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Senior Tories today called for the London Assembly to be abolished to save cash and give more power to boroughs.
Instead of the 25 Assembly Members, who scrutinise City Hall policies, carry out investigations and amend the Mayor's annual budget, Boris Johnson would be questioned by council leaders.
Tories say this would save more than £8million in salaries for the members, research staff and secretaries as well as running costs.
It follows a pledge by Tory leader David Cameron to cut the cost of politics by reducing the number of MPs by 10 per cent as well as the Government office for London.
Hammersmith and Fulham leader, Stephen Greenhalgh, who served on the Mayor's forensic audit panel into the finances of the Greater London Authority, said: "It makes no sense for Londoners to be shelling out £8.6million on people we don't need."
But the chairman of the Assembly and Green Party member, Darren Johnson, said: "You need a full-time Assembly to hold the Mayor to account."
Mr Cameron's spokesman said: "We have no set plans but we are in favour of devolution and giving more power to the boroughs."
Reader views (8)
Excellent idea! Things ran just as well without London government. Another unneeded layer introduced by Blair for no good reason except rewarding Labour supporters.
- Phil Jones, London UK
Here's a much better idea - scrap Stephen Greenhalgh's London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. It's a tiny borough with some of the most highly/over paid Council staff in London, controlled by an overwhelmingly white middle-class Tory elite and run from a vile 1970s tower block stuck in a remote crime hotspot. Merge it with Kensington & Chelsea and cut costs that way.
- C. Nichol, London
This seems like an excellent idea. To all those who defend the London Assembly and tell us what a great job it does in holding the mayor to account, can you give us one example, because all I can think of is the way Livingstone bullied and cajoled them to bend to his will.
Waste of time and money, just a plastic debating chamber which London can well do without.
- Sthttp://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23757372-tories-scrap-the-london-assembly.do, London
Yes and then we will go back to London Boroughs being run by Looney Tunes administrations, The London Assembly acts as a buffer to this.
- Carl, London
I can see why dangerous radicals like Greenhalgh would be interested in having the far less representative councils in charge than the Assembly, which is elected via proportional representation. Most councils are elected on turnouts of 30-40% and don't represent the people who elected them in anything like the same fashion. The Assembly does, but of course it takes a greedy Tory in power to see that proportional representation as a threat rather than improvement. If anything it's the councils who should have their wings clipped, considering the kind of bounders they regularly provide a home for.
"Boris has been a complete success for London and doesn't need to be told what to do, that's why we voted for him"
Putting my bus fare up 33%, taking credit for the efforts of others, wasting money on an idiotic new bus project and inventing things you've done is not success. Are you Sarah, London in disguise?
- Tom, London, UK
Kimberley, what you describe is known as the "leadership principle". It was tried by one of the continental European countries about 70 years ago. They called it "Fuehrerprinzip".
- Roy, England
The cost of everything the Value of nothing this is the main reason they the tory government at the time abolished the GLA so many years ago.
Does this mean there is no role for the Mayor but sadly he is one of them.With no accountability he could go out of control.
- Kevin Mason, Edmonton
This is a very good idea. Boris has been a complete success for London and doesn't need to be told what to do, that's why we voted for him. Let him lead London his way and get rid of the people who don't like him saving us millions in our hard earned tax.
- Kimberley, London
