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Press release: Tue 12th Dec 2006
Commenting on the Mayor's announcement today that the 2007 precept is set to rise by 5.2% to an extra 29p per week for a Band D house, Liberal Democrat Leader on the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey, said:
"This is another inflation busting increase from the Mayor whose precept will be far higher than in most well run London councils.
'Ken Livingstone has more than doubled his tax take since he came to office and it's time he learned to balance his budget. Londoners are fed up paying sky-high council taxes. We need a fair system based on people's ability to pay".
Press release: Wed 22nd Nov 2006
Responding to comments made by Ken Livingstone on the today programme this morning that "there is not a 40% increase" in the £2.375bn Olympic Budget, Liberal Democrat Leader in the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey, said:
"The contradictory statements by Tessa Jowell and the Mayor show the extent of the confusion reigning over the Olympic budget.
'For 2 weeks now Londoners have been getting spin rather than substance over a bill we might end up footing. This is doing untold damage to the public support of the games. It's time for the Mayor and Government to cut through the speculation and publish the Olympic budget."
ENDS
Notes to the editors
1. In evidence to the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee yesterday, Secretary of State Tessa Jowell stated that the costs of construction of the Olympic Park had risen by £900m, bringing the current total to £3.3bn, or a 38% increase in the original budget.
Press release: Wed 22nd Nov 2006
Commenting on Tessa Jowell's announcement whilst giving evidence to the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee that Olympic Park costs have risen to £3.3bn, Liberal Democrat Leader on the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey, said:
"After last week's hype and speculations about Olympic cost over-runs, we now have some clarity over the state of the Olympic budget.
'I am deeply concerned that one year into the planning of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Secretary of State is already talking about the possibility of London Council tax payers funding the first chunk of cost increases, alongside the National Lottery. Londoners should categorically not pay a penny more. "
Press release: Fri 17th Nov 2006
Commenting on the announcement in the Queen's speech today that the Mayor of London will be given new powers under the Greater London Authority Bill, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey, said:
"We have keenly supported regional devolution and bringing quangos and various boards under democratic control, so we support a transfer of powers from central government to the Mayor of London and the GLA. However these must not be at the expense of the London boroughs. The Assembly should be given greater powers to be able to hold the Mayor to account.
'These powers should include the effective powers to scrutinise the Mayor's budgets and strategies. It also requires secure funding for the Assembly and an independent staff establishment, rather than a politicised administration which the current Mayor operates. We welcome many of the proposals but believe giving the Mayor a greater role in planning will weaken the position of the London boroughs and democratic accountability.
'We also oppose giving the Mayor a direct role in London's cultural bodies believing any London representation would be better from the Assembly or London Council. We support borough representation on the Transport for London Board, but the Mayor must ensure that the Board contains representatives that represent all of London, not just one small part of it."
Press release: Thu 19th Oct 2006
Commenting on the verdict that the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has won the High Court appeal against the charge of bringing his office into disrepute, Liberal Democrat leader on the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey, said:
'This case has proved expensive and unnecessary. The Mayor should clearly never have said what he said in the first place.
'Ken Livingstone's extensive legal costs will ultimately be picked up by the taxpayer, money that would have been better spent on more police on the streets.
'Let us hope the Mayor will now reflect on his actions and think twice next time he opens his mouth."
Press release: Fri 29th Sep 2006
New research by the London Assembly Liberal Democrats has revealed today that the Ken Livingstone's war on pigeons in Trafalgar Square has so far cost the London tax payer £226,000 since 2003, or an average of £90 per pigeon removed.
Despite past claims that the pigeon population has been reduced to 150, the Mayor's answers to the Lib Dems reveals that the average pigeon count for 2006 remains at 1,000 birds per day.
Commenting on the new figures, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesman on the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey, said:
"The pigeons in Trafalgar Square are both a nuisance and a health hazard that most Londoners would be happy to see gone all together. But at a cost of £90 per pigeon removed, serious doubts should be raised about the effectiveness of the scheme as well as its value for money.
