7th Mayor’s report

December 5, 2016 office

I thought you may wish to see the latest report from the Mayor

MQT – 14 December 2016

Executive Summary

Croydon Tram Incident

I am sure every Londoner will have been touched by the tragic events of Wednesday 9 November, when shortly after 6am a tram derailed near the Sandilands stop in Croydon, killing seven people and injuring more than 50 others.

The seven people who had their lives tragically cut short were – Dane Chinnery, Robert Huxley, Philip Logan, Dorota Rynkiewicz, Philip Seary, Donald Collett and Mark Smith.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the friends and families of those who lost loved ones and all those who were injured. In the aftermath of this tragic incident we have seen the kindness, generosity and bravery of Londoners as they have come together in solidarity.

A small but united community in Croydon has been rocked by this horrific incident, and we must do all we can to support them at such a difficult time and, continue this support as the community fully comes to terms with what has taken place.

I would like to pay tribute to the emergency services, NHS staff at St George’s and Croydon University Hospitals, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), TfL staff, Croydon Council and, many other voluntary organisations, who all worked tirelessly in very difficult circumstances following the incident.

On 9 November, as the severity of the incident unfolded, I went to Croydon and spoke to the teams involved in the rescue operation. Alongside me were Assembly Member Steve O’Connell, Gavin Barwell MP and Tony Newman, Leader of LB Croydon, and I would like to pay tribute to all of them for the leadership and support they have shown since the incident. The Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling, also visited Croydon.

Croydon Council has created a special web-page for donations, as well as a dedicated centre to provide counselling and advice. I also arranged for the Sarah Hope Line to be available for those affected by the incident. The Sarah Hope Line is run by dedicated TfL staff to provide practical, financial and emotional support and can also make referrals for counselling and specialised support.

The tram network has always been a very safe form of public transport and it is vital that we learn the lessons to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again.

Prior to services restarting and, in accordance with advice in the Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s (RAIB’s) interim report into the derailment, additional speed restrictions and associated signage were implemented near Sandilands and at three other locations on the network.

All tram drivers were fully briefed prior to resumption of services and additional staff from TfL and FirstGroup have been available across the network to provide support and information for customers.

Following the completion of a rigorous safety assessment and taking the advice of an independent panel of tram experts, full services resumed across the whole tram network on 18 November.

Welcoming Autumn Statement as first step to major devolution deal

On 23 November, I welcomed the commitments made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, as the first steps towards a major devolution deal for the capital.

The record £3.15 billion devolution deal struck with Government to build 90,000 new and genuinely affordable homes for Londoners is especially welcome. This is the largest sum of money ever secured by City Hall to deliver affordable housing for the capital.

I believe the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement signals the start of a long-term process of giving London government the control it needs to grow and protect the capital’s economy from the current economic uncertainty.

TfL fares frozen until 2020

On 18 November, I formally confirmed that around four million journeys a day across London will benefit from TfL fares being frozen, as I officially published the 2017 TfL fares package.

The freeze in TfL fares for the next four years means that everyone buying a bus or tram ticket in London will not pay a penny more next year than they did in 2016. Pay as you go (PAYG) journeys on the Tube, DLR, Emirates Airline and rail services, where TfL fares apply, will be frozen. Hire and access on Santander Cycles will also be frozen in order to encourage even more people to try cycling to get around London.

The freeze will put £40 million back into the pockets of Londoners next year and encourage more people to use London’s extensive public transport network. Over the four years, an average household will save around £200.

Night Tube comes to Northern line

On 18 November, I joined London’s business community at the launch of the Night Tube on the Northern line. The line, the busiest of all London Underground lines, is the fourth to join the Night Tube network, following successful introductions on the Central, Victoria and Jubilee lines.

Next month, the Piccadilly line will become the fifth to run services, fulfilling my pledge to have five lines running by the end of the year.

Night Czar Appointment

On 4 November, I announced that Amy Lamé had been appointed London’s first ever Night Czar.

Following phenomenal interest in the role, with 187 applicants, Amy was appointed based on her extensive knowledge and experience of the night time economy, having built her career in the industry over the last two decades.

Setting out ambitious plans to deliver 90,000 affordable homes

On 29 November, I set out new planning rules to speed up the building of more affordable housing, alongside plans for how record-breaking investment of £3.15 billion will support 90,000 new affordable homes in the capital.

My new funding programme details how I will use the investment – the biggest housing deal ever secured by City Hall – to support new affordable housing in the capital over the next five years. It was launched on the same day as my new planning guidance, designed speed up development and boost affordable housing numbers.

Policing, Crime and Security

Action to ensure real change in Met’s approach to keeping children safe

On 25 November, in response to a highly critical report that has exposed significant failings in the way the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) works to protect children in London, I have set out a programme of action to ensure these deeply worrying and distressing failings are not repeated.

A comprehensive report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has exposed serious failures in the way the MPS interacts with vulnerable children. HMIC has identified poor practice in the police response to allegations of crimes against young people, in identifying clear signs of child sexual exploitation, and in dealing with missing children or children at risk. I have discussed this with the Home Secretary, and my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden, has had discussions with the Police Minister.

In response, I have announced a detailed and wide-ranging action plan to address the failings, identified by the HMIC report. The plan consists of:

A new independent group which has been established to drive the oversight and change necessary to ensure that children in our city are not let down when they are most vulnerable. The group includes Alex Marshall, from the College of Policing, and Norfolk Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the National Police Chief’s Council child protection lead.
A dedicated ‘Justice Matters’ public scrutiny session was held at City Hall on 28 November, reviewing the key findings from the HMIC report, as well as a new MOPAC study on sexual violence.
Scrapping the previous Mayor’s overly crude crime reduction targets which were strongly criticised by the HMIC in its report as having led to a greater focus on reducing certain neighbourhood crimes than upon child protection.
The launch of a new Police and Crime Plan for consultation, ensuring the protection of vulnerable people, including children, is placed right at the heart of policing.
Ensuring regular oversight of child protection in my regular formal meetings with senior MPS leaders.

It is my responsibility to oversee the MPS, and me and my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden, will continue to hold the MPS to account over this important issue.

Investing £4 million to help tackle sexual violence

On 28 November, I announced an investment of more than £4 million to help tackle sexual abuse in London, meeting my manifesto commitment to improve support for victims. I have been clear that I will put victims and their needs at the heart of my Police and Crime Plan, which will be published for consultation shortly.

I confirmed the funding – for services already supporting abuse victims – just as publication of the Sexual Violence Needs Assessment, carried out by City Hall and NHS England, revealed that the needs of survivors across the capital are going unmet.

My Deputy for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden, discussed the Sexual Violence Needs Assessment, as well as how best to protect those most at risk from sexual abuse, at a high-level Justice Matters meeting at City Hall on the 28 November.

The meeting also discussed the findings of last week’s HMIC report, which exposed serious failings in the way the MPS protects children. Those attending the meeting included the‎ National Probation Service, Women and Girls Network, Crown Prosecution Service, Survivors Trust and London Rehabilitation Company.

