, from 127 hectares to 109 hectares. The application is smaller than the previous one. We are getting a smaller park are we not?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

In your initial response to Darren's [Johnson] question you gave quite an impressive list of facilities which will be available on the site after the Games are after. A while ago there was talk about some of those facilities being dismantled to take them elsewhere, to share the legacy around. Is that still the case?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

Inside London or outside London?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 25 April 2007

So is this just things like seating and bits and pieces, or is it actual venues and facilities?