Mayor seeks control of HCA budget
Boris Johnson has published plans to transfer housing powers from bodies including the Homes and Communities Agency to his office.
Under the London mayor’s proposals, which would require government approval and legislation, the London region of the HCA would be devolved to the Greater London Authority, and the London Development Agency would be folded into the GLA.
A housing and regeneration arm of the GLA would be set up to continue the work of the two bodies.
The move would give the mayor control of the HCA’s London budget, which is currently worth around £1.1 billion a year.
The plans would also see the body responsible for the regeneration of the Olympic site, the Olympic Park Legacy Company, reformed as a body that would report to the mayor directly.
The proposals published by the mayor are in line with commitments made by the Conservative Party in the run up to the General Election in May.
Communities secretary Eric Pickles said: ‘I welcome this contribution from the mayor of London. The new government is committed to genuine decentralisation of power. In London, this means transferring power and responsibility down from Whitehall and its quangos progressively downwards to City Hall, to London boroughs and to local neighbourhoods.’
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Readers' comments (2)
Anonymous | 16/06/2010 2:00 pm
Real power being stripped out of the quangocracy to an accountable politician.
New politics. Walks like a duck. Talks like a duck.
Of course, there is still the problem of the HCA, its highly paid staff and diminishing role.
Anyone with an axe in the house?
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Dave Hollins | 16/06/2010 10:01 pm
Excellent that this will be in place in time for Ken Livingstone to take over as mayor again in 2012!
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