• Reference: 2024/4277
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

How many of the new planning officers announced by the Government are due to come to London, and what representations have you made to the Government to ensure they are fairly distributed?

• Reference: 2024/4276
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

The Housing Benefit subsidy councils receive to help fund temporary accommodation has been frozen since 2020 at 90% of the 2011 Local Housing Allowance rates. What meetings have you had with the Government to support local councils who are spending £4 million a day on soaring temporary accommodation costs?

• Reference: 2024/4275
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

The Water and London's Rivers Report recommended the Mayor 'should set out the major environmental achievements of the Thames and London Waterways Forum over the last five years, and his key priorities for the forum in 2024-25. The GLA should also swiftly publish meeting notes of the Thames and London Waterways Forum since 2018, as well as a schedule of its future meetings'. Have you set out the achievements of the London Waterways Forum, the priorities for 2024-25 and the notes from the meetings with the Forum? If not, when will this be done by?

• Reference: 2024/4274
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

The Water and London's Rivers Report recommended the Mayor and Port of London Authority 'should set out clear and ambitious targets for expanding the proportion of craft using zero emission and renewable fuel sources on the section of the river from the O2 to Teddington, with targets for 2030, 2035 and 2040’. Have you engaged with the Port of London Authority (PLA) to set out a clear target for crafts using zero emissions and renewable fuel sources between Teddington and the O2 for the above dates? If not why not, and when will this be done by?

• Reference: 2024/4273
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

The Water and London's Rivers Report recommended 'the Mayor should work with the Port of London Authority (PLA) to carry out and publish a status report on existing river-based energy projects by the end of 2024. This should include an assessment of potential barriers and opportunities for further renewable energy generation projects on the Thames'. Will this be published before the end of 2024 and if not, have you engaged with the Port of London Authority to gather the status of all rivers projects on the Thames?

• Reference: 2024/4272
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

The Water and London's Rivers Report recommended that the Mayor should 'continue to support the London Surface Water Strategic Group to encourage a joined-up approach across London.' What action have you taken this year to support this group?

• Reference: 2024/4271
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

The Water and London's Rivers Report recommended that the Mayor should 'consider how to use his wider planning powers to ensure councils develop riverside strategies and landowners take appropriate action to construct and manage higher walls.' What considerations and action have you taken to support councils building higher walls, and have you considered any changes to planning policy to support this recommendation?

• Reference: 2024/4270
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

The Water and London's Rivers Report recommended that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs should work with the London Surface Water Strategic Group to 'establish a need-based fund to enable boroughs to access simple and long-term funding for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), while significantly increasing funding available for SuDS installation'. What conversations have you had with the Strategic Group to support them in this endeavour?

• Reference: 2024/4269
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

The Water and London’s Rivers report recommended that you should 'double the target in [your] Transport Strategy to 100,000 square meters a year of roads draining into sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) per year. Transport for London (TfL) should also double its targets for SuDS installation to deliver 10,000 square metres of roads draining into SuDS per year'. What conversations and actions have you undertaken with TfL to achieve this?

• Reference: 2024/4268
• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

The London Assembly’s Environment Committee’s report ‘Water and London’s Rivers’ from March 2024 included recommendations that the Mayor 'should significantly scale up funding and installation of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and scale up the resources available for local boroughs and other landowners to increase their own SuDS installation'. Have you increased funding for SuDS?