Greater London Authority in London - Coursework Example

Greater London Authority in London Introduction Greater London Authority (GLA) is a high level governmental unit in London. GLA was developed by GLA Act which was passed in the year 1999 and recognised officially in the year of 2000. GLA performs cooperatively with four organisations which are: Transport for London (TFL), London Development Agency (LDA), London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), and Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA). GLA mainly covers three fields which are: economic growth and wealth construction, community improvement, and environmental enhancement. GLA is in charge of strategic management of Greater London. It enjoys the right and authority of local government. GLA was developed with the aim of improving harmonisation between the local consultants in London as well as the Mayor (Mayor of London & London Assembly, n.d.). The Mayor of London is a top level strategic executive who sets out plans and policies for London which covers transportation, planning and improvement, housing, financial progress, health dissimilarities, and variety of environmental concerns which comprises of weather variation, biodiversity, sound ambience, waste clearance, and air quality. These individual policies help to provide sustainable development for London and maintain healthy environment for Londoners. The Mayor of London possesses particular powers and obligations to carry out certain activities which help to stimulate financial and social welfare as well as environmental protection (Mayor of London, n.d.). Powers and Responsibilities of Greater London Authority (GLA) Greater London Authority (GLA) is an exclusive governmental unit of London. It has the powers and the responsibilities for transportation, monitoring, rescue operations (in case of fire), strategic planning and improvement. GLA does not deliver any facilities directly, instead the responsibilities of GLA is performed by four functional units which are: TFL, LDA, LFEPA and MPA. The functional units perform under administration of GLA. The responsibilities of GLA are: Transportation: The TFL is liable for preparing and operating the civic transportation services effectively. It maintains and regulates every traffic signals of London, manages the jamming situation, maintains major roadways, and controls taxis and private rented vehicles. TFL is in charge of maintaining ‘London Transport Museum’ and ‘Victoria Coach Station’ which are few of the most significant historical memorials of London (Mayor of London & London Assembly, n.d.). Infrastructure: The LDA is responsible for developing the public places for improving London’s infrastructure. It helps to support businesses and create prospects for the citizens of London. The LDA performs their responsibilities for providing healthier infrastructure and carrying out the developmental activities in London. LDA creates and assists to develop the financial improvement strategies for London (Mayor of London & London Assembly, n.d.). Emergency Services: LFEPA operates the fire emergency services in London. It is regarded as one of the UK’s biggest fire and rescue facilities unit works under GLA. LFEPA is responsible for reacting to any kind of fire incidents as well as other emergency occurrences throughout London. It has also the power to encourage fire inhibition and implement fire protection rules. Together LFEPA and GLA work mutually on London disaster arrangement in different regions. The Mayor of London assigns 17 associates to work in LFEPA. Police Services: The MPA governs the activities of police in London. It has the power to evaluate and embrace policing services of London. MPA possesses the authority to issue policing strategies each year which tells about the priorities and the engagements of police in London. The Mayor of London assigns 12 persons for performing in MPA who are selected by London Assembly (Mayor of London & London Assembly, n.d.). The acts of GLA are performed to accomplish the vision of Mayor for the sake of London. In the year 2010, the Mayor of London had provided additional powers and more responsibilities to GLA to control the traffic and rail permits on London tracks. It can create more active solutions to the traffic problems in London and help to move vehicles easily. The MPA’s operations are also divided within the Mayor and the London Assembly where the Mayor manages the managerial tasks and the London Assembly manages the inspection tasks (Greater London Authority, 2010). Powers and Responsibilities of the Mayor of London The responsibilities of the Mayor of London range from creating policies to making budgets along with defending London from any uncertainties. Mayor’s responsibilities are balanced with the vision to make London one of the top cities internationally. The responsibilities are as follows: Improvement of London: Mayor of London possesses special powers and responsibilities to encourage financial, social and environmental development in the city. However, before applying