'Rather than relying on his French bird to do the job, the Mayor should be diversifying into other methods of pigeon control such as contraception or nesting prevention, as well as clearer signs forbidding feeding.
'Anyone strolling through Trafalgar Square these days will tell you there are still too many people feeding the pigeons. The Mayor could do much more to use the powers he has to crack down on those who encourage pigeons to remain in the square." ENDS
Notes to the Editors
1. The Hawk flying scheme was introduced in 2002
2. Questions to the Mayor on pigeons:
Pigeons
Question No: 1912 / 2006
Mike Tuffrey
How much has been spent each year on birds of prey to deter pigeons in Trafalgar Square since the they were introduced and what do the costs include? How many birds of prey have been used since their introduction? How many pigeons are estimated to have been killed by the birds of prey used to deter pigeons since they have been introduced?
Since birds of prey were introduced in Trafalgar Square, the costs have been:
2002/03 £44,343
2003/04 £78,241
2004/05 £25,100
2005/06 £29,531
2006/07 £38,160
This expenditure covers the contractor's costs of transport to the square and the handler flying the Harris hawk daily. Normally two hawks are brought to the square each day to cover the prescribed hours; only one hawk is flown at a time.
Since November 2003, 121 pigeons have been killed on the square.
Estimated expenditure figures of £31,000 provided for 2004/05 in response to question 1743/2005 have been adjusted to reflect actual payments.
Pigeons
Question No: 1914 / 2006
Mike Tuffrey
What estimates have been made of the numbers of pigeons in Trafalgar Square in each of the following years: 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06?
The average number of pigeon count per day is:
2000 5,000
2001 3,600
2002 3,500
2003 3,200
2004 2,400
2005 1,400
2006 (to date) 1,000
3. Total expenditure on pigeons from GLA budget from 2002 is £215,375. In July 2006, the Mayor approved the appointment of NBC Bird Solutions Limited for flying of a Hawk on Trafalgar Square from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007 for a value of £46,280. Of this, £10,920 is being met by Westminster City Council, which owns the space in front of the National Gallery. This brings the total cost to the London tax payer up to £226,295 since its introduction in 2003.
Since the introduction of the hawk flying scheme in 2002, there has been a total of 2,500 pigeons removed by the bird, bringing the average cost per pigeon removed to £90,51.
4. A bylaw, prohibiting pigeon feeding in Trafalgar sq was introduced in October 2003. The bylaw was made by the Mayor on 20th November 2002 under section 385 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. It amends existing byelaws which came into effect on 1st October 2000, the day on which the Mayor became responsible for both Trafalgar and Parliament Squares.
In accordance with the Local Government Act 1972 the Mayor advertised his intention to seek confirmation of the byelaw in a local newspaper (Westminster and Pimlico News) and responses were sent to the Secretary of State for the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) - the confirming authority for byelaws relating to the squares. The byelaw was formally submitted for confirmation by DCMS on 9th April 2003 along with supporting material for the need for such a byelaw. The Secretary of State (DCMS) agreed and confirmed the byelaw which will be advertised in the same local newspaper, on site at Trafalgar Square and copies sent to all London Boroughs.
Breach of this byelaw is a criminal offence punishable by a maximum fine of £50 in line with breaches of other byelaws. In considering whether to commence prosecution proceedings the Mayor must consider the public interest in doing so.
Press release: Wed 13th Sep 2006
Research by the London Assembly Liberal Democrats has revealed that the London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA) has been investing in tobacco and small arms companies.
The LPFA covers pensions for 73,000 staff including the Mayor, GLA Staff, former GLC staff and agency administration contracts including a number of London borough councils.