Each year around 24,000 adults in London experience serious sexual assault or rape. Whilst reporting has increased, support for survivors through the criminal justice process is patchy across the city. The City Hall and NHS England study into sexual violence and child sexual exploitation found inconsistent access to legal and mental health services, limited funding for prevention work, and a lack of a strategic, joined-up approach to meet the specific needs and demands of the capital.

To address these gaps, MOPAC is working with NHS England to develop a new model for sexual abuse services in London, in partnership with existing providers. I have extended funding for three London Sexual Assault Referral Centres (Havens) and four London Rape Crisis Centres for an additional year until March 2018, during which time MOPAC will work with them on redesigning services so they better meet the demands and needs of survivors.

In a victim-centred approach, the new model will streamline and simplify survivors’ journeys through the criminal justice system. Adopting a joined-up way of working across agencies and boroughs, it will plug gaps in the capital’s current provisions, including enhanced services for young victims, improved access to individual support, and an increased focus on addressing the root causes that make victims vulnerable to sexual abuse.

The new integrated service model will be in place by March 2018.

Talk London

On 26 October, MOPAC launched a survey on the Talk London website to understand what Londoners felt about policing and crime across the capital.

The survey asked for views on issues including local policing, safety on public transport, keeping young people safe, tackling violence against women and girls, hate crime and extremism. The survey closed on 16 November, with nearly 8000 Londoners taking part.

The results of the survey are being used to inform the development of my draft Police and Crime Plan. My thanks go to all those who took the time to give us their views.

Transport

TfL fares frozen until 2020

On 18 November, I formally confirmed that around four million journeys a day across London will benefit from TfL fares being frozen, as I officially published the 2017 TfL fares package.

The freeze in TfL fares for the next four years means that everyone buying a bus or tram ticket in London will not pay a penny more next year than they did in 2016.

Pay as you go (PAYG) journeys on the Tube, DLR, Emirates Airline and rail services, where TfL fares apply, will be frozen. Hire and access on Santander Cycles will also be frozen in order to encourage even more people to try cycling to get around London.

The freeze in TfL fares follows successive years of fares increases under the previous Mayor. I am scrapping a planned 17 per cent hike in TfL fares after they went up 42 per cent since 2008. Londoners now pay some of the most expensive fares in Europe.

The 2017 fares package also follows the successful introduction of the new ‘Hopper’ fare in September, which has meant an end to having to pay two fares when changing bus routes within an hour. Already in just over two months, more than 10 million journeys have been made using the Hopper fare.

I am also freezing all TfL travel concessions, ensuring that children, those over 60, veterans, apprentices and those on Job Seeker’s Allowance, continue to benefit from free or discounted travel.

I have repeatedly called on the Government to freeze national rail fares, so that those using London’s suburban rail services and travelcards do not continue to suffer from ever increasing transport costs.

Finally, I have formally approved the proposed revisions to fares to be implemented from 2 January 2017 and signed the attached Direction to TfL, issued pursuant to the power in section 155 (1)(c) of the GLA Act 1999, to implement these fares on 2 January 2017.

Night Tube comes to Northern line

On 18 November, I launched the Night Tube on the Northern line.

The line, the busiest of all London Underground lines, is the fourth to join the Night Tube network, following successful introductions on the Central, Victoria and Jubilee lines. Next month, the Piccadilly line will become the fifth to run services, fulfilling my pledge to have five lines running by the end of the year.

Northern line Night Tube services run from High Barnet and Edgware to Morden via the Charing Cross branch, providing another boost to the capital’s burgeoning night-time economy and making it easier for Londoners to travel to and from work. It will support the iconic music venues in Camden, world-class theatres in the West End, the buzzing bar and restaurant scene in Clapham and numerous businesses in-between.

The Night Tube will play a key role in opening up London’s night-time economy, boosting it by £77 million a year and supporting around 2,000 permanent jobs.

Tackling London’s road congestion

On 21 November, I announced a series of measures aimed at directly tackling growing congestion on London’s roads and improving reliability for all road users.

The measures announced include:

Ensuring that the infrastructure that supports the road network, including traffic signals and road surfaces, are reliable, faults are minimised and repairs are carried out faster;
Communicating better with road users to allow people to make more effective decisions about their journeys based on the most accurate and up-to-date information; and
Collaborating more efficiently with local authorities, utility companies and developers to reduce the impact of planned road works and lobbying Government for greater powers to manage road works.

As part of the plans, I also set out specific measures to increase the reliability of bus services, including investing £50 million in bus priority schemes. The bus is London’s most popular form of public transport and the most efficient motorised use of road space, with almost 2.4 billon journeys made by bus in the capital each year, around half of all bus journeys in England.

Getting more people using buses and cutting the cost of public transport through my fares freeze and new ‘hopper’ fare will no only tackle road congestion but help improve air quality as well.

TfL recognises 34 London schools for promoting active and safe travel

On 7 November, TfL has awarded top marks to 34 London schools for championing active and safe travel on the journey to school, as part of its STARS (Sustainable Travel: Active, Responsible, Safe) schools programme.

The awards were presented at a special event to the highest performing of more than 1,500 participating London schools in reducing car use, increasing walking and cycling, and using public transport.

Now in its tenth year, accreditation to STARS has grown from 180 schools in 2006 to 1,557 in 2016, and for the first time this year every London borough was represented.

WiFi information trial to help give London Underground customers better journeys

On 17 November, TfL announced the beginning a short trial that will see depersonalised WiFi connection data collected at 54 London Underground stations within Zones 1-4 to help improve the services it offers customers.

The trial, which will last four weeks from 21 November, will provide TfL with a more accurate understanding of how people move through our stations, interchange between services and monitor how crowding develops. This could enable TfL to improve its services, provide better travel information and help prioritise investment.

By understanding how customers move through and around stations, it may also be able to increase revenue from companies who advertise on poster sites or rent retail units to reinvest in improving services across London.

TfL has assured me that no browsing data will be collected and it will not be able to identify any individuals.

TfL partners with two global brands to bring ‘the lettering of London’ to life

Two global brands have partnered with TfL to mark the 100^th anniversary of the iconic Johnston typeface. Mattel have produced a limited edition Scrabble set, while Nike has designed a new NikeLab x Roundel trainer using the font.

The centenary of the Johnston typeface coincides with TfL and London Transport Museum’s ‘Transported by Design’ programme, supported by Exterion Media, marking the impact of design on the transport network with a series of exhibitions, events and merchandise.

The partnerships with both Scrabble and Nike form part of TfL’s work to raise non-fares revenue to reinvest in improving London’s transport services.

Dangerous work sees British Telecom prosecuted for risking public safety

British Telecom (BT) has been ordered to pay more than £10,000 after TfL successfully prosecuted the telecoms giant for two serious safety breaches that put public safety at significant risk.

The prosecution follows unsafe work carried out on Bruce Grove (A10), Haringey, on 16 April, and Hook Road (A243), Kingston-Upon-Thames, on 17 May.

