THE MAYOR AND GLA

The Mayor and GLA

The Mayor and GLA

Introduction

The Mayor of London is allotted the role of controlling the affairs to run London. Strategies and policies to develop and improve the city are made by the Mayor, and he provides the funds and encouragement to realize those policies.

The office of the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority (GLA) are assigned with the task of changing London for the better. Their role includes ensuring an end to the disparities in housing and healthcare provided to people, providing a mechanized transport that makes it easier for people to travel from place to place making the city more greener and developing a strong image of the city in the country as well as globally. There are many other tasks that GLA and the mayor of London have to attend to, but the central role of the mayor can be defined as being in charge of setting the various policies and strategies needed to improve the city for better (www.london.gov.uk).

Boris Johnson is the current mayor of London whip was elected in May 2008.

Discussion

Powers and responsibilities of the Mayor

The mayor of London is accorded and has the power of an executive to develop a strategic planning for the development of London. He is assigned the role of promoting the economic development of the city while also ensuring the social development, improvement of the environment and wealth creation. The mayor's responsibilities include playing a role in promoting culture and tourism, and in this regard, he is responsible for the Trafalgar Square and the Parliament Square (legacy.london.gov.uk). The mayor develops all the key policies, decides the budgets, and develops the image of London nationally as well as internationally with the aim of making London the best city in the world (www.london.gov.uk).

The Mayor has to take steps to improve the city of London for all. He has to ensure the promotion of social, economic and environmental improvement for all those who reside in London. The Mayor is duty bound to consult the people of London before using his powers in order to promote equality of opportunity (www.london.gov.uk).

In this regard, some additional powers were allocated for the Mayor and the GLA through the Greater London Authority Act passed in 2007. The Act of 2007 was an increase and up gradation of the GLA Act of 1999 (legacy.london.gov.uk).

Among the major policies and plans, the Mayor sets out are related to planning and development, housing, transport and culture. They are also related to removing the health inequalities, ensuring economic development and regeneration and focusing on environmental issues such as biodiversity, climate change, global warming, noise pollution, air quality and disposal of garbage and sewage water. The motive behind these plans is to contribute to the health and development of the people of London (www.london.gov.uk).

To realize his plans regarding the development of London, the mayor sets out the budgets of the GLA, and other groups such as the Transport for London, Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade and London Development Agency ...