• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

Further on that, I guess one of the reasons why the expenditure on the relief road is so front-loaded is that it's ready to go. Indeed, it's been ready to go for twenty years and that's why there is a tremendous sense of frustration I think in the locality that a change of governance is giving us a situation where the road is under question again. And I hope that you understand that in many ways that will make people in Coulsdon feel that having a Greater London Authority is not a net benefit to them. I very much hope...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

I'm very grateful for your interest in this subject, but in some ways the answer you've just given me now seems a little less clear than some of the comments you've made earlier in the meeting in that you said you hoped it wouldn't slip by more than one year. Is there still, then, a question mark over whether this project can be delivered?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

I know that you've made it clear that as a result of this settlement that some of your plans for transport in London have had to be put on hold for the time being. Now given that you've said today, in fact, and you've certainly said to me when we had a question session on 24 May, that it would be inconceivable to press ahead with a congestion charge until such time as transport improvements have taken place. Isn't it time to say you are going to defer the congestion charge at least until you can catch up with expenditure...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

I think you have made it fairly clear that you have basically been stuffed by Gordon Brown, particularly with the Jubilee Line bill that's come your way. Should Londoners feel disappointed that your continuing feud with the Chancellor seems to be one of the things getting in the way of, perhaps, a better settlement?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

I understand that point, but I'm sure we'd sympathise and support any attempts to make sure that if there is shoddy workmanship or anything of that kind that proper legal redress is sought. Coming back to your underlying point, Ken, does it really come down to this: that to a greater or lesser degree London's transport funding plans have been thrown into disarray as a result of Government cock up? That's the reality of it.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

Going back to the £104m bill that the Government mislaid and forgot to say was coming our way. Normally if I was contracting someone for something and the supplier found a bill late that I had not undertaken to pay and actually should have been finished long before I took over something, I might consider taking that further.

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

I'm glad you want to be statesman-like and orderly, but can I come back to Angie's point, being statesman-like and orderly don't you have to now take on board the fact that if, as a result of this phasing in the funding levels and the reduction in year one, you have to put back some of the important transport improvements? Common sense and statesmanship would also imply that you should be willing to put back the introduction of congestion charges until such time as those improvements are effected.

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

I am grateful for the formalisation of the constitutional position between the Mayor and the Assembly. We can be ignored is the message. But I wanted to pick up though on a point that you just made a moment ago. I know it was driven by your intense dislike of Wandsworth Council, you said that 50% was the target you should set for affordable housing. Do you think then that with the spatial development strategy that we will be giving instructions to individual Boroughs about a percentage like that? And do you think 50% is the rate that we are...

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

Would you ever go against a committee decision?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 27 July 2000

Does the size of the majority at a committee influence whether or not you are likely to agree with it?