The London Assembly operates within the vast shadow of the Mayor. Ever since Ken Livingstone was first elected in 2000, assembly members have had to struggle to be heard.
They have few real powers, the most important of which is the potential either to impose a budget on the Mayor or to reject his statutory strategies.
To do this, they require a two-thirds majority. This is a high hurdle, which has meant the assembly has never yet managed to defeat either Ken or Boris.
Last Friday’s election left the Conservatives with nine seats, just sufficient to stop Labour, the Lib-Dems and Greens combining to achieve a two-thirds majority.
However, if any crunch votes arise, the Tories will have to ensure they have all nine of their assembly members in City Hall to vote. An illness, for example, could leave Boris Johnson at risk of having his budget over-turned.
The 16 non-Tory members will doubtless agree on many issues, notably transport fares and the need to boost the economy. Assembly members sit on committees which scrutinise the Mayor.
Labour’s John Biggs has led the budget committee effectively in recent years, digging deeper into City Hall finances.
If the assembly as a whole is to be effective, it needs to drill down into the performance of Transport for London, the police and the Mayor’s core administration.
Like select committees, there is an opportunity for assembly members to make a name for the impact of their scrutiny. London’s new mayor is powerful. He must be held to account equally powerfully.
Tony Travers is director of the Greater London Group at the LSE