On 16 November, BT pleaded guilty to the unsafe execution of works with significant risk to public safety at Westminster Magistrates Court and was fined a total of £7,000 and ordered to pay £3,570 in court costs.

Both locations had poor signing, lighting and pedestrian guarding, as well as incorrect traffic control.

The Economy, Business, Enterprise and Regeneration

Welcoming Autumn Statement as first step to major devolution deal

On 23 November, I welcomed the commitments made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, as the first steps towards a major devolution deal for the capital.

The Chancellor has also relaxed the rules around how the GLA can use this money, meaning I can now build new homes for low-cost rent, London Living Rent, and shared ownership between now and 2021.

In addition to more money for affordable homes, the Chancellor also announced:

Devolution of adult skills funding to London from 2019-20. This is crucial as it will enable me to give Londoners the skills they need for the jobs of the future – which is more important than ever in the aftermath of the EU referendum.

Giving London more control over employment support services in the capital – the programmes and schemes that help get unemployed people back into work.

A new £23 billion national productivity fund, although Britain will need significant further infrastructure investment in order to manage the economic uncertainty ahead.
Only a marginal improvement in the transitional relief scheme for businesses facing massive increases in their business rates bills.

£1 billion investment in digital infrastructure across the country and from April, 100 per cent business rate relief investment in new fibre.

Further investment in the London Local Enterprise Panel, so it can continue to take a strategic view of the regeneration, employment and skills agenda for the capital.

I also welcome the Chancellors decisions on:

Letting agency fees – banning letting agency fees, which pile on costs for renters, is a very welcome move, and one which I have been calling for some time.

Scrapping the proposed increase in fuel duty – this will be a welcome relief for motorists during these difficult times, saving the average driver £130 a year, and the average van driver £350 a year.

Increase in the National minimum wage from £7.20 per hour to £7.50 in April next year – although it is lower than previously promised by George Osborne and is still a long way short of the London Living Wage of £9.75.

The launch of a new savings bond at the Budget next year, with an interest rate of 2.2 per cent gross –this is a promising move, although we will have to see the details in the budget.

However, I am disappointed that the Government did not use the Autumn Statement to devolve to the capital some control over suburban rail services, or to freeze fares on national rail lines, which I believe would have led to improved services for millions of passengers.

Commuters who rely on Southern, South-West and South-Eastern services are currently being ripped off with a terrible service. I hope the Government will move on rail devolution sooner rather than later.

I am also disappointed there was no action to make childcare more affordable, which now costs the average London family £16,000 a year.

New Business Advisory Board

On 28 November, whilst attending Bloomberg’s UK Investment Summit, I announced the leading entrepreneurs and top business figures in London – the majority of whom are women – who will form my new Business Advisory Board. The high-quality line-up will help the capital seize new opportunities.

I have vowed to be London’s most pro-business Mayor ever and the announcement fulfils my manifesto pledge to establish the Board, the first of its kind to be chaired by the Mayor, which will tap into the capital’s business expertise and help London’s economy grow.
Membership comprises business leaders and entrepreneurs who want to contribute their ideas and experience to helping to boost London in the wake of the Brexit.
The board includes Nicola Mendelsohn, Vice President of Facebook, Inga Beale, Chief Executive of Lloyds of London, Nikhil Rathi, Chief Executive Officer of the London Stock Exchange and Debbie Wosskow – founder and CEO of Love Home Swap.
I am determined to challenge the underrepresentation of women in senior roles and, in line with my commitment to gender equality, 10 of the 16 Board members are female. Five members are from a black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background.
The Board will advise me on the how policy can deliver positive outcomes for London’s businesses, growth and job creation, and on how policy proposals from City Hall or elsewhere might affect these.

It will meet at least four times a year and will also provide insight on the impact of economic conditions, and policy decisions taken elsewhere, on business in London.

I will chair the meetings of the Board, and my Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, will also attend. In addition, me or my Deputy Mayor for Business may call upon members of the Board, individually or in small groups, to provide advice on specific matters.

Post-referendum start-up investment tops £2.5 million

On 28 November, I revealed that 20 start-ups have benefitted from £2.5 million funding from my London Co-investment Fund since the EU referendum. This includes a company which produces portable incubators for premature babies and another which makes navigation systems for bicycles.

The London Co-investment Fund – my early stage business fund – uses public-private venture capital for pump-priming investment in some of London’s most innovative science, digital and technology start-ups.

In June 2016 alone, the Fund invested more than £1 million in a range of start-ups, despite a downturn in investment across much of the economy, further proof that London is open for business and remains the best place in the world for exciting and innovative companies to thrive.

The Fund supports companies which are using technology to improve lives and tackle significant challenges. For example, MoM Incubators – which makes inexpensive, inflatable incubators designed to cut infant mortality, and Pivigo – an online hub which connects businesses with data scientists and has already worked with KPMG, Marks & Spencer, British Gas, Barclays and Investec.

City Hall maintains an equity stake in these companies and provides legal, procurement, supply chain and marketing support. This enables them to grow and, in so doing, generate new jobs.

On 28 November, start-ups, business experts and prospective investors met at City Hall to discuss opportunities through the Fund and to hear from a number of high-profile speakers.

Calling on Government to act over business talent fears

On 30 November, I confirmed that I have no choice but to look at a London-specific solution if the Government refuses to act over employers’ fears that business will lose access to skilled EU workers after Brexit negotiations.

I have therefore announced plans for a summit with business leaders and other experts in the new year, in order to push forward with plans to put pressure on ministers, and develop a new system to ensure businesses can retain access to the skills they need.

I used a keynote speech at the Institute of Directors to warn that ministers appear not to be listening to business concerns. If this continues, and the Government plans do not adopt a position that works for businesses in the capital, I will have no choice but to look at a London-specific solution.

My preferred option is for the Government to adopt a negotiating position and new system that satisfies businesses’ demands and I will keep pushing the Government on this in my monthly meetings with David Davis, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.

Indian Visas

My Deputy Mayor of London for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, has called on Government to relax the rules on Indian visas for high-skilled workers coming to Britain.

In the aftermath of Brexit, it is more important than ever that companies in London and across Britain have access to the global talent they need to grow and create jobs and prosperity.

Of course we must and will do more to improve skills training for Londoners, but in sectors like financial services and tech, London has always benefited from the best of British and worldwide talent.

Digital Talent Programme

I have approved expenditure of up to £7 million, including £5 million funded from the Growth Deal, and £2 million from the European Social Fund, for the Mayor’s Digital Talent Programme.

I have also extended delivery timeline for the Digital Talent programme, to complete delivery and expenditure by March 2019, subject to internal carry-forward processes.

I have approved the revision of target beneficiaries for the programme interventions, to focus on Londoners aged 15-24 years old, particularly women, BAME Londoners and disadvantaged Londoners.

Finally, I have approved changes to the proposed staffing arrangements, to ensure that there is sufficient staffing resource for the duration of the programme, subject to the Authority’s annual budget setting process.