Funding decisions at LPFA are taken by the fund managers, overseen by the LPFA board, which is appointed by the Mayor. The Mayor and the LPFA are currently working together to develop strategies on responsible investment regarding climate change, but there are currently no exemptions to investment in tobacco or arms companies.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Group Leader on the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey, said:
"Many of our staff at City Hall would be amazed that by day they are out promoting the health and well-being of Londoners whilst their pension fund money is helping to kill people.
'The Mayor claimed he has no powers to instruct which companies the pensions fund invest in, but as the person makes the appointments to the Board, if anyone has a say, it's him. In fact is the board's vice-chairman not the Mayor's old GLC chum, Mike Ward?
"Why has it taken the Mayor six years to wake up to the evidence that his pension fund is investing in unethical companies? Perhaps he should be taking an interest in the matters that directly affect Londoners instead of pretending to be an oil trader".
ENDS
Notes to the Editors
1. The London Pensions Fund Authority is one of the UK's largest administering authorities of the Local Government Pension Scheme, with a Fund membership of 73,000, including over 220 employing authorities and assets of over £2.7 billion (at September 2003). LPFA also operates agency administration contracts covering over 120,000 scheme members. The LPFA was established in 1989 as a stand-alone public body, to take over the running of the former Greater London Council (GLC) Pension Fund following GLC abolition on 31st March 1986. LPFA is also responsible for the residual employer functions of the GLC, Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) (abolished on 31st March 1990) and the former London Residuary Body (LRB).
LPFA also carries out third party pension administration and other LGPS services. Currently LPFA carries out administration for Bexley Council, Brent Council, London Borough of Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham Council, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), London Borough of Newham, London Borough of Hounslow and Westminster City Council
2. Tobacco companies include British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco Group. Arms manufacturers include Boeing, EADS, BAC Systems, Rolls Royce, Northrop Grumman and Finmeccanica
3. Following an exchange with the Mayor today at Mayor's Question Time, the Mayor agreed to see if the pension funds can be invested in other companies excluding arms traders and tobacco companies.
Press release: Wed 21st Jun 2006
Commenting on the Thames Water financial results published this morning, Liberal democrat Environment Spokesman, Mike Tuffrey, said:
"Thames Water should be using more of their huge profits to speed up their current pipe replacement programme. Clearly something radical must be done to reinvest some of that money to save London's dwindling water supply.
'Our calculations show that if Thames Water doubled their efforts, they could secure enough water for over a million people by 2008, saving a massive 76 Olympic-sized swimming pools a day.
'It is fundamentally wrong that customers should be faced with the bill for this essential pipe replacement work when Thames Water make such huge profits." ENDS
Notes to the Editor:
1. Thames Water's current programme is to replace 1000 miles of mains pipe by 2010. If they double their efforts by investing an extra £130m from profits, they would reach they target two years earlier.
2. Thames Water figures state that they are currently spending half a million a day on fixing leaks and replacing pipes.
Press release: Fri 16th Jun 2006
In the week Ken Livingstone marks his seventh year in power, the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly question how he has fared on the promises he has made to Londoners. Commenting on the findings, Liberal Democrat Leader in the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey said:
"The figures we have discovered are frightening. Ken Livingstone has either missed, backtracked or not delivered on eight major pledges he has made to Londoners since becoming Mayor.
'Labour's Mayor excels in making arrogant comments, spending tax payers' money publicising himself and doubling his share of Londoners' council tax. But when it comes to fulfilling his promises on the major issues concerning Londoners such as crime, transport or the environment, Ken Livingstone has failed to deliver for London."
Reducing crime: MISSED
THE PLEDGE
January 2004: Ken Livingstone pledged "I'll cut crime in the capital by half in four years". This was contingent on him getting 30,000 police officers. However Met figures show that in 2002/3 police strength was already up to 30,164, including police officers and PCSOs.
THE OUTCOME
June 2006: Ken Livingstone is on track to miss his target by 35.5% or by almost 380,000 crimes per year
Congestion Charge: U-TURN
THE PLEDGE:
February 2003: Ken Livingstone said "It won't now be necessary. It's now quite clear that £5 was enough. I can't conceive of any circumstances in the foreseeable future where we would want to change the charge, although perhaps 10 years down the line it may be necessary."
