Office of Public Sector Information
PART II continued
(2) A report required to be submitted by the Mayor under subsection (1) above shall relate to the period since the submission of the previous report or, in the case of the first such report, to the period since the first ordinary election and shall include—
(a) notification of decisions taken by the Mayor which he considers to be of significance;
(b) the reasons for which the Mayor took the decisions mentioned in paragraph (a) above; and
(c) the response of the Mayor to proposals submitted by the Assembly under section 60 below.
(3) The Mayor shall attend every meeting of the Assembly held pursuant to section 52(3) below and shall, subject to subsection (6) below, answer questions put to him at any such meeting by Assembly members about matters in relation to which statutory functions are exercisable by him.
(4) The Mayor shall—
(a) so far as reasonably practicable, answer any such question orally at the meeting at which it is put, or
(b) if for any reason it is not reasonably practicable to do that, provide a written answer before the end of the third working day following the day on which the question was asked at the meeting,
(subject, in either case, to subsection (6) below).
(5) For the purposes of subsection (4)(b) above, the day on which a question is asked at a meeting is—
(a) in the case of an oral question, the day on which the question is first asked at the meeting; or
(b) in the case of a written question, the day on which the question is first raised at the meeting.
(6) The duty of the Mayor under subsection (3) or (4) above shall not require him to disclose advice received by him from—
(a) a person appointed under section 67(1) or (2) below,
(b) a functional body,
(c) a member of a functional body, or
(d) a member of staff of a functional body,
except as provided by subsection (7) below.
(7) Where—
(a) the Mayor receives advice from a person falling within paragraph (b), (c) or (d) of subsection (6) above, and
(b) the functional body mentioned in that paragraph is the Metropolitan Police Authority or the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority,
the Mayor is not relieved by subsection (6) above from any requirement to disclose the advice, if or to the extent that the advice falls within subsection (8) below.
(8) Advice given to the Mayor by a functional body falls within this subsection if it has been disclosed—
(a) at a meeting of, or of a committee or sub-committee of, the functional body at a time when the meeting was open to members of the public by virtue of Part VA of the [1972 c. 70.] Local Government Act 1972 (access to meetings and documents); or
(b) in a document which has been open to inspection by members of the public by virtue of that Part of that Act.
(9) Any reference in this section to a member of staff of a functional body includes a reference to an officer or employee of that body.
(10) For the purposes of this section, a day is a working day unless it is—
(a) a Saturday or Sunday;
(b) Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Maundy Thursday or Good Friday;
(c) a day which is a Bank Holiday in England under the [1971 c. 80.] Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971; or
(d) a day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning.
(1) As soon as practicable after the end of each financial year the Mayor shall prepare a report on the exercise by him of statutory functions during the year (an “annual report”).
(2) An annual report shall include—
(a) an assessment of the Mayor’s progress in implementing the strategies required to be prepared and published by him under this Act or under section 7A(2) of the [1998 c. 45.] Regional Development Agencies Act 1998;
(b) a statement of any targets for the time being in force under section 41(9) above with respect to the implementation of those strategies and an assessment of the progress made by authorities involved in the implementation of those strategies towards achieving those targets;
(c) a summary of information which relates to the Authority’s performance of its statutory functions and which the Authority is required to publish under or by virtue of any enactment; and
(d) information of such descriptions as the Assembly, prior to the beginning of the financial year to which the annual report relates, has notified to the Mayor that it wishes to be included in the annual report.
(3) As soon as practicable after preparing an annual report, the Mayor—
(a) shall send a copy of the report to the Assembly; and
(b) shall publish the report.
(4) The annual report shall not be published until after the Mayor has sent a copy to the Assembly pursuant to subsection (3)(a) above.
(5) A copy of the annual report sent to the Assembly shall be kept available for the appropriate period by the Mayor for inspection by any person on request free of charge at the principal offices of the Authority at reasonable hours.
(6) A copy of the annual report sent to the Assembly, or any part of that report, shall be supplied to any person on request during the appropriate period for such reasonable fee as the Mayor may determine.
(7) In this section “the appropriate period” in the case of an annual report is the period of six years beginning with the date of publication of that report pursuant to this section.
(1) The Mayor shall once in every financial year hold and attend a meeting under this section (in this section referred to as a “State of London debate”) which shall be open to all members of the public.
