17 February 2006
London councils should take over the functions of primary care trusts, according to a root-and-branch review of the way the capital is governed.
Following a year-long inquiry, the Commission on London Governance this week presented a radical menu of reforms to simplify governance structures and clarify lines of accountability between communities and service providers.
The report, published on February 13, criticised the clutter of institutions that run London's public services and the increasing trend of handing power to central government agencies and quangos over which Londoners have no direct control.
The commission, made up of politicians from the London Assembly and the Association of London Government, said giving borough councils commissioning powers over GP services would lead to the 'golden egg' of more streamlined health and social care.
Other recommendations included stronger powers for London's mayor, who should take over the function currently fulfilled by the city's five Learning & Skills Councils and orchestrate further education provision for the capital. He should also be given a boosted health role, working closely with the London Strategic Health Authority on drawing up a public health strategy.
Separate precept billing for the Greater London Authority should also be considered to help Londoners understand the cost of the services it and its functional bodies provide.
The chair of the commission, Croydon councillor Hugh Malyan, said he hoped the report set out a 'road-map' to give Londoners more say in how their public services are delivered. 'London faces many opportunities and challenges in the years ahead of the 2012 Olympics, but the capital's governance is in need of reform,' he said.
London Assembly member Bob Neill, deputy chair of the commission, added: 'The capital is the powerhouse of the national economy, but there are pockets of deep deprivation and long-term unemployment that must be challenged. Good governance is not only about how large organisations are structured to make decisions – it is also about real people's daily lives.'
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