THE OUTCOME:
July 2005: merely 18 months after its introduction and the Mayor's pledge not to raise fares for at least a decade, Congestion Charge rises to £8
May 2006: Mayor breaks his pledge again as he pledges to raise congestion charge to £10 if re-elected in 2008
Cashless Buses: NOT DONE
THE PLEDGE
May 2004: "We will take cash off the buses by the beginning of 2006"
THE OUTCOME
June 2006: no action
Roadworks: NOT DONE
THE PLEDGE
May 2004: Ken Livingstone: "We will work with the government and the boroughs to introduce a permit system to enforce strictly the proper planning and co-ordination of roadworks throughout London"
THE OUTCOME
June 2006: no action
Affordable Housing: MISSED
THE PLEDGE
May 2004: Ken Livingstone pledged to build "30,000 new homes a year with 50% to be low cost and affordable"
THE OUTCOME
June 2006: The Mayor's delivery of affordable housing in London for 2004/05 is a mere 28% (Delivering Increased Housing Output, April 2006)
Water for the Olympics: U-TURN
THE PLEDGE
November 2004: Mayor backs the bid for London as candidate city in which the Beckton plant is presented as a done deal:
'Due to increasing demand for water and the predicted impacts of climate change, innovative sustainable solutions are being put in place to ensure continued safe and reliable water supplies. One example is the planned 150 megalitres per day desalination plant to treat brackish water from the Thames estuary at Beckton, close to the Lea Valley. This is a first in the UK and will be operational from 2007' London 2012 Candidate File (Vol. 1,pg.71)
THE OUTCOME
April 2006: Mayor sets out case against a desalination plant for London:
'The proposals for a desalination plant are akin to pouring water into a sieve. I want to send out a clear message that as Mayor of London, I will not back new developments which contribute further to the problem of climate change.'
Household waste: MISSED
THE PLEDGE
September 2003: "to exceed the household waste recycling targets set by government; to recycle or compost at least of 25% of household waste by 2005"
THE OUTCOME
June 2006: DEFRA figures for 2004/05 show that residents in London have only recycled 17% of all household waste in London, missing the Mayor's targets by 8%
London Culture Card: NOT DONE
THE PLEDGE
May 2004: Ken Livingstone pledged "London is one of the greatest centres of entertainment, creativity and culture in the world. We will establish a London Culture Card building on the success of the new Oyster travel-card."
THE OUTCOME
June 2006: no action
Press release: Fri 16th Jun 2006
Labour and the Tories today combined forces at the London Assembly to defeat a Liberal Democrat motion opposing any further developments of nuclear power stations.
Speaking after the Liberal Democrat motion that urged the Assembly to make its views against nuclear power known before the Government's review into nuclear power reports this summer, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesman on the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey, said:
"The Tories on the London Assembly today have shown us just how flimsy David Cameron's greenwash really is. The Tories have always been pro-nuclear and a revamping of their PR strategy is not going to change a belief many of them hold to the core.
"Labour are no better. Despite their Mayor's opposition to nuclear power, Labour Assembly Members ignored all this and supported the Tories. They proved today that when it comes to the crunch, Labour will be backing the development of new nuclear power stations when the review reports this summer.
"Nuclear is unpopular, unsafe and unproven economically. Londoners don't want it and their performance today shows just how out of touch these two parties are with the electorate."
Notes to the Editors
1. The text of the motion reads:
"This Assembly supports the establishment of a sustainable energy system for London, with increased energy efficiency and the widespread roll out of renewable technologies and decentralised power generation. Noting the high level of Co2 emissions associated with extracting uranium, building and decommissioning nuclear power stations, and the unsolved problems of nuclear waste disposal and transportation, this Assembly opposes plans to build new nuclear power stations in the UK and as such will lobby at all levels of government including the Prime Minister to ensure that the review into nuclear power due to report before the summer, knows of the Assembly's opposition to further developments of nuclear power stations."