(2) The form of, and procedure for, a State of London debate shall be such as the Mayor may determine after consultation with the Assembly, but must be such that there is an opportunity for members of the public to speak.
(3) The power to determine the form of, and procedure for, a State of London debate includes power to appoint a person to preside.
(4) Any person may be appointed to preside at a State of London debate, whether or not he has any connection with the Authority.
(5) A member of the public who attends or speaks at a State of London debate shall do so subject to and in accordance with the procedure for the State of London debate.
(6) A State of London debate shall be held on a date to be determined by the Mayor—
(a) during April, May or June in each successive period of twelve months beginning with 1st April 2001, and
(b) at least 7 days after the publication under section 46 above of the annual report relating to the financial year last ended.
(7) At least one month prior to the date on which the State of London debate is to be held, the Mayor—
(a) shall determine the place at which the meeting is to be held; and
(b) shall take such steps as will in his opinion give adequate notice of the date and place of the meeting to members of the public.
(1) The Mayor and the Assembly shall twice in every financial year hold and attend a meeting under this section (in this section referred to as a “People’s Question Time”) which shall be open to all members of the public.
(2) The purpose of a People’s Question Time is to afford an opportunity to members of the public to put questions to the Mayor and Assembly members and to enable the Mayor and Assembly members to respond.
(3) The form of, and procedure for, a People’s Question Time shall be such as the Mayor may determine after consultation with the Assembly.
(4) The power to determine the form of, and procedure for, a People’s Question Time includes power to appoint a person to preside.
(5) Any person may be appointed to preside at a People’s Question Time, whether or not he has any connection with the Authority.
(6) A member of the public who attends or speaks at a People’s Question Time shall do so subject to and in accordance with the procedure for the People’s Question Time.
(7) A People’s Question Time shall be held on a date to be determined by the Mayor, after consultation with the Assembly, but which is not less than—
(a) one month before, or
(b) one month after,
a State of London debate held pursuant to section 47(1) above.
(8) At least one month prior to the date on which each People’s Question Time is to be held, the Mayor—
(a) shall determine the place at which the meeting is to be held; and
(b) shall take such steps as will in his opinion give adequate notice of the date and place of the meeting to members of the public.
(1) There shall be a Deputy Mayor of London (“the Deputy Mayor”).
(2) The Deputy Mayor shall have such functions as may be conferred or imposed upon him by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made.
(3) The Deputy Mayor shall be appointed by the Mayor from among the Assembly members.
(4) A person must not hold the offices of Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Assembly at the same time.
(5) If the Mayor appoints as Deputy Mayor the person who is the Chair of the Assembly, a vacancy shall arise in the office of Chair of the Assembly.
(6) Subsections (4) and (5) above apply in relation to the Deputy Chair of the Assembly as they apply in relation to the Chair of the Assembly.
(7) A person appointed Deputy Mayor shall not act in that office unless or until he has satisfied in respect of his office as an Assembly member the requirements of section 28(1) above.
(8) A person shall cease to be the Deputy Mayor if—
(a) he ceases to be an Assembly member;
(b) he at any time gives notice of resignation as the Deputy Mayor to the proper officer of the Authority; or
(c) the Mayor at any time gives him notice terminating his appointment as Deputy Mayor.
(9) A person who ceases to be Deputy Mayor shall be eligible for reappointment.
(1) There shall be—
(a) an office of Chair of the London Assembly (“the Chair of the Assembly”); and
(b) an office of Deputy Chair of the London Assembly (“the Deputy Chair of the Assembly”).
(2) The Chair of the Assembly shall have—
(a) the function of chairing meetings of the Assembly; and
(b) such other functions as may be conferred or imposed upon him by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made.
(3) Subsection (2)(a) above is subject to any provision made by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made, or by the standing orders of the Authority.
(4) The Deputy Chair of the Assembly shall have—
(a) the function of chairing meetings of the Assembly when authorised or required to do so by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made, or in accordance with the standing orders of the Authority; and
(b) such other functions as may be conferred or imposed upon him by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made.
(1) The Chair of the Assembly and the Deputy Chair of the Assembly shall each be elected at a meeting of the Assembly.
(2) The Chair of the Assembly and the Deputy Chair of the Assembly must be elected from among the members of the Assembly.
(3) A person must not hold the offices of Chair of the Assembly and Deputy Chair of the Assembly at the same time except as provided by subsection (7) below.
