BUSINESS REPORT

Business Report



Business Report

Introduction

This report aims to discuss the policies that pertain to the environment as outlined by the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority (GLA) and how these have been implemented, or the lack thereof, in light of other priorities that the said office has had of recent. The discussion shall examine both the proposals and the progress of the environment policies to date among others and shall seek to analyse and evaluate both the methodologies and the acceptance by Londoners of these plans as set by the current Mayor, Mr Boris Johnson making use of publications that relate to the said policies (Beaverstock, 2006, 20).

To initiate this discussion, a brief look at what both the GLA and Mayor of London are, their powers and responsibilities as outlined by the legislation, mainly the Greater London Authority Act of 1999 and the Greater London Authority Act of 2007.

London

London is a world city that faces many challenges in the context of climate change and a growing urban population. Although there is evidence that London's environmental quality is increasing, a growing urban population is putting pressure on land and resources. The mayor of London has a statutory duty to develop a strategic vision of how to address issues such as energy, water, and waste, and London's general approach to facing its challenges has been to involve key stakeholders from the business and community sectors in the environmental management of the city. A major focus of (re)development over the coming decades is East London, especially the Olympic Park and Thames Gateway developments.

Greater London Authority

The Greater London Authority is a body that oversees the governing of about 610 square miles of Greater London and this body is made up of an elected mayor and an additional twenty-five members who are also voted into office. It incorporates the other major players in the capital's development and maintenance and these are namely:-

1. Transport for London (TfL) whose activities involve the management of transportation system to include rail and roads and congestion.

2. London Development Agency (LDA). Up until 31 March 2012, when it was integrated to the main body of the GLA, it existed as a particular arm of the GLA and focused on bringing and sustaining economic growth for the city and its 32 boroughs

3. London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) which by definition manages and maintain fire safety

4. Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime, formerly known as the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) till January 2012, provides policing via the Metropolitan Police Service.

The 25 members known as the London Assembly are responsible of holding the Mayor to account and they can approve or alter the plans and policies in terms of the budget that Mr Boris Johnson's office may propose. They also look into issues of importance to the London populace and can in effect publish their findings as well as make recommendations to the Mayor.

Discussion and Analysis

If the Bill were enacted in its present form, the Mayor's housing strategy would ...