Press release: Fri 26th May 2006
Liberal Democrat research has revealed today that the Mayor has performed a monumental U-Turn on his position regarding the Beckton desalination plant.
In November 2004, the London 2012 candidate file, supported by the Mayor, stated clearly that the Beckton desalination plant was a fait accompli.
"Due to increasing demand for water and the predicted impacts of climate change, innovative sustainable solutions are being put in place to ensure continued safe and reliable water supplies. One example is the planned 150 megalitres per day desalination plant to treat brackish water from the Thames estuary at Beckton, close to the Lea Valley. This is a first in the UK and will be operational from 2007"
Commenting, on the revelation, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson on the London Assembly, Mike Tuffrey said:
"The Mayor has performed an Olympic U-turn on the Beckton desalination plant. The initial bid document presented to the IOC in 2004 and endorsed by the Mayor shows the desalination plant as a fait accompli, operational from 2007.
'Yet, the Mayor set out his case against the plant only two weeks ago - is this a case of Ken Livingstone, one of the key stakeholder in the Olympics, not having read the bid document?
'This is another example of the Mayor sending out mixed messages to different communities. On one hand he tries to show himself as having green credentials, on the other he is only too happy to say what he thinks international organisations, like the IOC, want to hear."
ENDS
Notes to the Editors
1. Full links to the candidate file bid document section on water supply (see point 5.3)
Press release: Wed 10th May 2006
The Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesman Mike Tuffrey has been unanimously elected as the new group leader for the Liberal Democrats in the London Assembly today.
He succeeds Graham Tope, who has lead the group since 2000.
Commenting, Mike Tuffrey said:
"The Liberal Democrats in the London Assembly are often said to punch above their weight. For that we have Graham to thank who has led us admirably for the past six years.
'This is an important time for Londoners with a Labour government that has lost its way and a Labour Mayor who is increasingly arrogant and out of touch.
'I will put the issues that really matter to London at the heart of my leadership: reducing crime and the fear of crime, better investment in a sustainable public transport and pushing for more affordable housing.
'The Liberal Democrats made advances in the local elections and we now have the most ever councillors in London, with more votes and a broader spread of representation.
'I will build on Graham's legacy and fight for a positive and progressive alternative in London against the sleaze and spin with which Labour has become synonymous."
ENDS
Notes to the Editors:
1. Mike was first elected to the GLC, representing Vauxhall in 1985. From 1990 to 2002 he was an elected member of Lambeth Council and served for eight years as Liberal Democrat Group Leader, including four years as a joint council leader when the Liberal Democrats were the largest party.
2. Mike Tuffrey remains as the Lib Dem Environment spokesman on the London Assembly
Press release: Wed 15th Feb 2006
The London Assembly today failed to get the two thirds majority required to overturn the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone's Council Tax precept levy for 2006/05.
With the support of his Labour party colleagues and the two representatives of the Green party, the overall percentage increase in the Greater London Authority (GLA) precept is 13.3%, equivalent to a Band D council tax of about £289 per household in London boroughs and £78 for households the City of London. The percentage increase in the GLA precept excluding the Olympic and Paralympics Games financial contribution is 5.5%.
The Liberal Democrat group however proposed a budget amendment that would have meant a smaller increase of just over 2.9%.
Liberal Democrat Budget spokesman Mike Tuffrey said:
"A mayor who was genuinely concerned about the limits of the council tax levels would be rather less prone to drive up the level and rather more keen to spend the resources wisely. The Liberal Democrats fully support the extra investment going in to our police services and the creation of the Safer Neighbourhood teams in each ward by May of this year, however within the Mayor's empire including Transport for London there are schemes where money can be saved and wasteful expenditure that can be cut."