GLA REVIEW The Government’s Proposals for Additional Powers for the Mayor of London and London Assembly

Scope of the Review  Manifesto Pledge  London is different – a city & a region  Building on success – leadership and performance  Manifesto Pledge  London is different – a city & a region  Building on success – leadership and performance

Terms of reference  Could GLA do better with additional powers and responsibilities?  GLA should remain a focused and strategic authority, rather than major service delivery agent;  Appropriate balance between national government, the regional tier and local authorities;  Review focused on the role of the GLA rather than on governance structures as a whole  Consultation began in November and closed in February; outcomes announced in July.  Could GLA do better with additional powers and responsibilities?  GLA should remain a focused and strategic authority, rather than major service delivery agent;  Appropriate balance between national government, the regional tier and local authorities;  Review focused on the role of the GLA rather than on governance structures as a whole  Consultation began in November and closed in February; outcomes announced in July.

Housing  What was proposed  Option A - Mayor to take on responsibilities of the London Housing Board; write the London Housing Strategy (LHS); make recommendations to Government on the Regional Housing Capital Allocations in London.  Option B - As A, but Mayor to decide broad allocation of the affordable housing portion of the Regional Housing Pot.  LHS could be statutory.  The conclusion – Option B. Mayor will produce a statutory LHS and strategic Housing Investment Plan.  Delivers a strong strategic housing role for the Mayor.  Will ensure better integration between housing and Mayor’s other strategies  What was proposed  Option A - Mayor to take on responsibilities of the London Housing Board; write the London Housing Strategy (LHS); make recommendations to Government on the Regional Housing Capital Allocations in London.  Option B - As A, but Mayor to decide broad allocation of the affordable housing portion of the Regional Housing Pot.  LHS could be statutory.  The conclusion – Option B. Mayor will produce a statutory LHS and strategic Housing Investment Plan.  Delivers a strong strategic housing role for the Mayor.  Will ensure better integration between housing and Mayor’s other strategies

Skills  What was proposed:  Four options for giving the Mayor a greater say on adult skills. Mayor’s preferred option - a single LSC for London accountable to him.  The conclusion:  Mayor to chair the London Skills Board  Board will prepare an adult skills and employment strategy  One LSC for London, required to spend according to priorities set out in the strategy  The reasons: Gives the Mayor a strong strategic role on adult skills within the existing national LSC structure.  What was proposed:  Four options for giving the Mayor a greater say on adult skills. Mayor’s preferred option - a single LSC for London accountable to him.  The conclusion:  Mayor to chair the London Skills Board  Board will prepare an adult skills and employment strategy  One LSC for London, required to spend according to priorities set out in the strategy  The reasons: Gives the Mayor a strong strategic role on adult skills within the existing national LSC structure.

Planning  The proposal:  Three options for change - significant additional powers for the Mayor; more limited new powers or minimal change.  The conclusion:  Mayor to be able to direct changes to boroughs’ programmes (LDSs) for the development plans they produce.  Mayor to have a stronger say on whether draft local plans (DPDs) conform to this London Plan.  Mayor to have a discretionary power to decide strategic planning applications.  The reasons: Gives Mayor a stronger voice on planning to ensure strategic planning policy is implemented.  Outstanding issue: Strategic thresholds and policy test criteria subject of further consultation.  The proposal:  Three options for change - significant additional powers for the Mayor; more limited new powers or minimal change.  The conclusion:  Mayor to be able to direct changes to boroughs’ programmes (LDSs) for the development plans they produce.  Mayor to have a stronger say on whether draft local plans (DPDs) conform to this London Plan.  Mayor to have a discretionary power to decide strategic planning applications.  The reasons: Gives Mayor a stronger voice on planning to ensure strategic planning policy is implemented.  Outstanding issue: Strategic thresholds and policy test criteria subject of further consultation.

Waste  The proposal:  Four options: A Single Waste Authority (SWA), either accountable to the Mayor or borough-led; sub-regional arrangements; or do nothing.  Consulted in similar terms on options for waste planning  The conclusion:  No SWA.  New London-wide Waste and recycling Forum and Fund  Dedicated London Waste Infrastructure Development Programme  Duty on waste authorities to deliver waste functions in general conformity with Mayor’s Waste Strategy  Mayor’s new planning powers will bite on waste planning.  The reason: Package of measures give Mayor a strengthened role within existing structures, allowing London’s waste authorities to focus on meeting EU Landfill Targets  The proposal:  Four options: A Single Waste Authority (SWA), either accountable to the Mayor or borough-led; sub-regional arrangements; or do nothing.  Consulted in similar terms on options for waste planning  The conclusion:  No SWA.  New London-wide Waste and recycling Forum and Fund  Dedicated London Waste Infrastructure Development Programme  Duty on waste authorities to deliver waste functions in general conformity with Mayor’s Waste Strategy  Mayor’s new planning powers will bite on waste planning.  The reason: Package of measures give Mayor a strengthened role within existing structures, allowing London’s waste authorities to focus on meeting EU Landfill Targets

Other provisions  Range of addition powers for the Mayor in:  Culture - Mayor to make appointments to London Arts Bodies  Health - Mayoral duty to tackle health inequalities and prepare a statutory health inequalities strategy  Climate Change and Energy - Mayor to produce a statutory Climate Change and Energy Strategy; and statutory Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Duty on GLA to adapt to, and take action on, climate change.  Functional Bodies  Mayor to appoint the MPA Chair  Mayor to appoint two members of the LFEPA Board, and be able to issue directions and guidance to the Authority.  Extends the Mayor’s strategic framework for London into important new areas, and gives the Mayor greater influence over the functional bodies.  Range of addition powers for the Mayor in:  Culture - Mayor to make appointments to London Arts Bodies  Health - Mayoral duty to tackle health inequalities and prepare a statutory health inequalities strategy  Climate Change and Energy - Mayor to produce a statutory Climate Change and Energy Strategy; and statutory Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Duty on GLA to adapt to, and take action on, climate change.  Functional Bodies  Mayor to appoint the MPA Chair  Mayor to appoint two members of the LFEPA Board, and be able to issue directions and guidance to the Authority.  Extends the Mayor’s strategic framework for London into important new areas, and gives the Mayor greater influence over the functional bodies.

Other provisions  Stronger powers for the Assembly to complement the additional powers for the Mayor.  The Assembly will:  Be able to set its own budget  Publish an annual report  Be able to hold confirmatory hearings for key appointments the Mayor proposes to make  The Mayor will be required to have regard to responses to consultation by the Assembly and functional bodies and write to the Assembly with reasoned justification where he is not acting on its advice  Most GLA staff will be appointed by the Head of Paid Service.  Stronger powers for the Assembly to complement the additional powers for the Mayor.  The Assembly will:  Be able to set its own budget  Publish an annual report  Be able to hold confirmatory hearings for key appointments the Mayor proposes to make  The Mayor will be required to have regard to responses to consultation by the Assembly and functional bodies and write to the Assembly with reasoned justification where he is not acting on its advice  Most GLA staff will be appointed by the Head of Paid Service.

Summary  Government believes that:  The package provides a robust and coherent set of additional powers for the Mayor and Assembly  Ensures the GLA remains a focused and strategic body  Enhances the strong leadership London needs as a successful world city  Provides a sound basis for the capital to meet future challenges – including hosting the 2012 Olympics.  Government believes that:  The package provides a robust and coherent set of additional powers for the Mayor and Assembly  Ensures the GLA remains a focused and strategic body  Enhances the strong leadership London needs as a successful world city  Provides a sound basis for the capital to meet future challenges – including hosting the 2012 Olympics.