• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

Do you agree that the public sector, as well as local shops and local post offices, is crucial to that?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

To come back to the debate about transport and public services, do you agree that the public services debate and the implications for transport are much wider than just delivering good public transport; that the catalogue of library closures and school and Health Service rationalisations across London has had an impact on people's travel patterns, encouraged people to make longer journeys through necessity, and is adding to London's transport problems; and that we need to get back to providing good-quality local services at a local level as part of trying to tackle London's traffic problems?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

Good morning, Mr Mayor. Your passion for London and some Londoners cannot be faulted, but the Labour group have a problem with your need to grandstand and confuse. I was at the excellent conference that you staged at the Islington Design Centre - not the cheapest place in the world, but if that is the standard - The Mayor: We like to help out a Liberal borough these days. Jennette Arnold: If that is the standard you want to set, fine. Although I heard some excellent speakers, and what people said was well received, many of us left the conference...

• Question by: Len Duvall OBE
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

Can you tell us about the work you said you were doing on possible reforms of London government from your side - I know about the work on the Assembly side - in the light of the Government's proposed White Paper on regionalism?

• Question by: Samantha Heath
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

Thank you very much. It is an honour to start off the season of mirth and a little goodwill at the Assembly, and we will take that through. I do have some serious points - So: better public transport. In a sense, the bit that concerns me is that you are trying to take on London and do it as an individual, rather than working in partnership. We all know that you believe that partnership is a good thing, not only at the Footstool, and we believe that it is important. Perhaps you could say something about how you are...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

So, in sum, you have created 14 or 15 strategies and have spent a lot of money on buses. You have not been able to answer the question about whether that expanded expenditure on buses is sustainable, and you have destroyed the relationship with the boroughs, in which you started off, potentially, on a good footing. Do you think that is a good legacy on which you should reflect over Christmas?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

What you seem to have said, Ken, is that you have been in office for almost two years, and the only service you have managed to improve is the buses. That says a number of things to me - first, that the Government have given you a 70% increase in your transport grant, and you have spent virtually all of it on bus services; that you have not given a sizeable increase to the boroughs; and that you have failed to develop the partnerships with them. There is a question about sustainability of the money you are putting into the...

• Question by: Samantha Heath
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

Yes, we did take evidence from London Underground. Usership on the Tube went up and up and up before you took office, and bus usership has been increasing - again, before you took up your greatly esteemed mayoral office. But the point I am making is that you and the boroughs need to work in concert. You talk about democratic accountability on TfL. In a number of instances of which I am aware as an ordinary Londoner, Transport for London do not talk to the boroughs on simple things like changes of traffic lights. Perhaps democratic accountability should be shown...

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

For the record, the exchange that members of the Budget Committee had with the ALG was pretty lively. I think it was constructive, and I for one, having chaired that Committee, was very glad that we had that discussion. I did not regard it as a waste of time.

• Question by: Samantha Heath
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

You talked of buses being the Cinderella service. Yet again, may I invite you to join me on the 344 bus at 9.30 in the morning. We will have a cup of coffee on the way. It is jam-packed and uncomfortable. It is an unpleasant journey now, let alone when congestion charging comes in. The Mayor: It is a bit raucous this morning. Samantha Heath: You said that you would have all additional bus services in place before congestion charging, so that we could support it. Are you going to do something about that now, then?