LIVINGSTONE'S £110,000 BUREAUCRAT FOR LABOUR MEMBER 'APPEARS UNJUSTIFIED'

11.02.15am GMT Wed 1st Dec 2004

The London Assembly Liberal Democrats will later today (Wednesday 1st December 2004) attempt to quiz the Mayor and Labour Assembly Members about new information that shows Mr Livingstone is set to approve the appointment of a policy officer to support Labour Assembly Member, Len Duvall, at an estimated cost of £110,000 for the year.

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

"Serious questions must be asked of both the Mayor and of Labour as to what justifies spending £110,000 on extra support for one Assembly Member. With bus and tube fares increasing and the Congestion Charge set to rise by 60%, the public will rightly want to know why taxpayers cash is being spent on bureaucrats rather than front line services.

"The amount of cash that is set to be spent on just one official for one Labour Assembly member could pay for 3 police officers to make the streets of the capital safer for London."

ENDS

Notes to editor

The Business Management and Appointments Committee will meet on 1st December 2004 at 10.00am Committee Room 1, City Hall, Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA

Item 20(a) requests that the Committee approves :-

"Item 20(a) Establishment of Fixed Term Policy Support Post, Mayor's Office

Report of Executive Director of Corporate Services

The Committee is recommended to approve the establishment of a temporary post of Policy Officer under S67(2) of the GLA Act 1999 to support Len Duvall AM for a fixed term of one year at an estimated cost of £110,000 including on-costs ."

http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/bmac/2004/bmacdec1/bmacdec1agenda.jsp