Housing and Land

Setting out ambitious plans to deliver 90,000 affordable homes

Previous national rules on affordable housing investment were rigid, including no investment at all for mainstream low-cost rented housing. Following negotiations with Government, new rules mean investment in London can now be spent on a mix of homes for low-cost rent and affordable homeownership. I have been clear there is not a one size fits all approach to affordable housing in London, as the city needs a balanced mix of homes to rent and buy.

The 90,000 affordable homes will be a mix of low-cost rent, shared ownership and London Living Rent, which is based on a third of average household incomes in each borough. Most homes will be delivered by housing associations, with the condition that their plans must include a minimum 50 per cent affordable housing, with some partners enabled to deliver at least 60 per cent.

I also launched new planning guidance, setting out for the first time an innovative approach to speed up decisions in the planning system and increasing the levels of affordable housing.

My Supplementary Planning Guidance is the first step to raising affordable housing levels from the low level of 13 per cent given permission that I inherited from the previous Mayor. The guidance has been developed through extensive discussions with councils and the housing industry.

Links to both documents can be found at: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/homes-londoners.

Protheroe House

On 18 November, my Statutory Deputy Mayor, Joanne McCartney, opened Protheroe House in Tottenham. The development is made up of 36 one bedroom and 14 two bedroom flats offering affordable independent living for elderly residents.

This scheme is part funded by my Care & Support Specialised Housing Fund. The scheme also has communal facilities and a café open to the public, making it a great asset to the community in Tottenham.

Environment

Government urged to tackle London’s toxic air

On 7 November, following the successful ClientEarth High Court ruling, in which I was an interested party, I called on Government to take immediate action on London’s toxic air.

Filthy air is causing‎ 9,400 deaths every year in London alone. And that’s before you look at all the other health problems caused to Londoners.

We need action now to protect Londoners and people all across the UK from breathing in toxic fumes. The Government has been seriously complacent about this health emergency for the last six years and now is the time for them to stop gambling with our health and show real leadership.

We urgently need a national diesel scrappage scheme and a Clean Air Act fit for the 21st century. We also need real funding prioritised for London, the mediocre funding given to our boroughs is woefully insufficient.

The ruling on ClientEarth’s challenge means that the Government’s existing plan for improving air quality will now be quashed and ministers will have to put in place new measures to remove illegal levels of NO2 air pollution. The Court has ordered that a new draft plan be produced by 24 April 2016 and a final plan be adopted after consultation by 31 July 2016.

Improving air quality is a national challenge requiring national action and the Government has a rare opportunity to implement a transformative new approach. I have now written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to offer my help in producing a new plan. It is important that we work together to ensure a new air quality plan is legally-compliant, ambitious, effective, comprehensive and fully-funded. The plan must address the current NO2 limit value breaches as quickly as possible by improving air quality from all sources, thereby reducing exposure and tackling health inequalities.

Legal compliance must be achieved well before 2025.

Heathrow Legal Action

On 16 November, I revealed that I had directed TfL to provide advice and assistance to affected borough councils, including Hillingdon, Richmond, Wandsworth and Windsor and Maidenhead, as they prepare for a joint legal challenge with Greenpeace against a third runway at Heathrow. It is likely that TfL will be named in this action as an interested party. As and when that is the case, I will take a decision on joining the legal challenge.

At November’s Mayor’s Question Time, I reiterated that I am completely at odds with the Government’s decision to back Heathrow, and I highlighted the significant environmental impact that a third runway would have on Londoners’ lives.

Heathrow already exposes more people to aircraft noise than Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Munich and Madrid combined. An expansion would mean the intolerable prospect of an extra 200,000 Londoners, including 124 schools and 43,200 schoolchildren, being exposed to an unacceptable level of noise every day.

This disturbs the everyday lives of Londoners, leading to health problems related to stress and sleep disturbance, with noise exposure for school children reducing reading levels and memory recall.

A third runway will also lead to even higher levels of toxic air in an area where pollution is already well above legal levels for NO2 emissions.

Volkswagen

On 18 November, I wrote to the Managing Director of Volkswagen (VW), Paul Willis, asking him to explain to me his company’s plan to mitigate against the use of so-called ‘defeat devices’ and the increased pollution caused by affected vehicles which are being driven in London.

I have asked him to set out the steps VW will take to fully compensate Londoners who have bought their vehicles in good faith, only to discover they are more polluting than promised. I also want VW to establish a ‘buy-back’ scheme, which will take these vehicles off London’s roads as quickly as possible.

Finally, I want VW to compensate TfL for the lost congestion charging revenue as a result of owners of affected VW vehicles claiming a discount for which they may not have been entitled.

Supporting tree planting this winter

On 11 November, my Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues, hosted a Tree Summit, meeting with representatives from 16 partner organisations involved in tree planting and management in London, including Trees for Cities, The Woodland Trust and the Forestry Commission.

The Summit discussed tree planting opportunities in London for this winter and over the next four years, and officers are now working on developing plans for my tree programme for 2017-2020.

I have agreed a major tree-planting programme for 2016/17 and related expenditure of up to £750,000 on activity to support and which corresponds with delivery of the programme.

The Global Emissions Gap – United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

On 3 November, my Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues, gave a keynote speech at the launch of UNEP’s 2016 Emissions Gap Report.

The Report outlines the gap between international greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments made by governments and the estimated reductions required to stay below internationally agreed targets for global temperature rise on pre-industrial levels.

The remaining gap to stay within a 1.5^oC warming target as per the Paris Agreement is estimated to be 15 to 17 gigatons of CO₂per year by 2030. Shirley outlined the role that cities can have in helping to close this gap and outlined some of the actions and commitments taken by London. This includes my ambitious target for London to become a zero carbon city by 2050.

Phasing out ‘dirtiest’ diesel buses and unveiling hydrogen bus

On 30 November, I unveiled in London the world’s first double-decker hydrogen bus, as I committed to phasing out purchasing new pure ‘dirty’ diesel buses from the capital.

I confirmed that no more pure diesel double-deck buses will be added to the capital’s fleet from 2018 and that all new single-decks for central London will be zero-emission.

It is estimated that the equivalent of 9,400 premature deaths occur each year in London due to illnesses caused by long-term exposure to air pollution and diesel vehicles are recognised as a major contributor to pollution and associated health impacts.

The new hydrogen double-decker is at the forefront of green technology and will be trialled on London’s roads next year. It is made by leading UK bus manufacturer Wrightbus and forms part of my plan to transform the capital’s bus fleet by phasing out the oldest and most polluting diesel buses, and making the entire fleet ultra-low or zero emission.

I unveiled the new bus as my Deputy Mayor of Transport, Val Shawcross, and I met with international city officials, bus manufacturers, financiers and technology providers, who attended an International Zero-Emission Bus Conference and Summit at City Hall.

Eleven other major cities – including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Cape Town – have now also agreed to begin moves to phase out their procurement of pure diesel buses by the end of 2020. In addition, Paris, Madrid and Mexico City have committed to removing diesel buses from their cities by 2025.

