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Boris picks Carphone Warehouse boss to keep 2012 costs in check
Pippa Crerar and Matthew Beard20.05.08
Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross was today appointed by Boris Johnson to represent him on the board of the London Organising Committee for the Olympics.
The multi-millionaire businessman, who is worth £873million, will help scrutinise the £9.3billion budget of the Games for the Mayor to ensure it does not soar any higher. He will also be responsible for making sure the 2012 Olympics creates a lasting legacy - both in grassroots sport and in terms of regeneration of the capital.
The high-profile appointment of the country's most respected entrepreneurs is a scoop for the Mayor and will help him earn the respect and trust of the City. The Mayor today pledged to push the sporting legacy for London to the top of his Olympics agenda. At his first meeting with the International Olympic Committee, the Mayor said he would promote participation in sport, especially among the young.
It was a shift in emphasis from former mayor Ken Livingstone, who said his backing for the bid was "a con" to get more money for regeneration.
Mr Johnson told Olympics chiefs he would work towards a "lasting and sustainable legacy" from the Games. He is also likely to focus on delivering his key campaign pledge of scrutinising the £9.3billion budget, which has more than tripled since the original bid. The IOC's three-day visit to London will give him an early chance to meet the most crucial stakeholders in the Games.
In a speech to the IOC, the Mayor was expected to say: "If we lay the solid foundations now then once the Games are finished and the athletes move on it's possible that London will have changed for the better.
"The Games will make a big, colourful impact on London in 2012 but the ripples must be felt in the years after the event.
"I want to ensure the Games are used to encourage young people to become more active and more ambitious to make positive life changes."
Mr Johnson was accompanied by Mr Livingstone's former Olympics adviser Neale Coleman at his first meeting of the Olympic board last Thursday. It was announced today that Mr Coleman will retain his post on the board of the Olympic Delivery Authority.
Mr Johnson's focus at the meeting was the Olympic budget and City Hall's exposure in the event of a budget overrun. A source said: "He took lots of notes and was focused on the budget. The meeting lasted much longer than usual." It comes after Kate Hoey, Mr Johnson's sports commissioner, said the sporting legacy of the Games should be a higher priority.
Reader views (3)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
I don't think that the Ken Livingstone had the guts to come clean on the issue BUT has anybody yet made it crystal clear as to who "exactly" it is that will be paying for ALL the extra costs (£6b-£9b) incurred since the "original budget" i.e. to make up for the incompetent and/or negligent budgeting?
- Fraser, Telford Park
I think we are too far down the road to stop an Olympic financial disaster... but give it a try. If Mr Ross is worth £800 million already, I hope he is not going to get a massive fee for telling us what we already know. That would be salt on the wound. Also I hope we are not into cronyism of the obverse kind..... if you see what I mean.
- Bondy, London UK
Keep to budget!, its only trebled so far, everyone knows if it stays below 20 BILLION it will be a miracle, we need these games like a hole in the head.
- Mike Williams, Romsey England
