Beyond the myth of the city-state

1. Beyond the myth of the city-state Tony Travers LSE

2. The impact of history on London’s government • Long-term evolution of ‘lower tier’ government, fragmented yet competitive • Regularly reformed ‘upper tier’ government: generally weaker than LBs in total • Beyond the ‘GLC area’ [now GLA) cut-off by Green Belt • No ‘regional’ tier [GLA is a city government] • Whitehall also fragmented into many departments • But crucial to London

3. Consequences of fragmentation • Location of facilities impacted by the structure of government • Issue of borough boundaries • Libraries at centre of boroughs; undesirable facilities near boundaries • Skyline reflects fragmented decision-making • Development is a complex business • Barrier to entry by new players? • Competition probably encourages development in some boroughs while restricting it elsewhere

4. Decision-making in London • Often complex and slow • King’s Cross; Battersea; Docklands prior to LDDC • Mediation of pressures for unfettered development by both democratic and self-interested parties • But can be fast and effective • LDDC; Olympics • Olympics shows how London can move fast and effectively • Contract with IOC; national pride; massive public funding

5. Is London a city-state? • Mayors probably see it like that • London Plan the only ‘regional’ plan remaining • Devolution occurred in London as well as Scotland and Wales • thus, partly ‘constitutional’ • Thus, different to the rest of England • GLC/GLA boundary reinforces urban/rural difference • Demography of London very different to UK as a whole

6. But, not really…. • Devolution to London very different to Scotland, Wales • London is an integrated part of England • England is all the UK government has left to govern • For ministers and civil servants, London is the most interesting and important part of their departmental responsibilities • Whitehall would be damaged by a major shift of power to ‘devo max’ London • No public demand, according to opinion polls

7. How much devolution to London would be possible? • London has a bigger population than Scotland + Wales • Bigger GDP than Scotland + Wales + Northern Ireland • London requires different policy than ‘Middle Britain’ or ‘Middle England’ • Good arguments for greater devolution over: • Taxation, public spending • Public service provision and regulation • Planning

8. Challenge of effective and rational planning of London region • There has never been an effective ‘metropolitan’ or ‘regional’ London government structure • London boundary could be moved outwards • Dartford, Crawley, Slough, Reading, Watford, Brentwood – ‘13m London’ • Or Greater South East • Possibility of interim mechanisms • SERPLAN+; Regional assembly; TfL extended; Mayor as ‘leader’ of region?

9. Concluding thoughts • London has endured and prospered for 2000 years • But, it has good and bad times • 1945 to 1985: relative decline • 1985- to date: relative success • Hard to see when a major change in fortune will occur – rarely predicted • Need for the city to remain flexible and capable of change

10. Beyond the myth of the city-state Tony Travers LSE