London has committed to procuring roughly 300 zero emission buses by 2020, with 51 battery electric buses recently going into service on the 507/521 route, taking the number of completely electric bus routes to three, with 79 zero emission buses in total in the fleet.

Launch of search for London’s young green entrepreneurs

On 29 November, I launched my search for the brightest student entrepreneurial talent with ideas for ‘green’ business projects to help tackle urgent environmental problems facing the capital. The competition is supported by the Citi Foundation.

Entrants to the Mayor’s Entrepreneur competition will use their creativity to pitch projects that take on London’s green challenges, from tackling pollution and boosting air quality to lowering carbon footprints.

They will shape their ideas with the help of mentoring from business experts, before pitching their final projects to a panel of investors at City Hall – and Citi will give the winning project £20,000 in start-up funding.

I have recruited 15 student interns to work with him to promote the competition across London universities.

RE:NEW wins award

On 24 November, the flagship home energy efficiency programme RE:NEW, was awarded the Sustainable Homes SHIFT award. This phase of the programme has supported London boroughs, housing associations and universities to leverage over £84 million into retrofit projects that are contracted to save over 18,000 tonnes of CO₂ through retrofit to around 21,000 homes – saving an estimated £4.1 million on Londoners fuel bills.

The SHIFT Awards are the sustainability awards for the housing sector, recognising outstanding sustainability projects and achievements that have made an impact in the last 12 months.

Education and Youth

Children’s Rights Enquiry – Parliament Week

On 18 November, my Statutory Deputy Mayor, Joanne McCartney, welcomed participants and spoke at the London Children’s Rights Enquiry. This event was part of National Parliament Week and was undertaken in partnership with the House of Parliament at Portcullis House.

The event was opened by Tim Bateman, Office for Children’s Commissioner, and the topic enquiry sessions were chaired by: Baroness Jenny Jones, Green Party (Mental Health), Kathy Evans, CEO of Children England (Children in Care and Care Leavers), Andy Slaughter, Labour MP (Youth Justice System), Sian Berry, Green Party (Young Refugees and Migrants) and Andrew Boff AM, Conservative Party (Housing and Homelessness).

Each session also had a young person as the co-chair alongside young people on the enquiry panel.

London STEM Roundtable

On 25 November, my Statutory Deputy Mayor, Joanne McCartney, hosted the London STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) roundtable.

Over 70 key stakeholders representing the wider STEM landscape took part to help identify opportunities for action which will be impactful for London and improve outcomes for London’s pupils.

Maggie Philbin, Teen Tech, provided the keynote speech, outlining the work of the Haringey STEM Commission and an expert panel, with Professor Louise Archer, ASPIRES Project Director, King’s College London, Dr Tony Sewell, CBE, Founder, Generating Genius and Becca Knowles, Head of Network, STEM Learning, also provided an overview of activity to encourage young people to consider STEM subjects.

Following the roundtable, further work will be undertaken to test and shape ideas with schools and colleges.

London Early Years Education and Childcare Conference

On 25 November, my Statutory Deputy Mayor, Joanne McCartney, hosted a conference on Early Years Education and Childcare in London. Over 50 representatives from across the sector attended to share their ideas on how City Hall can better support early years education and childcare across London, in order to increase quality, tackle space and cost issues, and reduce inequalities.

Attendees heard from the Family and Childcare Trust about social mix in the pre-school population and the IPPR on the potential future of childcare in London.

The London Borough of Brent and Vanessa Nursery School also presented on some innovative practice they have been trialling in anticipation of the extension of the free childcare allowance for 3 and 4 year olds due in September 2017.

We know that affordable, quality, early years education and childcare provision is crucial to improving outcomes for young Londoners, enabling parents to work, reducing inequalities and London’s future economic growth.

Diamond Anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards

On 24 November, my Statutory Deputy Mayor, Joanne McCartney, attended a service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate the Diamond Anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Social Integration, Social Mobility, and Community Engagement

Social Integration Conference

On 14 November, I brought together city leaders, Mayors from across Europe and the UK, and social policy experts, as I held my first Social Integration Conference at City Hall.

The Conference was organised to share ideas and solutions to create more cohesive communities.

One of my key messages was to ensure we do everything possible to prevent the politics of division spreading to diverse cities like London.

The less integrated societies are, the greater the economic and social costs. Failure to address tensions across communities impedes life chances and holds back economic growth. Improving integration leads to increased social mobility, as well as a reduction in unemployment.

Increasingly clear evidence has also shown that a failure to promote social integration also increases the fear of crime, encourages prejudice, damages health, restricts social mobility and increases unemployment.

In the UK, it is estimated that a lack of social integration costs the economy approximately £6 billion.

Guru Nanak’s Birthday message

On 13 November, I sent my best wishes to Sikhs in London and around the world celebrating the birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith.

Guru Nanak was born almost five and a half centuries ago. His ideas were revolutionary and universal. He upheld the rights of the poor and underprivileged in society, and travelled across Asia and the Arab world to preach equality for all people, regardless of caste, religion or gender.

The Sikh community continues to follow in Guru Nanak’s footsteps, be it by feeding the homeless, fighting for equal rights for all, and by working hard in all industries and professions. They are an inspiration to all Londoners.

London is an amazingly diverse city, and its communities are what make it unique. Much like Guru Nanak’s vision of the world, London is open to everyone, regardless of who they are, where they come from or what they believe in.

Health

London Healthy Workplace Charter annual awards ceremony

On 15 November, City Hall hosted the London Healthy Workplace Charter awards ceremony, to present awards to the 75 employers who have been accredited to the charter this year.

The charter supports employers to improve the health of their workplaces, working alongside their employees. The 75 employers join the 69 organisations already accredited through the programme, meaning that over 270,000 Londoners are feeling the benefits of a more healthy workplace.

Marketing

#LondonIsOpen wins ICCA’s Best Marketing Award

The #LondonIsOpen campaign has won Best Marketing Award at the International Congress and Convention Association for promoting the city following the UK vote to leave the European Union.

The campaign aimed to show the world that London remains open, entrepreneurial, international, and full of creativity and possibility, while reassuring the more than one million foreign nationals who live in London that they will always be welcome.

The campaign helped change the narrative around the referendum by providing a positive voice for London.

Culture and Events

Night Czar Appointment

On 4 November, I announced that Amy Lamé had been appointed London’s first ever Night Czar.

She has a proven track-record in the area, including fighting for the future of one of the capital’s legendary LGBT+ venues, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern.

Amy is an accomplished writer, television and radio presenter and performer, a former Mayoress of Camden and a leading figure in the capital’s night time industry.

In her first initiative as Night Czar, Amy is planning a series of monthly ‘Night Surgeries’, where she will be out and about across the capital in the evening, speaking directly to businesses, night-time workers, and the public, to get an understanding of Londoners’ views of the night-time economy.

Fabric to reopen

I am delighted that an agreement has been reached and Fabric will now reopen. I have always said that we needed to find a common-sense solution that protects both the future of Fabric and the safety of all clubbers. I especially want to thank Islington Council for working so hard to come to this solution.

