Mayor Has Long Way To Go Before He Achieves Meaningful Consultation

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 17th Oct 2002

Liberal Democrat Sally Hamwee has expressed disappointment that Ken Livingstone refuses to draw up a charter to improve his consultation process.

The Mayor, appearing yesterday in front of the London Assembly as Chair of Transport for London, said that such a charter was unnecessary because he had executive power and made the decisions.

Baroness Hamwee, chair of the Assembly investigation into how well the Mayor consults Londoners1, said:

“Ken Livingstone continues to show how far he is from putting good consultation mechanisms into place. He admitted, when giving evidence to the ‘Reaching Out’ Assembly Committee earlier this year, that seeking the views of Londoners was not among his top four priorities. Nothing seems to have changed.

“We continue to hear from Londoners, like those who expressed their opinions on the West London tram plans, that their responses to his consultation exercises have not had any substantial impact on his decisions.

“It is essential to avoid some of the disappointment people feel when they have taken part in a consultation exercise and the majority view is ignored by the Mayor in favour of his preferred option.

“No one would say that consultation is easy, and it is not just a matter of listening to who shouts loudest. Complex schemes demand careful consultation, and that means a two way dialogue with the people affected.”

The Mayor had agreed to work with the Assembly in drawing up a consultation toolkit for use by Transport for London: “The Mayor should take advantage of the wealth of experience across the Assembly in listening to Londoners’ views. It would help him and his officers engage more efficiently and effectively with Londoners,” she added.