‘An an absolutely bungled operation’: Sadiq Khan postpones City Hall move February 17, 2022 The move into London’s new City Hall has been postponed by Sadiq Khan, just four days before staff were due to move in. London’s politicians and bureaucrats have been left floating between temporary offices and working from home, in a move which has been met with anger from the GLA Conservatives. “This has been an [...]
Khan denies giving Dick sacking ultimatum over Charing Cross officers February 17, 2022 Sadiq Khan has flatly denied reports that he gave Cressida Dick an ultimatum to sack rogue Metropolitan Police officers or be sacked herself as commissioner. The Times today reported the London mayor demanded the now outgoing Met commssioner sack officers at the Charing Cross police station – who were found to have made a slew [...]
Housebuilders facing extra £3.2bn in construction costs this year as prices spiral February 16, 2022 UK housebuilders could face paying the hefty extra sum of £3.2bn per year as new-build construction costs are set to skyrocket. The average cost of construction for a new-build property is set to rise almost £18,000 per unit, research from property debt adviser Sirius Property Finance has revealed. Construction costs across the industry could total [...]
Sadiq Khan proposes £10m London tourism cash pot to lure back visitors February 16, 2022 London mayor Sadiq Khan has proposed a £10m tourism investment pot, to be used to lure people back to the capital. Some £3m will be pumped into Khan’s £6m ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign, which City Hall claims has pulled £70m back into the city along with 280,000 visitors. Another £7m will then be used for [...]
London Assembly pleads with DfT to secure TfL long-term funding as money runs out on Friday February 16, 2022 The London Assembly has made a last-ditch effort and pleaded with the Department for Transport (DfT) to agree to a long-term funding deal for Transport for London (TfL). Caroline Pidgeon, chair of the assembly’s transport committee, said that without a long-term financial deal the public body would be paralysed, as funding is set to expire [...]
If London is the heart of our economy, more TfL fare rises will cut off the blood supply February 15, 2022 From March, every bus or train journey within Zone 1 will go up 10p, after Sadiq Khan announced yesterday that Transport for London fares would rise by almost 5 per cent. For Londoners, this means the average 3-day-a-week commute will go up by £30 a year, on top of rising food and energy prices. It [...]
Young people are coming back to London but population is still lower than pre-pandemic peak February 15, 2022 Young people, who left London in the midst of the pandemic, are coming back to the UK’s capital city, according to research from the Greater London Authority (GLA). Analysis by the GLA suggests the number of people aged 18-29 dropped sharply at the start of the pandemic, as thousands of young people left London to [...]
Sadiq Khan to create £90m City Hall green bond programme February 15, 2022 Sadiq Khan will issue City Hall green bonds as a part of a £90m programme intended to boost the UK’s investment in green infrastructure. The new programme, which will be in the mayor of London’s £16bn+ 2021-22 Budget, will see £86m spent on the green bond programme and a further £4m spent on developing “high-impact [...]
Metropolitan Police Federation turns against London Mayor saying it has ‘no faith’ in him following Cressida Dick’s resignation February 14, 2022 The Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents more than 31,000 officers in London, has said it has “no faith” in London Mayor Sadiq Khan following the resignation of Dame Cressida Dick last week. Ken Marsh, chairman of the federation, said: “We have let the Mayor’s office know in no uncertain terms how our brave and diligent [...]
‘Culture change’ on London building fire safety needed as Mayor launches guidance for developers February 14, 2022 The Mayor of London has launched a public consultation on draft guidance for fire safety standards for new developments. Sadiq Khan has echoed campaigners’ criticisms of existing national building regulations, dubbing them as unfit for purpose. He said the pace of reforms has not been quick enough. The draft Fire Safety London Plan guidance sets [...]