Agenda and minutes
London Assembly (Mayor's Question Time) - Wednesday 29 January 2014 10.00 am

1.1  There were no apologies for absence.

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 Agenda Item 2, be noted as disclosable pecuniary interests.

(Circulated separately)

The Draft Consolidated Budget 2014-15 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 2014/15 Consolidated Budget for the GLA group proposals and received the Mayor’s Draft 2014/15 Consolidated Budget document.

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

The document sets out the Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee’s response to the Mayor’s budget proposals for 2014-15, based on evidence taken from the functional bodies and the 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 19 December 2013 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 2014-15.

3.3  The Chairman of the Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee, John Biggs AM, presented that Committee’s response to the Mayor of London’s GLA Group Budget Proposals and Precepts 2014/15 Consultation Document.

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

Assembly Members will put questions to the Mayor on the six sections of the Draft Consolidated Budget document.

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

3.7  The record of the questions put by Members, together with the Mayor’s answers, is attached as Appendix 3.

3.8  Sir Edward Lister, Chief of Staff  ...  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 2014-15, together with the draft component budgets comprised within it, with or without amendment.”

[Note: In accordance with GLA Standing Order 6.12 B, the motion set out above 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 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.

If no amendment is agreed, or if the substantive motion is not passed (whether put to the vote or not) then the  ...  view the full agenda text for item 3d

3.9  At 12.07pm, the Chair adjourned the meeting until 1.45pm. The meeting reconvened at 1.45pm.

3.10  The substantive motion before the Assembly was: “To approve the Draft Consolidated Budget for 2014-15, together with the draft component budgets comprised within it, with or without amendment.”

3.11  A formal budget amendment, presented  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3d

The Assembly is recommended to note the Mayor’s Report covering the period from 5 December 2013 to 15 January 2014.

4.1  Resolved:

That the Mayor’s Report for the period 5 December 2013 to 15 January 2014 be noted.

(To be circulated separately)

The Assembly is recommended to note that written answers will be provided to all questions submitted to this meeting under the Mayor’s Question Time procedure by Monday 3 February 2014.

[Note: The Assembly agreed, at its (Mayor’s Question Time) meeting on 18 December 2013, to accept written answers to all questions submitted to this meeting under the Mayor’s Question Time procedure, in order to devote time to discussion of the Mayor’s Draft Consolidated Budget under Item 4.]

5.1  The written answers to those questions not asked during the meeting are attached as Appendix 12.

5.2  Resolved:

That it be noted that written answers would be provided to all questions submitted to the meeting under the Mayor’s Question Time procedure, by Monday 3 February 2014.

The next scheduled meeting of the London Assembly will be the Plenary meeting which will take place at 10.00am on Friday 14 February 2014 in the Chamber, City Hall.

This meeting will be used principally to discuss and consider the Final Draft Consolidated Budget for the GLA Group 2014-15.

6.1  The next scheduled meeting of the London Assembly would be the Plenary meeting at 10.00am on Friday 14 February 2014 in the Chamber, City Hall.

This meeting will be used principally to discuss and consider the Final Draft Consolidated Budget for the GLA Group 2014/15.

7.1  There were no items of business the Chair considered urgent.

8.1  The meeting ended at 3.43pm.