- Written by Tim Donovan
- BBC London Political Editor
Sadiq Khan refuses to confirm amount offered to metro unions to avoid strike
Mayor Sadiq Khan has been accused of misleading London councils over a £30m offer to unions to avert a New Year's Tube strike.
London Assembly budget chairman Neil Garratt (Conservative) said at a meeting in early January that Mr Khan had incorrectly claimed that the amount was trebled.
Mr Khan said he declined to confirm the figures until they were published in the budget document and explained to unions.
But Garratt said the issue calls into question the mayor's transparency.
Mr. Khan was challenged during a City Hall meeting in which he laid out next year's spending plan, a meeting that at times became heated.
Susan Hall, her Conservative opponent in the May 2 mayoral election, has announced plans to enable pre-election benefits such as a Transport for London (TfL) fare freeze and a two-year freeze on transport costs. accused Mr Khan of “wasting” money. Free school meals for upper elementary school students.
The Mayor was also accused of a lack of transparency by Green London councilor Sian Berry over the decision to freeze TfL fares.
The decision was announced last Friday, a day after Mr Berry asked about the £120m revenue loss implied by the fare decision.
She said the mayor should inform council members about important decisions like this in front of the press.
Money is “falling behind the sofa”
Khan said voters praised his “smart” fiscal plan, better-than-expected fare revenue and the success of his “Let's Do London” advertising campaign, which the mayor claims has brought in more revenue. He said that he would lower the Business rates exceeded expectations.
Opponents claimed Mr Khan had suddenly discovered more than £500m “from behind the sofa” since last month.
The mayor said additional funding was identified once the level of government funding and business rate revenue was known.
Mr Khan is then due to meet Home Secretary James Cleverley, but the row over Metropolitan Police funding could deepen further.
The Mayor said the Government should “step up” to plug a £40m “black hole” in police funding, and Secretary Mark Rowley to implement the Met reforms called for under Baroness Casey's scrutiny. He said the government should also respond to a request for an additional 140 million pounds. .
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Decisions about how funds and resources are used in London are a matter for the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the democratically elected Mayor of London.”
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