• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

Just a quick one to say congratulations on London Bridge and just a reference to your nice reference to LPAC. I just wondered if that was a another nice pat on the back for Nicky Gavron, the ex-Chairman of LPAC to smooth the way for your Labour candidature as Mayor?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

You mentioned the London Borough of Hounslow in your comments. The residents of the Labour-controlled London Borough of Hounslow cannot understand why you are spending public money opposing a Labour-controlled public authority, which has turned down an application from a developer and why you are spending public money against another authority that is also spending public money. It is normally accepted, indeed this is the point Mike Tuffrey made, that local planning authorities know best. There really is no reason for you to intervene in these matters, particularly when you are wasting substantial sums of money.

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

I certainly welcome, what I would say is, another landmark building, an elegant addition to the skyline. I think also that the Heron Tower has been a wonderful precedent for London. I am glad to say that I have had very, very few comments or complaints from residents on this issue, but I do think it is important to bear in mind that there is a population. There are people who live around this area and to some extent I think they feel themselves in the frontline of regeneration. There is a lot of building work going on around here...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

Yes, indeed, exactly, and I am making the point that the Liberal Democrats supported it.

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

The decision is indeed welcome on the `Shard of Glass' scheme. I just wanted to raise the fact that previously you have made highly pejorative remarks about boroughs and their approach to such schemes. I am thinking particularly of Lambeth and Southwark, but there are others. In this case the local Member of Parliament (MP), also known as Simon Hughes, and the Council have been thoroughly supportive of the process and will you accept that Councils have a statutory duty to decide these schemes on their merits? It is perfectly acceptable to have an honest and above board disagreement with...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

I am sure he will cost everything when he produces his manifesto. However, I would say that one of the difficulties, while it is a very good idea, is if you split it between the three-shift system it still is a very low level of policing. What communities have always been calling for is local policing. For example, in Crouch End at night, in Muswell Hill at night, the High Street at night, it is not about the eight hours, it is about the 24 hours really, or at least 20. Would the Mayor agree with me that the Step...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

All I will say is that the Labour Executive member in Haringey was very pleased to be mentioning them and obviously very welcoming of Crouch End. But obviously, local policing is the right way and I am sure the Mayor is aware that Simon Hughes' minimum policing guarantee is about eight local officers.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

Actually Crouch End and White Hart Lane are already announced as the Step Change areas in Haringey, so I do not know why Nicky is still asking about them, but there you go.

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

I wondered if you would join me and support me in making representations to the Commissioner to encourage consideration of two pilot areas in Haringey. Haringey, as you know, has very challenging issues to face in dealing with crime and anti-social behaviour and I want to put forward with your support two pilot neighbourhoods, White Hart Lane and Crouch End. So, I am asking if you will support those for Step Change in Haringey?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

Yes, I think it can be a problem with Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras reporting to different control centres, for example. Do you support town centre drinking bans? There are quite a lot of district centres and town centres where alcohol abuse heavily contributes to the problem of public nuisance. Do you think we need to have more local-area alcohol strategies?