Agenda and minutes
Draft Budget, London Assembly (Plenary) - Thursday 24 January 2019 10.00 am

To receive any apologies for absence and any announcements from the Chairman.

1.1  There were no apologies for absence.

1.2  During the course of the meeting, the Chairman welcomed to the public gallery pupils from the school council for Aldborough Primary School, Redbridge.

The Assembly is recommended to:

(a)  Note the list of offices held by Assembly Members, as set out in the table at Agenda Item 2, as disclosable pecuniary interests;

(b)   Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any disclosable pecuniary interests in specific items listed on the agenda and the necessary action taken by the Member(s) regarding withdrawal following such declaration(s); and

(c)   Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any other interests deemed to be relevant (including any interests arising from gifts and hospitality received which are not at the time of the meeting reflected on the Authority’s register of gifts and hospitality, and noting also the advice from the GLA’s Monitoring Officer set out at Agenda Item 2) and to note any necessary action taken by the Member(s) following such declaration(s).

2.1  The Assembly received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat. 

2.2  Resolved:

That the list of offices held by Assembly Members, as set out in the table at Item 2, be noted as disclosable pecuniary interests.

  (Circulated separately)

The draft Consolidated Budget 2019-20 has been circulated for the Assembly’s consideration.

The Mayor will present his report to the Assembly at the meeting.

3.1  The Assembly received an oral statement from the Mayor on his draft 2019-20 draft Consolidated Budget document.

3.2  A copy of the Mayor’s statement is attached at Appendix 1.

  The document sets out the London Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee’s response to the Mayor’s budget proposals for 2019-20, based on evidence taken from the functional bodies and the Greater London Authority (GLA) during the budget development and consultation processes. It highlights the key issues raised during the Committee’s deliberations and offers comments to the Mayor on his consultation budget.

  The Budget and Performance Committee’s comments relate to the Mayor’s proposals that were published for consultation on 20 December 2018 and not on the draft Consolidated Budget published with this agenda.

The Assembly is recommended to note the response by the London Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee to the Mayor’s draft Consultation Budget for 2019-20.

3.3  The Chairman of the London Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee, Gareth Bacon AM, presented the Committee’s response to the Mayor of London’s GLA Group Budget Proposals and Precepts 2019-20 Consultation Document.

3.4  A copy of the statement by the Chairman of the London Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3b

  Assembly Members will put questions to the Mayor on the seven sections of the draft Consolidated Budget document.

3.6  Assembly Members put questions to the Mayor on each of the seven component budgets set out within the draft Consolidated Budget proposals.

3.7  David Bellamy, Chief of Staff, and Martin Clarke, Executive Director of Resources, were also in attendance for the duration of the question and answer session.

3.8  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3c

The Assembly is under a duty to consider the Mayor’s draft Consolidated budget and to approve it, with or without amendment (paragraph 5(3) of Schedule 6 of the GLA Act 1999 (as amended)).

The following substantive motion is before the Assembly:

“To approve the draft Consolidated Budget for 2019-20, together with the draft component budgets comprised within it, with or without amendment.”

[Note: In accordance with GLA Standing Order 6.12B, the motion set out shall be considered without being proposed or seconded by a Member. The motion may be amended by a Budget Amendment, in accordance with the procedures described in Standing Orders 6.10, 6.12, and 6.16. The Assembly will consider amendments to the Draft Consolidated Budget, and any budget – related motions (if any).

If a Budget Amendment is carried by the requisite majority (at this stage, a simple majority of votes cast) then the substantive motion shall fall and the draft Consolidated Budget shall be deemed agreed as amended. The Mayor is under a duty to respond to any amendments passed when he presents his Final Budget.

This is the first of a two stage budget-setting process and the Assembly is due to make a final decision on  ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

4.1  At 12.17pm, the Chairman adjourned the meeting until 1.20pm. The meeting reconvened at 1.20pm.

4.2  The substantive motion before the Assembly was: ”To approve the draft Consolidated Budget of 2019-20, together with the draft component budgets comprised within it, with or without amendment.”

4.3  A formal budget amendment was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The next scheduled meeting of the London Assembly will be the Plenary meeting which will take place at 10.00am on Thursday 7 February 2019 in the Chamber, City Hall.

5.1  The next scheduled meeting of the London Assembly was the Plenary meeting which would take place at 10.00 am on Thursday 7 February 2019 in the Chamber, City Hall.

6.1  There were no items of urgent business.

7.1  The meeting ended at 2.18 pm.