(4) The Deputy Mayor is not eligible to be the Chair of the Assembly or the Deputy Chair of the Assembly.
(5) If the Deputy Chair of the Assembly is elected to fill a vacancy in the office of Chair of the Assembly, a vacancy shall occur in the office of Deputy Chair of the Assembly.
(6) If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair of the Assembly or Deputy Chair of the Assembly, the first business at the next meeting of the Assembly shall be to fill the vacancy.
(7) If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair of the Assembly and there is a person who is the Deputy Chair of the Assembly, that person shall (subject to the other provisions of this Act or any other enactment) also be the Chair of the Assembly until such time as the vacancy is filled in accordance with subsection (6) above.
(8) A person elected Chair of the Assembly or Deputy Chair of the Assembly shall not act in that office unless or until he has satisfied in respect of his office as an Assembly member the requirements of section 28(1) above.
(1) The Assembly may hold, in addition to any meetings required to be held by or under this section or any other enactment, such other meetings as it may determine.
(2) Before the expiration of the period of ten days following the day of the poll at an ordinary election, there shall be a meeting of the Assembly to elect—
(a) the Chair of the Assembly; and
(b) the Deputy Chair of the Assembly.
(3) On such ten occasions in each calendar year as the Assembly may determine, there shall be a meeting of the Assembly—
(a) to consider the written report submitted for the meeting by the Mayor under section 45 above,
(b) to enable Assembly members to put—
(i) oral or written questions to the Mayor, and
(ii) oral questions to any employees of the Authority who are required to attend such meetings and answer questions put to them by Assembly members; and
(c) to transact any other business on the agenda for the meeting.
(4) The first meeting under subsection (3) above after an ordinary election shall be held not later than 25 days after the day of the poll at the election.
(5) Notice of the time and place of any meeting of the Assembly—
(a) shall be given to the Mayor and the Assembly members, and
(b) shall be published,
in accordance with the standing orders of the Authority.
(6) In the case of a meeting of the Assembly under subsection (3) above, the notice required by subsection (5) above must be given and published—
(a) if the meeting is the first such meeting after an ordinary election, as soon as reasonably practicable after the day of the poll at that election; or
(b) in any other case, at least 28 clear days before the meeting.
(7) If notice of a meeting to be held under subsection (3) above has been given pursuant to subsection (6) above, then, until that meeting has been held or the notice has been withdrawn, notice must not be given of another such meeting.
(8) An extraordinary meeting of the Assembly may be called at any time by the Chair of the Assembly.
(9) If—
(a) the Chair of the Assembly refuses to call an extraordinary meeting of the Assembly after a requisition for that purpose, signed by five Assembly members, has been presented to him, or
(b) if, without so refusing, the Chair of the Assembly does not call an extraordinary meeting within seven days after such a requisition has been presented to him,
any five Assembly members may forthwith call an extraordinary meeting of the Assembly.
(10) Section 54 below shall not apply in relation to any function of the Assembly under this section.
(1) All questions coming before, or to be decided by, the Assembly shall be decided by a majority of the members of the Assembly present and voting at a meeting of the Assembly.
(2) In the case of an equality of votes, the person chairing the meeting of the Assembly shall have a second or casting vote.
(3) Subsections (1) and (2) above are subject to any provision to the contrary contained in this or any other enactment.
(4) The Assembly may determine its own procedure and that of its committees and sub-committees (including quorum).
(5) Subsection (4) above is subject to—
(a) subsections (1) and (2) above;
(b) sections 50 to 52 above;
(c) section 56 below;
(d) Schedules 6 and 7 to this Act; and
(e) any other provision made by or under this Act or any other Act (whenever passed) which regulates, or provides for the regulation of, the procedure of the Assembly or committees of the Assembly.
(1) The Assembly may arrange for any of the functions exercisable by it to be discharged on its behalf—
(a) by a committee or sub-committee of the Assembly; or
(b) by a single member of the Assembly.
(2) The Assembly may arrange for a member of staff of the Authority appointed under section 67(2) below to exercise on the Assembly’s behalf any function exercisable by the Assembly under section 67(2) or 70(2) below.
(3) Where by virtue of this section any functions exercisable by the Assembly may be discharged by a committee of the Assembly, then, unless the Assembly otherwise directs, the committee may arrange for the discharge of any of those functions by a sub-committee or by a single member of the Assembly.
