Politics, Planning and Homes in a World City

摘要

London has long presented a problem in public policy, with local government in the capital described as an 'urban quagmire, marked by suspicion, insecurity and lack of popular authority' (Pimlott & Rao, 2002, p. vi). The establishment of a directly elected Mayor and Greater London Authority (GLA) in 2000 thus represented a pivotal moment in London's governance. Since the abolition of the Greater London Council in 1986, the capital had been exceptional amongst 'global' cities in its absence of a democratically accountable strategic body. However, compared to similar cities, the powers of the new Mayor were strictly circumscribed by central government, resulting in a body lacking: responsibility for service delivery; control over investment; land ownership; control over rent levels or enforcement powers over local authorities.