• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

You were far from clear when Angie questioned you about this just last week as Chair of TfL, where you said that it was a good idea and it was something that you were looking at. We have a transcript from the meeting and now we have the printed record of the meeting, which came round this morning. The Evening Standard has been trying to clarify this with you but so far you have refused to speak to them. Why is that?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

You, rightly, linked the Liberal Democrats with the bond issue. We welcome your taking up of our ideas. I do think you should continue, however impossible the task seems, to be banging on Gordon Brown's door because ultimately, as Mayor of London, you are not going to be able to fill in the gaps that the people need that have been left by the PPP. Because to provide anything like the service that Londoners can reasonably expect it is not included in the PPP. Therefore, you are going to need a way to finance that. It can't continually be from...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

Another concern about the balance of the Plan raised by businesses in South London is an accusation, fair or not, that you see South London as becoming more a dormitory area and less a place for business. The draft London Plan talks in terms of London only providing 6% of the overall job growth. I have heard it said at a businessmen's breakfast that, figuratively, the LDA doesn't even have South London on its map. What kind of reassurance can you give to businesses in South London that you see South London as providing a significant part of London's economic...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

The issue of affordable housing for key workers is a very important one and a lot of people write to me. Young professional families say that it is important to them and there are some very important key sites close to key transport points. There is one in my constituency, which probably would be the best site in the whole of London for affordable housing for key workers. Unfortunately, it is really being pushed in the direction of yet another arena for London. In your response, I think it is important that you need to reassure residents that you are...

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

As the Mayor will be aware, up there in the London Borough of Barnet, green and pleasant land, we are trying to create a new suburb in Cricklewood. Would he accept that his attitude thus far has been less than helpful? What Barnet is aiming for is a balanced community up in Cricklewood. What many residents of Barnet and politicians have concerns on is his support for a 44-storey tower on this site, which many of us consider totally inappropriate in a borough such as Barnet. Will he assure me that Cricklewood is not going to turn into another King's...

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

I want to refer you to the historic character, not just of the suburbs, but of London as a whole. Your Plan has 400 pages and only about 4 of them refer to the historic character of London as a whole. Although you make good rhetorical gestures in the Foreword to the Plan about how important the historic buildings and the strategic views are in London, you actually deliver very little. I want to know why you have made so little reference and recommendation to preserving historic character - only 4 pages and only 3 recommendations in the entire Plan...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

I am not just talking about open space; there are other land uses, which are important. Are we going to see no more Spitalfields then where we are seeing the local authority voting to destroy half a historic market for more office space, apparently with your support?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

On this whole question of balance, the London Plan is proposing a huge increase in the amount of office accommodation. That has got to be at the expense of other potential land uses, whether it is open space, housing or other commercial uses.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

I am sure you will agree with me that Barking town centre is an excellent place to start.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

I think that is unlikely. The second part of the question, building from that, is that it is vitally important that your SDS does address the suburbs and the non-central London town centres in an effective way. Do you accept that there needs to be more flesh on the bones about how we deal with the problems of places like Barking town centre, Romford town centre and Ilford? You talked about new housing but for that to work we need to get the transport; we need to get the pedestrian-friendly environments; we need to attract decent retailers into those areas...