any power, Mayor is liable to consult with the citizens of London and in every circumstances Mayor must encourage impartiality of opportunity for every resident (Mayor of London & London Assembly, n.d.). Creating Strategies and Policies: It is the responsibility of Mayor to create strategies and policies for managing and improving transportation, housing, culture, arts, financing, health disparities, waste and several environmental problems. The strategies and policies of Mayor support the sustainable improvement of health of London citizens. Besides creating strategies and policies, the Mayor of London has other duties regarding moralities, values, tourism and management of ‘Trafalgar Square’ and ‘Parliament Square’ (Mayor of London & London Assembly, n.d.). Making Budgets: The Mayor develops the budgets for executing several developmental projects so that they can be financed properly. The projects help to convey the vision of Mayor for developing London. Mayor of London has the power to set budget for the activities of GLA which comprises of TFL, LDA, MPA, and LFEPA (Mayor of London & London Assembly, n.d.). Performing Mutually with Several Organisations: The Mayor is committed to perform activities which would help to improve London. The Mayor has a number of managerial and non – managerial positions in several administrative organisations which help to manage the performance properly (Mayor of London & London Assembly, n.d.). The Mayor has the powers and the responsibilities which are beyond any other division or organisation. The tasks of Mayor are invented of numerous roles. Mayor has the responsibility to: Assemble the strategies and policies for citizens Prepare budget which exceeds £9 billion for managing transportation, police, fire prevention facilities, and promote the economy of London Represent the city as a spokesperson at local level as well as in a foreign country Promote social improvement and protect environment Mayor of London performs thoroughly with London boards that are liable for offering several local facilities to certify that local and regional projects work according to plan (London Elects, 2008). Literature Review It is the duty of the Mayor to improve the environment of London. The environmental policies of mayor comprises of the following sectors: Air Quality Policy Air quality is significant for any environmental policy. Polluted air can result in critical health problems and it impacts mostly on kids, aged citizens, and people who have heart and lungs diseases. People who live near to major highways particularly have to deal with high air pollution. The major concerns for Mayor with respect to air pollution are Particulate Matter (PM10) and Nitrogen Di-Oxide (NO2). The Mayor has the power to ensure that London fulfils all statutory ‘Local Air Quality Management’ (LAQM) necessities. The air of London is affected by several factors which comprises of CO2 emissions, weather and transportations among others. The following figure displays the aspects which impact on air quality of London: Source: (Greater London Authority, 2010). In the year 1990, the level of PM10 had dropped but the progress had been relatively slower in the most recent years. London had fulfilled set criteria of LAQM for the level of PM10 constantly during 1997–1998. According to data of environmental monitoring, it can be seen that since 2005 the average level of PM10 has decreased by 12%. The following graph demonstrates the trend of PM10 from 2005– 2009 in London: Source: (Greater London Authority, 2010). The level of NO2 which is another aspect for air pollution had also reduced up to 2002. But after 2002, the level has become quite steady. In the roadside areas, the level of NO2 has not reduced since 1997. In certain areas of London, the level of NO2 had exceeded the average limit in 2008. The following graph demonstrates the trend in NO2 level from 2005–2009 in London: Source: (Greater London Authority, 2010). Policies for Air Quality Improvement For improving the air quality the Mayor of London had developed measures for transport segment as it is the major contributor for air pollution. Policy 1: Inspire smarter selection and ecological travel activities: This extensive policy can have positive environmental impacts in London. Policy 2: Promote technological change and cleaner vehicle: The activities under this policy will provide an initiation for cleaner environment and greener private cars. Policy 3: Pinpointing priority sites and developing air quality: These activities will help to concentrate on those areas that have major environmental risks and fail to satisfy the average limit. This policy calls for encouraging actions in several locations for improving air quality. Policy 4: Decreasing emissions from public transportation services: This policy ensures that vehicles lead by example in decreasing emissions. Policy 5: Emission control patterns: The policy will encourage additional developments in transportations of London. Source: (Greater London Authority, 2010). Climate Change Policy The policy for climate change