In her first week in the job, my new Night Czar Amy Lamé held conversations with Islington Council, the MPS and Fabric. My Night Czar will be working with other businesses, local authorities and Londoners to maximise the economic and social impact of a growing night time economy.

I’ll also soon be announcing a new Chair of the Night Time Commission to work with Amy to help deliver a vision for a truly 24-hour city.

Chair of Night Time Commission

I have approved expenditure of up to £35,000 for the appointment of my Night Czar for 2.5 days a week, for a period of one year from autumn 2016 to autumn 2017.

I have also approved expenditure of up to £35,000, plus on-costs, for the appointment of a Chair of the Night Time Commission for an initial one-year period, for up to 2.5 days per week, also from autumn 2016 to autumn 2017.

Illuminated River

On 9 November, six creative teams were shortlisted and unveiled for the Illuminated River, a new initiative to light bridges in central London. The international design competition was run by The Illuminated River Foundation and GLA and attracted over 100 design teams from 20 different countries to the competition.

The shortlisted teams consisted of seventy-three artists, architects, designers, planners and engineers from Asia, Europe, North America and South America. A free exhibition of the shortlisted proposals ran for three weeks at the Royal Festival Hall until Tuesday 29 November.

The winning design will be announced on 7 December, selected by a jury including Lord Rothschild OM GBE, Chairman of the Rothschild Foundation, and Justine Simons, my Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries.

Art for Everyone
On 22 November, I launched the ‘Art for Everyone’ initiative with Art on the Underground, building on the success of the brilliant artworks created by leading UK and international artists in response to the London Is Open campaign. Limited edition posters, postcards, badges and tote bags were distributed to passengers at Tottenham Court Road, Vauxhall, Kings Cross, Shepherds Bush and Stratford underground stations.

Internationally renowned artists Sol Calero, Alexandre da Cunha, Jeremy Deller, David Shrigley and Mark Titchner produced special artwork to be distributed to passengers. The artists were commissioned as part of TfL’s ongoing contemporary art programme and the artworks are on display across the London Underground network.

People’s Question Time Brent

On 3 November, I held my first People’s Question Time at The Civic Centre in Brent.

An audience of over 600 attended and questioned me and Assembly Members on issues affecting the Borough and London more widely, including housing, transport, and policing.

It was an absolute pleasure to be there and to listen to what Londoners had to say on such a wide range of issues.

Remembrance Day Service at City Hall

On 11 November, in association with the Royal British Legion City Hall branch, we organised the Remembrance Day Service at City Hall, where I gave a reading and laid a wreath.

The Service commemorated the members and officers of London Government organisations who died on active service in the two World Wars and other conflicts. The Sub-Dean of Southwark Cathedral, The Revd Canon Michael Rawson, led the Service, with the address given by The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dr Richard Chartres, Bishop of London.

The Service included participation by representatives of Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu faiths, along with the Chairman of the London Assembly, senior representatives of the MPS, TfL, Fire Brigade, LFEPA, London Ambulance Service, Greater London Lieutenancy, British Red Cross, The Environment Agency, London Councils, Royal British Legion and Armed Forces.

The service was attended by more than 200 people, including a number of London borough mayors, Deputy Lieutenants and MPs, members of the Armed Forces, reserves and cadets, members of the Royal British Legion City Hall branch, GLA staff and members of the London Assembly. Music was provided by the orchestra and choir from Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College in south London.

Silence in the Square

On 11 November, Silence in the Square, a public event organised by the British Legion to mark Remembrance Day, took place at Trafalgar Square. The event had a stage programme leading to the two minutes’ silence at 11am, and ended with the public placing poppy petals in the fountains to mark the moment.

Sport and Olympic and Paralympic Legacy

London Stadium

I have announced an investigation into the finances and options for addressing inherited problems of the London Stadium, including the issues around the relocatable seating.

This follows on from the news that that the final cost of transforming the Stadium was over £50 million more than previously announced, and that the annual costs of moving the seating are also likely to exceed the estimated cost. I will be announcing the terms of reference of the investigation shortly.

Following the announcement, the Chair of LLDC and E20 Stadium LLP, David Edmonds, resigned from both roles, and following a recruitment process, I will now be appointing a new LLDC Chair.

Queen Elizabeth Park events

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park hosted a number of sporting events throughout November.

West Ham United FC played Stoke City on 5 November and, following on from the recent match day issues at the Stadium, I am pleased to report that there were no incidents reported following an increase in the number of stewards and policing levels.

After a hugely successful season last year, London’s only professional basketball team, the London Lions returned to the Copper Box on 25 November to play against the Manchester Giants. The Copper Box also hosted the sold-out England v Jamaica netball match on 29 November.

The prestigious NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters also kicked off on 30 November and it has already been a great success, with children gaining entry for just £1 and discounted rates for schools and colleges.

Launch of the Marathon and Race Walks Route for 2017 World Athletics Championships

On 17 November, my Statutory Deputy Mayor, Joanne McCartney, gave the welcome remarks at the launch of the Marathon and Race Walks Route for 2017 World Athletics Championships. In attendance was president of the IAAF, Lord Seb Coe.

Joanne made clear our excitement at London hosting the Championships – especially with it being the first time both the IAAF and IPC events will be hosted in the same city in the same year.

It is a great testament to London’s ability to stage major events that it has been chosen to host the Championships and it is a fantastic opportunity to showcase this great city of ours and to inspire and encourage more people to participate in the sporting success of the city at every level.

GLA Organisation

London gender-pay gap is ‘unacceptable’

On 25 November, I published full gender pay details of all organisations in the Greater London Authority (GLA) family – including TfL, the MPS and the London Fire Brigade.

Earlier this year, I honoured a manifesto pledge by publishing gender pay data for all staff at City Hall and I have now widened publication to include the GLA’s ‘functional bodies’.

It is clear from the data published that we still have plenty of work to do to close the gender pay gap across the GLA family and I will be working with all functional bodies to do everything we can to promote gender equality.

I have vowed to be a proud feminist at City Hall, and I will remove any barriers to women by adopting the highest possible standards for fair pay, good working conditions and gender equality.

My plans to boost female representation at the most senior levels at City Hall include increasing the availability of part-time and flexible-working options and aiding career progression within those roles. City Hall also offers mentoring, career-support programmes and sponsorship for qualifications. It is training managers to ensure the recruitment process is as fair as possible and piloting ‘no name’ application forms.

I have also appointed a number of women to my top team, including, Sophie Linden, as my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Val Shawcross, as my Deputy Mayor for Transport and Joanne McCartney as my Statutory Deputy mayor.