(4) Where by virtue of this section any functions exercisable by the Assembly may be discharged by a sub-committee of the Assembly, then, unless the Assembly or the committee concerned otherwise directs, the sub-committee may arrange for the discharge of any of those functions by a single member of the Assembly.
(5) Any arrangements made under this section by the Assembly, or by a committee or sub-committee of the Assembly, for the discharge of any functions by—
(a) a committee or sub-committee of the Assembly,
(b) a member of the Assembly, or
(c) a member of staff of the Authority,
shall not prevent the Assembly, or the committee or sub-committee by whom the arrangements are made, from exercising those functions.
(6) Subsection (1)(b) above does not apply in relation to functions under or by virtue of section 20A of the [1996 c. 16.] Police Act 1996 (questions by Assembly members to representatives of the Metropolitan Police Authority).
(7) Subsections (1) to (3) of section 53 above shall apply in relation to a meeting of a committee or sub-committee of the Assembly as they apply in relation to a meeting of the Assembly.
(8) Subsections (1) to (5) above are subject to any express provision contained in this Act or any Act passed after this Act.
(1) For the purpose of discharging, in pursuance of arrangements under section 54(1)(a) above, any functions exercisable by the Assembly—
(a) the Assembly may appoint a committee of the Assembly (an “ordinary committee”); and
(b) an ordinary committee may appoint one or more sub-committees (“ordinary sub-committees”).
(2) Subject to the provisions of this section—
(a) the number of members, and
(b) their term of office,
shall be fixed in the case of an ordinary committee by the Assembly or, in the case of an ordinary sub-committee, by the appointing committee.
(3) An ordinary committee or sub-committee must not include any person who is not an Assembly member.
(4) The Assembly may appoint one or more committees (“advisory committees”) to advise it on any matter relating to the discharge of its functions.
(5) An advisory committee—
(a) may consist of such persons (whether Assembly members or not) appointed for such term as may be determined by the Assembly; and
(b) may appoint one or more sub-committees (“advisory sub-committees”) to advise the committee with respect to any matter on which the committee has been appointed to advise.
(1) Minutes of the proceedings of a meeting of the Assembly, or of any committee or sub-committee of the Assembly, shall be kept in such form as the Assembly may determine.
(2) Any such minutes shall be signed at the same or next suitable meeting of the Assembly, committee or sub-committee by the person presiding at that meeting.
(3) Any minute purporting to be signed as mentioned in subsection (2) above shall be received in evidence without further proof.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (2) above, the next suitable meeting of the Assembly, or of a committee or sub-committee of the Assembly, is their next following meeting or, where standing orders of the Authority provide for another meeting to be regarded as suitable, either the next following meeting or that other meeting.
(5) In the application of this section in the case of a meeting of the Assembly under section 52(3) above, “minutes” includes—
(a) the text of any question put pursuant to section 52(3) above at the meeting, and
(b) the text of the answer given to any such question,
whether the question was put, or the answer given, orally or in writing.
(1) Sections 15 to 17 of, and Schedule 1 to, the [1989 c. 42.] Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (political balance on committees etc) shall have effect in relation to the Assembly, so far as relating to the appointment of members of its committees, as if the Assembly were a relevant authority and its ordinary committees and advisory committees were ordinary or, as the case may be, advisory committees within the meaning of those provisions (and accordingly bodies to which section 15 of that Act applies).
(2) In the case of any committee of the Assembly, the first appointment of members of the committee shall be an occasion on which the duty imposed by subsection (1) of section 15 of that Act arises in relation to the committee.
(1) Part VA of the [1972 c. 70.] Local Government Act 1972 (access to meetings and documents of certain authorities, committees and sub-committees) shall have effect as if—
(a) the Assembly were a principal council, and
(b) any committee or sub-committee of the Assembly were a committee or sub-committee of a principal council, within the meaning of that Part,
but with the following modifications.
(2) In the application of Part VA of that Act by subsection (1) above—
(a) any information furnished to the Authority and available to the Assembly shall be treated as information furnished to the Assembly;
(b) any offices of, or belonging to, the Authority shall be treated as also being offices of or belonging to the Assembly; and
(c) the proper officer of the Authority shall be taken to be the proper officer in relation to the Assembly.
