• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

You quite rightly mention Croydon, as they are leading the way on the improving the environment in council estates. Having visited them and seen the way they are linking up their neighbourhood wardens with their local youth workers, and diverting young people from antisocial behaviour, I think it is absolutely exemplary; everyone should beat a path and see what has been done on Addington and Field Way estates. As a result, I have called for the scheme to be expanded across London so that more communities can benefit from neighbourhood wardens. However, I want to ask: does the Mayor think...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

I am sure the Deputy Mayor's praise for Croydon will be of some reassurance to the people of Croydon who were so disappointed when she failed to turn up for the Croydon Summit yesterday. Can I go to the issue of neighbourhood wardens, and ask the Mayor if he shares the concerns frequently being expressed by Deputy Commissioner, Ian Blair, about what he calls `the Balkanisation of policing in London" which led to the setting up of the Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)? He believed that council?employed neighbourhood wardens have a very important and distinctive role to play, as they...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

You would agree with me that a cleaner neighbourhood equals a cleaner London, which then equals a positive factor in attracting more visitors to London. Can you tell us how you can use, if you like, your growing influence and relationship with the business community to get them to work with local boroughs. Without a doubt, if you look at the increase in fast food outlets, they have got to be responsible for the increased level of litter. If you look at the lock-up shops and the units that people come and rent open from nine to five, and then...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

Though not as a substitute for council-employed neighbourhood wardens, as has sometimes been suggested?

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

I am always very pleased to hear positive comments about Croydon. I met with the wardens myself when I was out engaging with the good people of New Addington on Saturday afternoon. There was always a danger with mayoral candidates who inevitably have to pay brief visits to areas as to whether or not they get fully briefed.

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

I am surprised then that you did not mention in your question to Ken that the wardens had to be withdrawn owing to poor training and poor liaison with the police service. I wonder whether we can learn lessons from this supposedly exemplary process, as to the quality of training that takes place? This is in the context of the liaison between different policing forces that we now have in Croydon, regarding what can be done to encourage better liaison between the different services when it comes to the stoning of the T31 bus service on Field Way. I had...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

Thank you. So you would be working hard if I take it as read that you will be attempting to extend the congestion charge scheme were you to be re?elected will be working hard to improve the reliability to try and get it up to standards before you consider extending the scheme.

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

I would be absolutely delighted to share the information with TfL. I have to say that I was very delighted by the response rate which was actually really rather high for a survey of this sort. However, as you will see from my question, I think the point is that you have outlined all these improvements that you say have been made and yet there is this very high percentage saying that they are not satisfied. I think it is fair to say that almost anybody would say that they think things could be better than they are. However, the...

• Question by: Diana Johnson
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

I wonder if I can follow up on the bus route issue, in particular the need for a north to south bus route. Because, as I understand it, there are many people who find it difficult travelling to the hospitals in the south and having to change in High Street Kensington. Are you taking any steps to look at that and introduce a new route?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 21 May 2003

It sounds like the Government has had you over, does it not?