Whitehall, the GLA and the Boroughs:
what works and what doesn’t
Tony Travers
LSE
The post-2000 London
government system
• Restoration of London-wide democratic
government
• Local accountability for city-wide transport,
economic development, planning, fire and
(to some extent) police
• Elected mayor: a major experiment
• A model designed to encourage cooperation between Mayor and Assembly
2005 – the results
• Post-2000 arrangements broadly accepted
• no ‘abolitionist’ party/movement
• The office of Mayor has not proved a failure
• no public resistance to office
• some might even argue ‘a success’
• The Assembly has proved more difficult to
achieve effectiveness
• Boroughs have, with memorable exceptions,
accommodated the Mayor
Central government
• Different degrees of willingness to cede powers to
GLA
• ODPM/Downing St were in favour of greater powers
• Transport broadly supportive
• Home Office less enthusiastic
• GOL has continued to operate, with no diminution
of role, size
• some concern…
• Growing support since 2000 as system has
matured
Within the GLA - 1
• Mayor/Mayor’s office
• development of powerful Mayor’s Office
– different from (bigger) than 2+10 core envisaged
• hub of political power
– decisions transmitted directly to commissioners, staff
– need for formally-appointed Deputy Mayors?
• awkwardness of Assembly appointments
– Need to give Mayor power to appoint staff
• different pattern of appointments to TfL and LDA compared
with MPA and LFEPA
– need for mayoral accountability for all?
Within the GLA - 2
• The Assembly
• key power is annual scrutiny of budget
– effectively undertaken
– 2/3 alternative budget requirement very high
• scrutiny role has proved more difficult
• size of Assembly (25) has consequences
– very small party groups
– excessive informality
• confusion of positions on MPA, LFEPA
• need for ‘legislative’ power over Mayoral policy?
The Boroughs
• Now among Britain’s longest-established
political institutions
• Some awkward relationships with the
Mayor
• also some service overlaps
• Debate about number of boroughs
• Mayor’s views
• other indications (NHS, sub-regional institutions)
The 2005-06 Review
• More important/extensive than expected
• Opportunity to establish a more autonomous
system of sub-central government in
London
• Significant consensus about possible change
• Lessons for the rest of England
• Purpose must be better government…
Whitehall, the GLA and the Boroughs:
what works and what doesn’t
Tony Travers
LSE