17 June 2005
A report recommending beefed-up powers for the capital's councillors has prompted a political disagreement, with two members of the commission responsible for the study resigning.
The Commission on London Governance published an interim report, Capital life – a review of London governance, on June 13.
It recommended a 'radical' overhaul of public sector service delivery in the capital including returning business rates to local control, scaling down the size and role of the Government Office for London and restructuring the health service in London.
The 14-strong commission, made up of members from the London Assembly and the Association of London Government, said residents should have more influence on services, which they claimed were currently provided by a virtual 'secret state'.
They said too many decisions about fund allocation were taken by Whitehall and quangos. The role of councillors should be strengthened so that they would be statutorily consulted by service providers at ward level.
Commission chair councillor Hugh Malyan said: ' We want Londoners to have a much greater say over how their affairs are run.'
However, Tory Brian Coleman and Veritas-Ukip group leader Damian Hockney resigned after publication of the report.
Coleman said he 'resolutely opposed the proposals to reverse the reforms of the business rate which were brought in by the Conservatives in the 1980s'.
He added he was best able to fight for local accountability 'without being a member of the commission'.
Another Assembly member, Richard Barnes, replaces him on the commission.
Hockney said: 'Many of the views expressed in the report are so far-removed from our own thinking on how to restore accountable and democratic governance to London that there seems to be little room for common ground.'
He said the group would publish its own report at the end of the year and would continue to monitor the commission's work.
Malyan said he was 'disappointed' by the resignations but the commission would continue to examine how services would be delivered in the capital.
A final report is expected later in the year.
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