• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

That is rather disingenuous of you, to say that this is going to be providing housing for key workers in the way you have listed. So far as I can tell - and I look at all your comments on applications that come in - you merely say that you do not like the amount of affordable housing they have provided because they have not provided up to the figure you have set. You are right: almost invariably, they come back and say they will increase the amount of affordable housing. But that is precisely the use of the stick...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

You place great emphasis on the powers you have or do not have. After the experience you have had so far, what advice would you give the Government about whether they should force mayoral options on other local authorities both in London and around the country? I personally would favour a directly elected Mayor for Croydon. The Mayor: You would ride to power on the Coulsdon bypass. Andrew Pelling: Absolutely. You have said that you are against having directly elected mayors: why is that?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Your principal stick in planning powers is your power to direct refusal. Indeed, it is interesting that, in today's list which you have produced for us, only one direction of refusal is listed, which is on the grounds that there is insufficient affordable housing. Do you think it is right that you should be able to tell London boroughs which have agreed particular development schemes and plans, "Unless you do as I say, I will direct refusal"? Why should you know better than the London boroughs what they should be doing on their own ground?

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

But this huge cut in the safety work will have to be funded, so that will come away from your desire to invest in buses. It is going to affect our ability to improve bus services, isn't it?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Angie Bray: That is your answer, is it? The Mayor: That is my answer. Angie Bray: Right. Well, let me continue to press you on this subject - The Chair: Could you put it as a question, Angie, please? Angie Bray: It was a question, and I will ask another question. To be honest about this, the numbers that travel on buses are tiny compared to the number on the Tube, so "tinkering" is an accurate description. Anyway, let me provide you with an example in which the carrot approach has been slightly more successful. Jenny Jones mentioned this interesting...

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Your principal stick in planning powers is your power to direct refusal. Indeed, it is interesting that, in today's list which you have produced for us, only one direction of refusal is listed, which is on the grounds that there is insufficient affordable housing. Do you think it is right that you should be able to tell London boroughs which have agreed particular development schemes and plans, "Unless you do as I say, I will direct refusal"? Why should you know better than the London boroughs what they should be doing on their own ground?

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

But this huge cut in the safety work will have to be funded, so that will come away from your desire to invest in buses. It is going to affect our ability to improve bus services, isn't it?

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Yes, we learn from our own experience here, don't we? You also emphasised the importance of politics in the real world, in the sense that party policy requires extensive use of disincentives to impact the way in which people behave. Can I turn to one specific problem here in London? That is the problem which has been revealed today of this cut in support for London Underground. Will that not hamper your ability to invest in transport so as to provide the carrot for people not to drive into town? Are you not going to have to think about delaying...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Andrew Pelling: You place great emphasis on the powers you have or do not have. After the experience you have had so far, what advice would you give the Government about whether they should force mayoral options on other local authorities both in London and around the country? I personally would favour a directly elected Mayor for Croydon. The Mayor: You would ride to power on the Coulsdon bypass. Andrew Pelling: Absolutely. You have said that you are against having directly elected mayors: why is that?

• Question by: Samantha Heath
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

But we made no decision on and no changes to that element of the Budget. Let us get it clear on the record that you are not describing it as it was: when it came to the Budget last year, we made no changes or recommendations on what you had said. This was your decision, and it was not an Assembly input that changed it.