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Keeping the promise of London: a manifesto for the next mayor Keeping the promise of London: a manifesto for the next mayor
(35 minutes later)
The great strength of think tank Centre for London’s manifesto for London - entitled Keeping the Promise - is that it is written by people who understand what London’s mayors can do and also what they’re terrified to do. As well as pondering the strengths and the failings of London, director Ben Rogers and research director Richard Brown have worked in London government, so experience informs their insights into how stuff does and doesn’t get done in a big beast metropolis that politicians struggle to tame. They know too what some of the answers to London’s problems might be. These include measures no likely winner of May’s mayoral election is going anywhere near. The great strength of thinktank Centre for London’s manifesto for London - entitled Keeping the Promise - is that it is written by people who understand what London’s mayors can do and also what they’re terrified to do. As well as pondering the strengths and the failings of London, director Ben Rogers and research director Richard Brown have worked in London government, so experience informs their insights into how stuff does and doesn’t get done in a big beast metropolis that politicians struggle to tame. They know too what some of the answers to London’s problems might be. These include measures no likely winner of May’s mayoral election is going anywhere near.
The approach is to see the city in the round: “We try to understand how economic, social and environmental issues fit together and develop ideas to make London more prosperous, inclusive and sustainable.” The authors also explain how the powers of mayors are greater and subtler than is (still) often casually claimed. They might be weak compared with counterparts abroad, but there is far more to their job than tweaking bus fares and showing off: “As both Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson demonstrated, the mayor has a great deal of informal ‘soft power’.” Rogers and Brown argue that the next mayor will need to work closely with London’s boroughs, public services, businesses, third sector and citizens’ organisations as well central government to get results. They are right.The approach is to see the city in the round: “We try to understand how economic, social and environmental issues fit together and develop ideas to make London more prosperous, inclusive and sustainable.” The authors also explain how the powers of mayors are greater and subtler than is (still) often casually claimed. They might be weak compared with counterparts abroad, but there is far more to their job than tweaking bus fares and showing off: “As both Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson demonstrated, the mayor has a great deal of informal ‘soft power’.” Rogers and Brown argue that the next mayor will need to work closely with London’s boroughs, public services, businesses, third sector and citizens’ organisations as well central government to get results. They are right.
With that mix of statutory muscle and convening influence in mind, the manifesto asks the next mayor to make the Greater London Authority more effective in its own structures and its relationships with others. A new agency for housing and planning is suggested and perhaps an equivalent of the inter-disciplinary London Enterprise Board for civil society.With that mix of statutory muscle and convening influence in mind, the manifesto asks the next mayor to make the Greater London Authority more effective in its own structures and its relationships with others. A new agency for housing and planning is suggested and perhaps an equivalent of the inter-disciplinary London Enterprise Board for civil society.
Centre for London is big on the problem-solving potential of tech and would like the mayor to have a chief digital officer, following other cities - Seoul, Paris, New York - by installing the role at the heart of City Hall. A “senior adviser” is also recommended to ensure that money is wisely spent by the GLA and its partner organisations - Transport for London, the Met and so on - and opportunities for new sources of finance explored. At the same time, the case for greater devolution from the centre must continue to be made.Centre for London is big on the problem-solving potential of tech and would like the mayor to have a chief digital officer, following other cities - Seoul, Paris, New York - by installing the role at the heart of City Hall. A “senior adviser” is also recommended to ensure that money is wisely spent by the GLA and its partner organisations - Transport for London, the Met and so on - and opportunities for new sources of finance explored. At the same time, the case for greater devolution from the centre must continue to be made.
A second section recognises the link between transport infrastructure, planning and housing supply if the city is to grow in the right way. It moves carefully through the minefields of re-development and building densities, stressing the next mayor’s need to ensure that the people most affected by estate “regeneration” or neighbourhood “intensification” derive the greatest benefits from it. The new housing and planning agency would seek to pool land, finance and expertise to make the most of areas with the potential to be made over.A second section recognises the link between transport infrastructure, planning and housing supply if the city is to grow in the right way. It moves carefully through the minefields of re-development and building densities, stressing the next mayor’s need to ensure that the people most affected by estate “regeneration” or neighbourhood “intensification” derive the greatest benefits from it. The new housing and planning agency would seek to pool land, finance and expertise to make the most of areas with the potential to be made over.
Keeping The Promise also becomes the latest learned contribution to London’s housing debate to advise a review of the green belt to allow for judicious, planned development on some of it, rather than “a speculative free-for-all.” Alas, to embrace this idea would be to light a stick of political dynamite. Front runner candidates Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan are both frantic to insist that they will do no such thing.Keeping The Promise also becomes the latest learned contribution to London’s housing debate to advise a review of the green belt to allow for judicious, planned development on some of it, rather than “a speculative free-for-all.” Alas, to embrace this idea would be to light a stick of political dynamite. Front runner candidates Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan are both frantic to insist that they will do no such thing.
Another recommendation neither of the pair seems keen on taking up is an upgraded road use charging system to cover the entire capital - only the Greens want to do that - as part of a broader strategy to lessen private car use and make London’s streets more hospitable to travel through and inhabit. There’s more chance, though, that the next mayor will want to nurture the diversity of London’s economy and cultural spaces, address its skills shortages and promote better childcare provision.Another recommendation neither of the pair seems keen on taking up is an upgraded road use charging system to cover the entire capital - only the Greens want to do that - as part of a broader strategy to lessen private car use and make London’s streets more hospitable to travel through and inhabit. There’s more chance, though, that the next mayor will want to nurture the diversity of London’s economy and cultural spaces, address its skills shortages and promote better childcare provision.
That’s just a flavour of Keeping the Promise, a clear, succinct and perceptive piece of work that packs a lot of top knowledge into less than 40 pages. Read it via here.That’s just a flavour of Keeping the Promise, a clear, succinct and perceptive piece of work that packs a lot of top knowledge into less than 40 pages. Read it via here.