"NEW POWERS TO MAYOR MUST COME WITH EXTRA SCRUTINY POWERS TO ASSEMBLY" - TUFFREY

3.42.16pm GMT Fri 17th Nov 2006

Commenting on the announcement in the Queen's speech today that the

Mayor of London will be given new powers under the Greater London

Authority Bill, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly,

Mike Tuffrey, said:

"We have keenly supported regional devolution and bringing quangos and various boards under democratic control, so we support a transfer of powers from central government to the Mayor of London and the GLA. However these must not be at the expense of the London boroughs. The Assembly should be given greater powers to be able to hold the Mayor to account.

'These powers should include the effective powers to scrutinise the Mayor's budgets and strategies. It also requires secure funding for the Assembly and an independent staff establishment, rather than a politicised administration which the current Mayor operates. We welcome many of the proposals but believe giving the Mayor a greater role in planning will weaken the position of the London boroughs and democratic accountability.

'We also oppose giving the Mayor a direct role in London's cultural bodies believing any London representation would be better from the Assembly or London Council. We support borough representation on the Transport for London Board, but the Mayor must ensure that the Board contains representatives that represent all of London, not just one small part of it."

ENDS