The Assembly
Section 3: The Mayor’s periodic report to the Assembly
26.Section 45 of the GLA Act 1999 requires the Mayor to make a report to the Assembly at least three clear working days before each of the ten ‘monthly’ meetings the Assembly must hold each year.
27.Section 3 amends section 45 to require the Mayor to submit his report to the Assembly at least five clear working days before each Assembly meeting.
Section 4 & Schedule 1: Confirmation hearings etc for certain appointments by the Mayor
28.Section 4 inserts into the GLA Act 1999 a new section 60A which lists the offices to which confirmation hearings will apply. They are:
chairman, or deputy chairman, of Transport for London
chairman, or deputy chairman, of the London Development Agency
chairman, or vice chairman, of the Metropolitan Police Authority
chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
chair of the Culture Strategy Group for London
chairman, or deputy chairman, of the London Pensions Fund Authority
The Secretary of State may by order amend that list, and must consult the Mayor and the Assembly before making an order.
29.Schedule 1 sets out a new Schedule 4A to the GLA Act 1999 which provides for the Assembly to hold confirmation hearings for appointments to the offices mentioned above. The Mayor must not make any of the above appointments until the confirmation hearing process has ended. He must notify the name and details of the proposed appointee to the Assembly and they may call that person before them. The Assembly must notify the Mayor stating whether it recommends the proposed appointee or not. The Mayor need not accept the recommendation.
Section 5: Power to require attendance at Assembly meetings: time limits
30.Section 61 of the GLA Act 1999 contains powers for the Assembly to summon certain categories of people to give evidence at its meetings and to produce documents e.g. a person who is a senior member of staff of the Authority, the chairman or a member of the board or a senior member of staff of one of the functional bodies, or a person who has a contractual relationship with the Authority. The Authority may summon such a person up to 3 years after the end of their period in office, contractual relationship, etc.
31.Section 5 amends section 61 to extend the period during which the Assembly may summon a person from 3 years to 8 years.
Section 6: Annual report by the Assembly
32.This section inserts into the GLA Act 1999 a new section 65A. It requires the Assembly to prepare an annual report on its work and achievements during the year. The Assembly must send the report to the Mayor before publishing it.
