• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

And when he is absent - you pointed to the larger of those files in front of you as being decision forms while the Mayor was away?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

There is a well established civil service culture in the UK apparently which is'

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Okay, can I move on to the second area of your work, which is the sort of surrogate brain for the Mayor? As I understand it, you interpret what are likely to be his views and enforce decisions or make decisions on his behalf. Does that mean that you sign decision forms, or you pass him decision forms saying this is one you've signed, or both?

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

And how often is the Mayor flying without lights, in the sense of taking part in meetings without the benefit of filtered advice?

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

So that's a process you engage in, deciding whether the advice is sufficient?

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Right, so that's that aspect of your work. Is the process then that 24 hours before a meeting you would then see the sum total of the advice and decide whether the Mayor's advisor has done the job properly and there is sufficient advice for the Mayor?

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Thank you, Simon. As I understand it, your role falls into three parts. Within the Mayor's office you act as essentially the Mayor's procurer of information and advice, making sure that it's timely and so on. Is that just within the Mayor's office, or is that more generally? Is that throughout the structure of the Authority?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

And is it likely to happen?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Do you envisage following up an earlier line of questioning that you might resign from your position in order to enable you to campaign for the Mayor's re-election?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

You are in an interesting position in British politics. I think you are almost uniquely a heartbeat away from redundancy, in your position. It's a nice sound bite.