• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

It was the difference with Bob Kiley I was pursuing. Before I hand over to Mike, Bob Kiley was describing the funding situation as make?or?break; it is in choppy waters, heading off the cliff. So he does not quite share your confidence. On the BBC's Politics Show he said that the Thames Gateway Bridge, West London Tram and East London Line Extension would be at risk. So do you agree with your Transport Commissioner that that is a position, a `Plan B" that you are not acknowledging at the moment?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

Of course, this is a complete calumny. I made the point to you that it is the District Line station which is being closed, not stations being closed. Here is a wonderful opportunity for you now as the supremo of the Underground. When I asked Crossrail why they had put in this link, the new corridor to Kingston, they said it was going to be extremely profitable. The way for you to take advantage of this in your role as Chairman of TfL would be to say why not extend the District Line to follow the particular route which Crossrail...

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

Of course, that answer is sheer pedantry because the District Line Stations at Kew Gardens and Richmond will close as indeed will Gunnersbury Station. Are you aware that in the leaflet which is being distributed right across the proposed Crossrail route, there is no mention, either in any figure drawing the Crossrail proposals or indeed in the text, which even hints that District Line services will be removed from those three stations? Are you aware that when I raised this matter with Tim O'Toole at the last meeting of the Transport Committee I asked him whether or not he was...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

Privately, I have a grudging admiration for Tony Arbour because he is a very witty fellow who cares passionately about Richmond. But, today I think we are witnessing one of the most inept pieces of political stupidity that I have seen since coming onto the London Assembly because the extension of Crossrail to Richmond would be a massive benefit to the people who live there. An enormous benefit. They will be able to get to Bond Street in about 20 minutes and to their jobs in the West End and City. Their already massively elevated house prices will go through...

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

Mr Mayor, I hope that you do not mean that literally if there is any opposition from Richmond you will immediately turn away from providing what I hope you will see as a piece of work that needs to look at the quality of service, however it is badged. And perhaps the first thing to be done is some serious research into where passengers who use those services now are going to and where people who could use those stations wish to go to. Can I also ask if it is not a great prize for West London if we...

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

The late Michael Young, who was of course the architect of the Labour Party's 1945 Manifesto, tried to get inserted into the Greater London Authority Act, a provision which would have allowed the formation of Urban, Town and Parish Councils in London. Would you be interested in that emerging from the review we have talked about?

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

Does the Mayor agree with the boroughs that there needs to be a review of the powers and funding of quangos, such as for example the Housing Corporation in London or perhaps English Heritage in London? Does the Mayor agree with the Tories here that there should be a review of the powers and funding of the Corporation of London? Does he agree that perhaps there should be a review of the powers and operation of the Government Office for London? You just say it privately.

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

If you start to merge, say, inner city boroughs with more leafy suburban boroughs, how can you ensure that that will actually deliver some sort of equality of provision? Will it not be the case that the more articulate middle class people in the leafy suburbs are going to organise and fight for the bulk of the resources whilst the old inner city boroughs will be left high and dry?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

We have welcomed this inquiry and I think it is high time we have a sensible debate on the whole governance of London. Where I do not follow your argument, Mr Mayor, is that you seem to be equating poor performance with size. Can you tell me what evidence you have? According to you, poor performance of Borough Councils appears to have some correlation to the size of that Borough Council. What is your evidence for that?

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 22 October 2003

But you know that Super Boroughs will provide much higher paid chief officers. Can you imagine what a chief executive of London Central would demand to be paid with all of his assistant chief officers, Lord [Toby] Harris, can you imagine what the leader of the council would be demanding in allowances for an authority of that size? More even than in yours, Lord Harris. Surely the point is that size is not everything. What you are proposing here, Mr Mayor, is a form of sub?regional governance, which in fact probably calls into question the future of the GLA. Because...