(3) In the following provisions of that Act, namely—
(a) section 100A(2) (which requires the exclusion of the public from meetings and makes other provision to prevent disclosure of confidential information in breach of the obligation of confidence), and
(b) section 100D(4) (which prevents the inclusion in a list of documents of any document which would so disclose such information),
any reference to the disclosure (or likelihood of disclosure) of confidential information in breach of the obligation of confidence includes a reference to the disclosure of information of any of the descriptions specified in subsection (4) below without the consent of the relevant body concerned.
(4) The descriptions are—
(a) any information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person which was acquired in consequence of a relationship between that person and a relevant body;
(b) the amount of any expenditure proposed to be incurred by a relevant body under any particular contract, if and so long as disclosure would be likely to give an advantage to a person entering into, or seeking to enter into, a contract with the relevant body, whether the advantage would arise against the relevant body or another such person;
(c) any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to a relevant body in the course of negotiations for any particular contract, if and so long as disclosure would prejudice the relevant body in those or any other negotiations concerning the subject matter of the contract;
(d) the identity of any person as the person offering any particular tender for a contract for the supply of goods or services to a relevant body;
and in this subsection “relevant body” means Transport for London or the London Development Agency.
(5) In section 100C of that Act (inspection of minutes and other documents after meetings) any reference to the minutes of a meeting shall, in the case of a meeting of the Assembly under section 52(3) above, be taken to include a reference to—
(a) the text of any question put pursuant to section 52(3) above at the meeting, and
(b) the text of the answer given to any such question,
whether the question was put, or the answer given, orally or in writing.
(6) Nothing in section 100D of that Act (inspection of background papers) requires or authorises the inclusion in any such list as is referred to in subsection (1) of that section of any document which discloses anything which, by virtue of subsection (6) of section 45 above, is not required to be disclosed under subsection (3) or (4) of that section.
(7) In section 100E of that Act (application to committees and sub-committees) subsection (3)(a) shall have effect as if section 55 above were included among the enactments specified in section 101(9) of that Act.
(8) For the purposes of section 100F of that Act (additional rights of access to documents for members of principal councils) any document which is in the possession or under the control of the Authority and which is available to the Assembly shall be treated as a document which is in the possession or under the control of the Assembly.
(9) In the case of the Assembly, the register of members required to be maintained under section 100G(1) of that Act shall, instead of stating the ward or division which a member represents, state—
(a) whether the member is a London member or a constituency member; and
(b) if he is a constituency member, the Assembly constituency for which he is the member.
(10) For the purposes of section 100H(3) of that Act (acts which infringe copyright) the Authority shall be treated as a principal council.
(11) In the application in relation to the Assembly of Schedule 12A to that Act (access to information: exempt information) any reference to “the authority” includes a reference to the Authority.
(1) The Assembly shall keep under review the exercise by the Mayor of the statutory functions exercisable by him.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) above, the powers of the Assembly include in particular power to investigate, and prepare reports about,—
(a) any actions and decisions of the Mayor,
(b) any actions and decisions of any member of staff of the Authority,
(c) matters relating to the principal purposes of the Authority,
(d) matters in relation to which statutory functions are exercisable by the Mayor, or
(e) any other matters which the Assembly considers to be of importance to Greater London.
(1) Where the Assembly decides to do so, the Assembly may submit a proposal to the Mayor.
(2) Section 54 above shall not apply in relation to the function of the Assembly under subsection (1) above.
(1) Subject to section 63 below, the Assembly may require any person to whom subsection (2), (3), (4) or (5) below applies—
(a) to attend proceedings of the Assembly for the purpose of giving evidence, or
(b) to produce to the Assembly documents in his possession or under his control.
(2) This subsection applies to—
(a) any person who is a member of staff of the Authority, or of any functional body, to whom sections 1 to 3 of the [1989 c. 42.] Local Government and Housing Act 1989 apply,
(b) any person who is the chairman of, or a member of, any functional body, and
(c) any person who has within the three years prior to the date of the requirement to be imposed under subsection (1) above been the chairman of, or a member of, any functional body.
(3) This subsection applies to—
(a) any person who has within the three years prior to the date of the requirement to be imposed under subsection (1) above had a contractual relationship with the Authority, and
(b) any person who is a member of, or a member of staff of, a body which has within the three years prior to the date of the requirement to be imposed under subsection (1) above had such a relationship.
Greater London Authority Act 1999