• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

Will the Mayor come in person to attend a public debate on the West London Tram, which is being held at Haven Green, near Ealing Broadway at 10.30 am on Saturday 3 July, to listen first-hand to the concerns of West London residents?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

Blair's Mayor was indeed elected. It was you who went to the media before the election talking about `crushing" Liberal Democrat boroughs who would not do what you said. In fact, in April your own Labour Housing Minister was on record as saying that authorities can set policies which deviate from those laid out in your strategic plan. So, if you recognise that this is a partnership, not a case of you telling boroughs what to do and `crushing" them if you do not like what they do, I repeat the question I asked you. If we are to get...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

Could you stick to answering the question? What are you going to do to help the situation?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

I also have the numbers too, so let me name the five worst authorities in London for granting planning permission within eight weeks: Hackney, Camden, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham " all Labour authorities. The five worst planning authorities in London are Labour in terms of granting permission on time. In terms of granting permission at all, four of the five worst are Hackney, Brent, Hounslow, Haringey " all Labour authorities. The Mayor has chosen to answer this question in a confrontational way, which is a pity because I was hoping that this new term of office would...

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

Thank you Mr Mayor for exposing the incompetence of Liberal Democrat administrations in London. I hope you do it at every meeting. However, this statement which is quoted about `crushing borough planning authorities', if I recall related to the levels of affordable housing, and it is almost on a par with the inflammatory statement made by Mr Prescott (Deputy Prime Minister) which says that back gardens are now developable land. Will you not accept that the boroughs do actually know what is good for their own environment and they really do not need your intervention? If boroughs believe they need...

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

I would say to Mike Tuffrey (AM) that we are not talking about the slow decisions on conservatories here. We are actually talking about London losing major housing opportunities and probably inward investment opportunities. If I can step back from the partisan approach that Mike Tuffrey entered into on this point, we can say that one of the features of Southwark and Lambeth Councils is that they are very inexperienced and they have made some very bad mistakes. There are some major projects in Lambeth and Southwark which I think are at risk and it is not just because the...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

You have often emphasised the importance of recognising the diversity and multiculturalism of London. If we are to celebrate the anniversary of VJ Day can we bear in mind that there is a great deal of bitterness from that conflict and the importance of encouraging those bodies that encourage reconciliation from that conflict all that time ago. Furthermore, we should bear in mind the importance of involving the Japanese community in any such anniversary.

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

You said earlier that the Government has agreed funding for the LEZ. Has it indicated the level of financial commitment it will give? Are you now saying there are no financial obstacles to the introduction of the LEZ in this term?

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

Part of the consensus is also getting the six boroughs that are outside the Capital Standards to join the rest of London to tackle the neighbourhood environmental issues. How will you go about doing that?

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 24 June 2004

One of the proposals you made during the election was to have a Single Waste Authority for London. How do you plan to take that forward?