http://londonsays.org London. Better. Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:11:45 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The majority of politicians aren’t famous for their exciting lives, so it might seem completely normal that the GLA budget meetings over the past two weeks have been interesting for us Green Assembly Members (AM’s). (We take our fun where we can find it.)   The two GLA budget meetings happen at ... http://londonsays.org/?p=250 It may have been a cold December morning outside, but in the chamber of City Hall, the temperature soon rose with the police and fire bosses under the Assembly’s spotlight!   The first part of the meeting was a timely opportunity to quiz the acting Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Paul ... http://londonsays.org/?p=246 I'm writing to update you on the activities of Progressive London - a new coalition launched earlier this month. You can sign up for regular updates from Progressive London here. First, I am pleased to provide more details of the first Progressive London event - a conference ... http://londonsays.org/?p=245 LondonSays' latest publication, Parish Power in London?, has been published today. Written by Andrew Stevens, Simon Hughes MP, Alan Jones, Jess Steele, Geraldine Blake and Greg Taylor, the paper is an examination of the possibilities that more local government could offer the capital, and the problems which it may also cause. From ... http://londonsays.org/?p=240 Dangerous dogs were the hot issue at last week’s Mayors Question Time  but this week we London Assembly members gathered to scrutinise the London Olympic Organising Committee and are baying for blood.   The London Assembly Meeting is a 21st century reinvention of the mediaeval stocks – an oppositionist format.  Usually members ... http://londonsays.org/?p=235 A new initiative, the Campaign for Better Politics is being launched, which LondonSays is happy to support.  One of its founder members writes for Londonsays. FED up of poor decisions being made wasting millions of pounds of taxpayers' money every day? Fed up of corruption and behind-the-scenes deals bypassing democracy and accountability? Are ... http://londonsays.org/?p=232 Ken Livingstone has lauched Progressive London, a 'coalition... to promote progressive policies in the city'. With a logo which echoes Mr Livingstone's previous "LondON" branding, and with a hint of his independent-purple colour scheme, the organisation has a distinctly leftish tinge. So what is it for? MayorWatch reports that "the coalition is ... http://londonsays.org/?p=230 I had the privilege of chairing the first PQT of the new mayoralty.  I introduced the evening by saying that the Mayor’s job was to help make London greater, our job on the Assembly was to make sure the Mayor did his job and the public’s job was to make ... http://londonsays.org/?p=227 The details for the latest People's Question Time have been released and can be found below: Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm (doors open at 6.00pm) Main Hall Bromley Civic Centre Stockwell Close Bromley BR1 3UH How to get there Tickets to attend ... http://londonsays.org/?p=224 Whilst Ken Livingstone harbours ambitions to be Mayor once again his 'shadow administration' continues to provide good copy for the media. On this occasion he has waded into the mess which is Sir Ian Blair's departure: Ken Livingstone has defended the right of London's mayor to dismiss the Met ... http://londonsays.org/?p=222