Gender pay data for the GLA’s functional bodies reveals that men and women working full-time are paid, on average, the following*:

Greater London Authority
Women: £21.40 per hour; men: £22.44 per hour – a gender pay gap of 4.6 per cent
Transport for London
Women: £21.61 per hour; men: £26.75 per hour – a gender pay gap of 19.2 per cent
Metropolitan Police Service
Women: £19.34 per hour; men: £21.88 per hour – a gender pay gap of 11.6 per cent
Mayor’s Office for Crime and Policing
Women: £23.65 per hour; men: £24.45 per hour – a gender pay gap of 3.3 per cent
London Fire Brigade
Women: £16.17 per hour; men: £16.17 per hour – no gender pay gap
Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation
Women: £23.58 per hour; men: £23.95 per hour – a gender pay gap of 1.5 per cent
London Legacy Development Corporation
Women: £21.28 per hour; men: £32.79 per hour – a gender pay gap of 35 per cent
London & Partners
Women: £20.00 per hour; men: £20.66 per hour – a gender pay gap of 3 per cent

The pay gap for full-time workers across the UK is 9.4 per cent and in London it is 11.9 per cent, according to the 2015 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ONS).

It is unacceptable that in 2016 in London, the most progressive city in the world, that your gender determines how much you get paid and your career prospects.

Appointments

Sir Merrick Cockell confirmed as LPFA Chair for two more years

On 30 November, I announced that Sir Merrick Cockell will continue in his role as Chairman of the London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA) for a further two years.

Sir Merrick is a former Conservative Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council and former Chairman of the Local Government Association. He was initially appointed Chairman of the LPFA in September 2015 and will now continue in the role until the end of 2018.

I have asked Sir Merrick to help me fulfil a manifesto commitment on fossil fuel divestment. Sir Merrick will now work to ensure the LPFA implement an approach that recognises the strong environmental and financial case for doing this.

He has also been charged encouraging investment in London’s infrastructure, helping to fulfil another manifesto commitment to use City Hall as a platform to attract institutional investors, pension and other investment funds to finance homes for long-term, secure rent.

Sir Merrick has also been tasked with ensuring that the LPFA continues to work successfully with other Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) and large pension funds to deliver the best possible value for money.

Planning and Development

A City for all Londoners, statutory strategies

I approved the publication and public consultation of A City for all Londoners and associated expenditure of up to £60,000.

Planning Decisions (Stage II referrals)

White Hart Lane Railway Station, LB Haringey

I have written to the London Borough of Haringey stating that I am content to allow the Council to determine the application itself.

South London Mail Centre, Nine Elms, LB Wandsworth

I have written to the London Borough of Wandsworth stating that I am content to allow the Council to determine the application itself.

41-59 Battersea Park Road, Nine Elms, LB Wandsworth

I have written to the London Borough of Wandsworth stating that I am content to allow the Council to determine the application itself.

London Heathrow Hilton Hotel, Sheffield Road, LB Hillingdon

I have written to the London Borough of Hillingdon stating that I am content to allow the Council to determine the application itself.

Mayfield School, Hanwell, LB Ealing

I have written to the London Borough of Ealing stating that I am content to allow the Council to determine the application itself.

Abbey Wood and South Thamesmead, LB Bexley

I have written to the London Borough of Bexley stating that I am content to allow the Council to determine the application itself.

Portal West, 6 Portal West, North Acton, LB Ealing

I have written to the London Borough of Ealing stating that I am content to allow the Council to determine the application itself.

Castle House and Rome House, Gordon Road, West Ealing, LB Ealing

I have written to the London Borough of Ealing stating that I am content to allow the Council to determine the application itself.

My Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills under powers I delegated to him, has sent a letter in response to the following statutory referral:

Hounslow Town Primary School, LB Hounslow

The Deputy Mayor has written to the London Borough of Hounslow stating that he is content to allow the Council to determine the application itself.

Planning Decisions (Stage I referrals)

I have asked officers to send letters giving comments about the following stage one referrals:

Paddington Sorting and Delivery, 31 London Street, City of Westminster
Underhill Stadium And Hockey Club, Barnet, LB Barnet
South Suburban Coop Society, Balmoral Avenue, Beckenham, LB Bromley
Peruvian Wharf, North Woolwich Road, Silvertown, LB Newham
Former Middlesex University Campus, LB Enfield
Leadenhall Court, 1 Leadenhall Street, City of London
Ailsa Wharf, Ailsa Street, Bromley by Bow, LB Tower Hamlets
Development Site At 226 to 244, High Road, Ilford, LB Redbridge
Innovation Centre, 225 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, LB Tower Hamlets
Eddie Stobart, Goresbrook Park Industrial Estate, LB Barking and Dagenham
100 Bollo Lane, South Acton, LB Ealing
Malgavita Site (25-27 Merrick Road), Southall, LB Ealing
93-97a Scrubs Lane, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation
115-129A Scrubs Lane, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation
Black Horse Tower, Holbrook House and Churchwood House, LB Enfield
Nine Elms Skills Centre, Vauxhall, LB Lambeth
High Path Regeneration Phase 1, South Wimbledon, LB Merton
Peel Precinct, South Kilburn, LB Brent
Harrow View West, Harrow, LB Harrow
245-249 and 253 Ealing Road, Wembley, LB Brent
211-227 Hackney Road, Haggerston, LB Hackney
Powis Street Estate, Wellington Street, Woolwich, RB Greenwich
Palmerston Court, Battersea Park Road, LB Wandsworth
87 Newington Causeway, Elephant and Castle, LB Southwark
Mansell Street Estate & Haydon Square, Aldgate, City of London
Sinclair House, Ilford, LB Redbridge

Planning Decisions (Stopping Up Order)

I have sent a letter giving comments about the following stopping up order referral:

88-94 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater, City of Westminster

Planning Decisions (Development Consent Order)

The Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills under powers I delegated to him, has sent a letter in response to the following development consent order referral:

Local Impact Report for Silvertown Tunnel, The Planning Inspectorate

Decisions made under delegation to Assistant Director – Planning

Proposed submission draft Local Plan, LB Hammersmith and Fulham
Article 4 direction – Houses in Multiple Occupation, LB Bexley
Wandsworth Local Plan: Employment and Industry Review Policy Options, LB Wandsworth
Noise Generating and Noise Sensitive Development Supplementary Planning Document, LB Hounslow
Lovell’s, Granite Badcock’s and Pipers Wharves, RB Greenwich
40-42 Ponton Road, LB Wandsworth
Land at Lionel Road, South Brentford, LB Hounslow

Key Engagements

Among my additional engagements since my last report were the following:

I met with Jane Ellison MP on 3 November to discuss the proposal for the Diamond Jubilee footbridge
I met with Cllr Nick Paget-Brown, Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, on 3 November to discuss borough issues
I attended People’s Question Time in Brent on 3 November
I attended the Launch of the Night Czar on 4 November
I attended the turning on of the Oxford Street Christmas Lights on 6 November
I attended an event at City Hall in support of the ‘Stay Well This Winter’ PHE/NHS campaign on 7 November
I met with Mike Brown, the Transport Commissioner, ahead of the Transport for London Board Meeting on 7 November
I chaired my regular planning decisions meeting on 7 November
I chaired the Transport for London Board meeting on 8 November
I met with the Rt Hon Damien Green, Secretary of State for DWP, on 8 November to discuss a devolution deal for London
I met with the Rt Hon David Davis, Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, on 8 November to discuss the implications of the vote to leave the EU
I attended the Election Night 2016 reception hosted by HE Mathew Barzun, the US Ambassador, at the US Embassy on 8 November
I visited the site of the Croydon tram crash at Sandilands, New Addington, on 9 November
I attended the City AM awards ceremony on 10 November
I attended the Annual GLA Remembrance Day Service at City Hall on 11 November
I attended the England v Scotland football match at Wembley on 11 November
I attended the Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph on 13 November
I attended the Evening Standard Theatre Awards on 13 November
I hosted and addressed a Social Integration Conference at City Hall on 14 November
I met with all the Mayors who attended my Social Integration Conference on 14 November
I hosted the Social Integration Conference dinner on 14 November
I met with the office of Frank Field MP on 15 November to discuss food poverty in London
I met with the Rt Hon Phillip Hammond MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 15 November to discuss a devolution deal for London
I addressed an event hosted by Google at their new King’s Cross Campus on 15 November to announce a significant expansion of Google’s London workforce
I attended Mayors Question Time on 16 November
I had my regular meeting with Fiona Twycross, Chair of LFEPA, and Ron Dobson, the Fire Commissioner, on 16 November
I met with Lord Hall, BBC Director General, on 16 November to discuss cultural projects in London
I chaired my regular planning decisions meeting on 16 November
I had my regular meeting with Cllr Claire Kober, Leader of London Councils, on 17 November
I met with the London Councils Devolution Group on 17 November to discuss a devolution deal for London
I opened the new flagship LEGO store in Leicester Square on 17 November
I had an introductory meeting with Anne Rainsberry, NHS England Regional Director for London, on 18 November
I chaired my regular planning decisions meeting on 21 November
I visited the Royal Marsden Hospital in LB Sutton on 22 November to officially open the MR Linac
I attended my monthly Speak to Sadiq radio phone in at LBC on 22 November
I met with the Rt Hon Liam Fox MP, Secretary of State for International Trade, on 22 November to discuss the implications of the vote to leave the EU
I addressed the Croydon Economic Summit on 23 November
I chaired the Crossrail High Level Form at City Hall on 24 November
I attended a lunch hosted by the New Statesman on 24 November
I had my regular meeting with Transport for London on 24 November
I met with Phillip Anschutz, AEG, on 25 November to discuss the role of AEG in London
I addressed the Irish Post Awards dinner on 25 November
I addressed the London Councils Summit on 26 November
I chaired my regular planning decisions meeting on 28 November
I addressed the inaugural Bloomberg UK Investment Day Conference on 28 November
I had my regular meeting with Craig Mackey, the Deputy Police Commissioner, on 28 November
I addressed a breakfast event hosted by ELLE magazine to celebrate their 5^th annual feminism issue on 29 November
I met with Navin Shah AM on 29 November to discuss step free access at Harrow on the Hill tube station
I addressed the International Zero Emission Bus Conference taking place at City Hall on 30 November
I addressed the Institute of Directors Annual Dinner on 30 November
I visited the City of London School for Girls on 30 November

Ends

MQT – 14 December 2016

This is my seventh Mayor’s Report to the Assembly, fulfilling my duty under Section 45 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. It covers the period from 3 – 30 November.

Executive Summary

Croydon Tram Incident

The seven people who had their lives tragically cut short were – Dane Chinnery, Robert Huxley, Philip Logan, Dorota Rynkiewicz, Philip Seary, Donald Collett and Mark Smith.

The tram network has always been a very safe form of public transport and it is vital that we learn the lessons to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again.

Following the completion of a rigorous safety assessment and taking the advice of an independent panel of tram experts, full services resumed across the whole tram network on 18 November.

Welcoming Autumn Statement as first step to major devolution deal

On 23 November, I welcomed the commitments made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, as the first steps towards a major devolution deal for the capital.

TfL fares frozen until 2020

On 18 November, I formally confirmed that around four million journeys a day across London will benefit from TfL fares being frozen, as I officially published the 2017 TfL fares package.

Night Tube comes to Northern line

Next month, the Piccadilly line will become the fifth to run services, fulfilling my pledge to have five lines running by the end of the year.

Night Czar Appointment

On 4 November, I announced that Amy Lamé had been appointed London’s first ever Night Czar.

Setting out ambitious plans to deliver 90,000 affordable homes

Policing, Crime and Security

Action to ensure real change in Met’s approach to keeping children safe

In response, I have announced a detailed and wide-ranging action plan to address the failings, identified by the HMIC report. The plan consists of:

A new independent group which has been established to drive the oversight and change necessary to ensure that children in our city are not let down when they are most vulnerable. The group includes Alex Marshall, from the College of Policing, and Norfolk Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the National Police Chief’s Council child protection lead.
A dedicated ‘Justice Matters’ public scrutiny session was held at City Hall on 28 November, reviewing the key findings from the HMIC report, as well as a new MOPAC study on sexual violence.
Scrapping the previous Mayor’s overly crude crime reduction targets which were strongly criticised by the HMIC in its report as having led to a greater focus on reducing certain neighbourhood crimes than upon child protection.
The launch of a new Police and Crime Plan for consultation, ensuring the protection of vulnerable people, including children, is placed right at the heart of policing.
Ensuring regular oversight of child protection in my regular formal meetings with senior MPS leaders.

It is my responsibility to oversee the MPS, and me and my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden, will continue to hold the MPS to account over this important issue.

Investing £4 million to help tackle sexual violence

The new integrated service model will be in place by March 2018.

Talk London

On 26 October, MOPAC launched a survey on the Talk London website to understand what Londoners felt about policing and crime across the capital.

The results of the survey are being used to inform the development of my draft Police and Crime Plan. My thanks go to all those who took the time to give us their views.

Transport

TfL fares frozen until 2020

On 18 November, I formally confirmed that around four million journeys a day across London will benefit from TfL fares being frozen, as I officially published the 2017 TfL fares package.

The freeze in TfL fares for the next four years means that everyone buying a bus or tram ticket in London will not pay a penny more next year than they did in 2016.

I am also freezing all TfL travel concessions, ensuring that children, those over 60, veterans, apprentices and those on Job Seeker’s Allowance, continue to benefit from free or discounted travel.

Night Tube comes to Northern line

On 18 November, I launched the Night Tube on the Northern line.

The Night Tube will play a key role in opening up London’s night-time economy, boosting it by £77 million a year and supporting around 2,000 permanent jobs.

Tackling London’s road congestion

On 21 November, I announced a series of measures aimed at directly tackling growing congestion on London’s roads and improving reliability for all road users.

The measures announced include:

Ensuring that the infrastructure that supports the road network, including traffic signals and road surfaces, are reliable, faults are minimised and repairs are carried out faster;
Communicating better with road users to allow people to make more effective decisions about their journeys based on the most accurate and up-to-date information; and
Collaborating more efficiently with local authorities, utility companies and developers to reduce the impact of planned road works and lobbying Government for greater powers to manage road works.