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The new new government of London

The new new government of London. Tony Travers LSE. A long and winding road…. 1855, 1888, 1965, 1986 and 2000 Scale of London has created local and metropolitan interests also the City of London’s particular position Political parties have evolved different views about the ‘metropolitan’

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The new new government of London

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  1. The new new government of London Tony Travers LSE

  2. A long and winding road… • 1855, 1888, 1965, 1986 and 2000 • Scale of London has created local and metropolitan interests • also the City of London’s particular position • Political parties have evolved different views about the ‘metropolitan’ • Conservatives often sceptical • Labour/Liberals generally enthusiastic

  3. Reform is against this background • Different models of city-wide government have been tried • Joint board/s of local bodies/boroughs • MBW, 1986-2000 ‘Interregnum’ • Powerful ‘core urban’ authority • LCC • ‘City region’ • GLC, GLA • Local vs metropolitan interests

  4. GLA more powerful than GLC • Executive mayor has concentrated power in a single individual • as was intended • Powers of GLA greater than GLC? • TfL is a significantly more powerful institution than LT (only with GLC from 1970-84) • MPA powers not granted to GLC • LDA powers probably greater than GLC • GLC stronger in inner London - ILEA

  5. Government’s reforms strengthen the GLA • Planning • Housing • Skills & Training • Waste • Functional body appointments • Powers to make strategies; direct policy • 80% of what the Mayor said he wanted?

  6. Altering the balance of political power - 1 • DCLG has been more willing to devolve than DFES or DEFRA • similar pattern to when GLA was set up • more comfortable at the ‘regional’ than local level • Overall, slight shift of power away from Whitehall • Belief within government the experiment has worked

  7. Altering the balance of political power - 2 • Planning and housing reforms will move power from boroughs to City Hall • ‘Tilting the balance’ from the local to the metropolitan • Mayor will become more powerful than any ‘Greater London’ politician has ever been • Unlikely to be the end of the process……

  8. Consequences • Friction between the Mayor and the boroughs? • if so, could create ‘abolitionist’ movement • as has occurred before • Alternatively, a more powerful ‘London wide’ office capable of changing the city in line with demands of economy, migration, social change

  9. Public need to understand reasons for reform • Government and Mayor of London will have to explain why change is taking place • better services? bigger city? • 2008 mayoral election bound to pick up planning and housing issues • Reform of London government could find its way into 2009 election manifestos • The road to reform winds on and on………

  10. The new new government of London Tony Travers LSE

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