The London Assembly has taken the rare step of deferring a public meeting after TfL failed to release its business plan on time.
Transport for London submitted its budget 11 days late - only four working days before a scheduled scrutiny meeting was due to take place and one day after the Crossrail bail-out was unveiled[1].
Gareth Bacon AM, Chairman of the Budget & Performance Committee, said:
“Even in ordinary times, effectively scrutinising the TfL business plan in just four days would have been a big ask. But, with the Crossrail delay, these are clearly not ordinary times and being able to question officials with knowledge and rigour is more necessary than ever.
“That is why we simply have no option but to refuse to hold the scheduled meeting.
“TfL’s finances are in dire straits and Londoners want to know if the Mayor and the organisation have got a proper grip on the scale of the financial crisis.
“We need to take the time to pick through the full implications of funding pressures, declining passenger numbers and, now, the enormous impact of the Crossrail delay.
“That is why we will defer our scrutiny until January and use the time in between to get a clearer picture of TfL’s plans to fill the black hole in its financing. This is too important to rush.”
Notes to editors
- The meeting was scheduled for Monday 17 December. TfL’s business plan was released on Tuesday 11 December. The bail-out was revealed on Monday 10 December. By agreement between the Mayor’s Office and the Committee, TfL and other functional bodies are supposed to make their budget submissions available by November 30.
- Gareth Bacon AM, Chairman of the Budget & Performance Committee is available for interview.
- Budget & Performance Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.