This meeting took place on 17 December 2015. Read the transcript here.
What led the Mayor of London to pursue the Garden Bridge?
It appears there was a degree of chaos within Transport for London (TfL) in the initial stages of the project which may have been driven by the Mayor putting significant pressure on TfL to get something innovative done quickly.
It seems meetings took place between the Mayor and the eventual winner of the design contract before it was awarded, which were not part of the official record. The Mayor has also been slow in responding to requests for further information about these contacts.
The GLA Oversight Committee does not consider the final Audit report adequate reassurance about the process and continues to have doubts about the openness and transparency of the procurement exercise [1].
The latest letter from TfL to the Committee says the Mayor played no role in the procurement process. But the Committee is not convinced that this is an accurate assessment.
The GLA Oversight Committee wants answers to some difficult questions tomorrow. The guests are:
- Boris Johnson MP, Mayor of London
- Mike Brown, Commissioner, TfL
The meeting will take place on Thursday, 17th December from 2.00pm in the Chamber, at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can also be viewed via webcast.
Notes to editors
- GLA Oversight Committee Letter to TfL’s Audit and Assurance Committee - 03/12/15
- Full agenda papers.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
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