Londonchamber.co.uk Our Business is Your Business Club of European Metropolitan CCI London meeting...

londonchamber.co.uk Our Business is Your Business

Club of European Metropolitan CCI London meeting30th - 31st October 2013

How London is governed


Common administrative area created in 1965 now with various tiers: • Local level: 32 Borough councils and ‘City of London’

Corporation

• Regional level: Mayor of London and 25 Assembly Members

• Parliament: 73 MPs attending Westminster

• Government: 24 National Ministerial Departments

• Europe: 8 MEPs attending Brussels/Strasbourg

Our Business is Your Business

‘Greater’ London – differing layers of governance

32 councils that run most local services

• Known as the “Boroughs” • Responsible for Schools, social services, waste, roads• Policed by Metropolitan Police Service• Dominated by three main political parties

City of London Corporation has unique status dating back to 1225

• Often referred to as “The City” or “Square Mile”• 7,000 population• Own dedicated Police Force • Most voters are representatives of businesses


Local: 32 + 1 = 33 authorities

1858 councillors elected every four years


Local – current political control of councils

Greater London Authority (GLA) created in 2000 as strategic authority for transport, policing, economic development and fire & emergency planning

• Office of Mayor with executive powers

• Assembly Chamber to scrutinise mayoral activity

• Aim to enhance coordination between boroughs

• Jurisdiction does not include City of London Corporation area

• Mainly funded through central government grant


Regional: looking after 8.3million people

Incumbent Boris Johnson first elected in 2008

• The London Plan

• Transport for London (TfL)

• Policing & Crime

• Fire & Emergency

• London Business Board


Regional: The Mayor of London

25 Members elected every four years


Regional: current political make-up of Assembly

73 MPs now elected every five years


Parliament: London House of Commons seats

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LondonParliamentaryConstituency2010Results.svg

London’s weak local/regional governance means many important decisions are ‘filtered’ through national government departments

Partly due to limited financial power enshrined in Office of Mayor of London

Battle for attention of Ministers against many competing interests from other UK regions as well as public policy influencers

Prime example was effort to seek to protect London transport funding at the Government Spending Review in June 2013


‘Limited’ London: impact of a centralised UK

Example: “Grow London - Tell George””

London Chamber believes the Office of Mayor of London should have greater control over financial resources

Agree with broad thrust of London Finance Commission chaired by Professor Tony Travers

London Chamber actively engaging with political parties now

UK Westminster General Election scheduled for May 2015


Looking ahead


Club of European Metropolitan CCI London meeting30th - 31st October 2013

Sean McKee, LCCI

Political London – an outline


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