GIVE LONDON MAYOR MORE POWER SAYS NEW LIB DEM REPORT

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 22nd Jun 2005

Ahead of Mayor's Question Time later today, the London Assembly Liberal Democrats will launch a new report calling for the Greater London Authority to be given greater powers over how the capital is run.

The Lib Dems will launch their report Greater Powers for the Greater London Authority, where they will be calling for the Greater London Authority to be given:-

· Control over Tube maintenance and upgrade

· A say in the appointment of London's Police Commissioner

· Powers to set up a Single Waste Authority

· Powers over Skills and Training

· Speed up the transfer of wider control over Commuter Rail

· Extra powers in relation to Arts and Sports in the capital including funding and control over key strategic sites like the South Bank Centre

Ken Livingstone will be quizzed by the Lib Dems to reveal what commitments he has received from Tony Blair to increase the powers of the GLA. According to the Mayor, when he pressed the Prime Minister on these extra powers he said that "it was not falling on deaf ears." Fourteen months later and there has been no sign that the government is willing to devolve more powers away from Whitehall.

Leader of the London Assembly Liberal Democrats, Graham Tope, said:-

"For all the promises and all the hype, Ken Livingstone has failed to persuade Ministers to let him and the London Assembly run more of London.

"Millions was spent getting City Hall and regional democracy up and running only for central Government to still control vast swathes of policy that is meant to benefit London and Londoners. Ministers must relax their grip and allow elected politicians to get on with the job of directing and investing the money in the way that is best for our capital.

"Too many policies from Whitehall could be done better by City Hall and Local Authorities. Now that we have City Hall, the idea that Ministers should run key Londonwide services has become a redundant relic of a bygone era. It is time for Ministers to practice what they preach and ensure that key services are brought under the control of City Hall."

ENDS

A copy of the report can be looked at by clicking the link below

Related Link:

Report - Greater Powers for the Greater London Authority