What does the London mayor and London assembly do?

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The leader of London holds a very significant political position in the United Kingdom, with control over a budget of over 20 billion and representation of 6.2 million eligible voters.

The current person in charge of the position is Sadiq Khan and he will have to compete for re-election on the second of May, which is a Thursday.

The duty of the Mayor is to enhance the quality of life in London for anyone who comes to visit, reside, or labor in the city.

Together with the mayor, there exist 25 London Assembly members who hold the responsibility of overseeing and scrutinizing the strategies and decisions of the current mayor.

However, what precisely do the Mayor and London Assembly have the authority and duties to do?

London Mayor Takes Action

The city of London has been headed by a mayor since the year 2000 when the inhabitants of London expressed their strong support for an elected mayor and assembly to govern the city.

Tony Blair, who was the prime minister of the Labour party at that time, had introduced various modifications in the constitution that included devolution.

The London mayor is in charge of a budget worth £20.4 billion, which is used to enhance the economic and social progress of the city.

The current mayor of London is Sadiq Khan from the Labour party, who has held the position since 2016. London has had a total of three mayors thus far.

Boris Johnson held it for a duration of eight years, and Ken Livingstone had it before him.

The mayor earns a yearly wage of £154,963, while the prime minister's earnings are slightly higher at £167,391.

The duties of the mayor involve creating policies, allocating funds, and supervising significant initiatives that align with the Mayor's perspective.

The mayor has a key role when it comes to managing transportation. They hold the responsibility for overseeing Transport for London (TfL) and possess the authority to decide on fare prices, which is the primary means of financing for TfL.

The Mayor's office is also responsible for implementing the Congestion Charge and Ultra Low Emissions Zone (Ulez).

The second task is to oversee law enforcement. The mayor is directly in charge of managing the police force in London and has the responsibility of determining the overall plan for policing.

The Met's governance system holds both the Home Secretary and the Mayor responsible for the force's actions and decisions. The person in charge of the police force, also known as the Met Commissioner, is appointed by the Home Secretary.

Approximately thirty percent of the Metropolitan Police's funds are provided by the mayor, while the remaining sum comes from the federal government.

When it comes to housing, the mayor has the power to establish goals for affordable housing and cooperate with both local officials and builders.

The central government provides monetary support to the mayor with the aim of constructing homes at an affordable price.

Another aspect of the role involves providing assistance to London's cultural and creative sectors. The Mayor is in charge of the London Borough of Culture initiative and has appointed a Night Czar to assist with the city's nighttime activities.

What tasks does the mayor not have responsibility for?

The services that Londoners use frequently such as schools, council housing, social services, rubbish collection, and council tax collection are under the responsibility of the London councils instead of the mayor.

The federal government takes charge of the NHS, social welfare, and almost all types of tax collection.

What's The Purpose Of The London Assembly?

The group known as the London Assembly comprises of a total of 25 individuals. To be more specific, 11 of them speak for the entire London region while the other 14 people are chosen by specific constituencies in London.

A lot of the contenders have had past roles in their communities, such as being involved in politics at the local level or managing their own businesses and contributing to charitable causes. To provide an illustration, Susan Hall, who is running for the position of mayor in London under the Conservative Party, once led the Conservative group in the London Assembly.

The primary authority they hold is to either sanction or dismiss the mayor's budget plans, which amount to a sum of £20.4 billion. Modifications can be made with the consent of two-thirds of Assembly Members.

The Assembly grills the Mayor during Mayor's Question Time on a total of 10 occasions every year.

Additionally, they serve on committees that review the effectiveness of the mayor's policies.

London Mayor Election 2024

On May 2nd, individuals have three options to submit their vote: in-person, through the mail, or through a proxy. Discover the location of your closest polling station by clicking on the provided link.

Every person must display an identification card with a photo when they visit the polling booth to cast their ballot.

Individuals will be granted the opportunity to cast three ballots during the upcoming election – a solitary vote for the position of mayor and two votes for the London Assembly.

The announcement of the outcomes is scheduled to take place on May 4, at City Hall.