Greater London Authority Bill

I thank the Minister for that reply, but I remain as perplexed as I was when I read the proceedings of the other place. London Councils is the body that represents the democratically elected local authorities. London First, great as that organisation is-I used to be on its board-does a completely different job; it does not represent elected bodies. London Councils does, and every single action taken by the Mayor has an impact on local authorities. He is going to impact either on their strategies or on how they carry out their duties. That represents an impact on aspects of the daily life of London that the Mayor does not implement, because the London councils, in their plurality, do. This is a unique situation. The Assembly is elected but does not have representatives from every council in London. Given how the constituencies fall, there may not necessarily be one Assembly Member for each borough. That is why this is so important. I appreciate that at the second stage the London boroughs are consulted, but at the first stage, which represents the first understanding of the policy and strategies, it seems perfectly appropriate that the body which represents the London boroughs and which has on it representatives from each of them should be involved in the consultation and be able to give the Mayor its view. Indeed, it should be in the same position; that is, it should be able to require a written response to its representations. I hope that the Minister will rethink this point in the light of my remarks, because London Councils is now an important and serious body of representatives of local government and the Mayor cannot replicate it in other ways. The consultation policy should be formulated so that London Councils becomes an authorised consultee at the outset. I do not know whether I am going to move the Minister now, but in view of my own argument-with which I am becoming more and more compelled even as I speak-I am bound to say that it is likely that I shall return to this matter at a later stage. In the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.