is another aspect in environmental policies of Mayor. London is quite susceptible to unpredictable climate in the form of droughts, floods, heat waves and rough conditions which increase the threat for London citizens. London has over the years experienced several fluctuations of climate. The Mayor of London does not possess the authority to acclimatise London but through the climate change policy the mayor can offer an outline for cooperative actions. No solitary authority is alone liable or capable for growing elasticity to climate risks. The major environmental threats with respect to climate change are flood, drought and overheat. London is prone to flood because of the flowing reasons: Increasing level of seawater Heavy rainfall Drain water Increasing groundwater, and Lakes Droughts can be caused by inadequate rainfall. The management of water can determine how drought affects the life of people. Almost 80% of London’s water is derived from the two rivers namely Lee and Thames. The rest 20% comes from groundwater. Both rivers are fed by rainfalls and in winter there is insufficient rainfall. About two thirds of total rainwater vanishes because of evaporation. From the remaining rainwater, about half is preoccupied for natural environment and other purposes and only 18% of rainwater essentially is used for water supply for public. The following figure demonstrates the usage of rainwater in London: Source: (Greater London Authority, 2011). The overheat is another environmental risk which can affect the infrastructure of London, for example, it can clasp the railway tracks, damage the surfaces of roads, make the travelling experience uncomfortable, and raise the demand for water and cooling machines. In London, the summer seasons are becoming hotter than before. In the year 2003, almost 600 people were reported to be dead due to extreme heat in London. The effect of overheat within London citizens are higher compared to other places of the UK. Researchers have identified that deaths of people in London due to overheat have risen which is relatively higher than other parts of the UK (Greater London Authority, 2011). The heat is typically more concentrated on downtown areas. The reasons for overheat are: Concentration of bigger developments in London Human made heat Drier summers The following diagram will show the temperature variation in different areas of London: Source: (Greater London Authority, 2011). Policies for Climate Change In order to deal with the climate change, the Mayor has developed several measures for flood, drought, and overheat. Policy 1: Decreasing and handling present and future flood related risks: This policy can help to recognise the areas of high risk and implement a comprehensive profitable approach towards them. Policy 2: Increase sustainability of the water supply in London area and make the city stronger: These activities can encourage long–term water effectiveness. The policy will help the government to assimilate water competency and also stimulate the use of rainfall for non-consumption related objectives. Policy 3: Minimising and handling the influence of hot climate in London: This policy can help to manage growing overheat through raising the level of green spaces and plants in London. It can decrease the threat of overheat and help in maintaining comfortable weather (Greater London Authority, 2011). Analysis of Gap between Policies and Practices There are several gaps is the policies and the general practices among the public with respect to environmental issues. Gaps in Air Quality Policy There is significant gap between policy for air quality improvement and general practices. Several researches have depicted that the level of PM10 and NO2 in London is beyond the average level. In the year 2010, Britain was given ultimate notice by Europe to clean up the air of London. Majority of PM10 is caused by increased traffic and industrial plants which lead to several ailments such as heart, asthma and lungs disease. The air pollution was responsible for almost 4,300 early deaths in London in the year 2010. There is need to lessen injurious emissions by encouraging the replacement of high polluting vehicles and trucks with new models which satisfy the standards of air quality (Vidal & Mulholland, 2010). According to activists, the actions taken by the Mayor of London have not fitted with the objective of cleaning air. There is need to develop more reliable policies to handle the bad air quality. It is being estimated that the level of NO2 will exceed the limit by beyond 45% by 2015 unless more collective measures are taken. The air pollution has resulted in critical health problems for citizens of London (Mulholland, 2010). People who live in downtown areas breathe polluted air. According to the report of ‘House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee’, almost 50,000 deaths occur in a year in the UK due to polluted air. There is several report of breaching of environmental laws in the busiest roads of London (Mulholland, 2010). Gaps in Climate Change Policy Significant gaps also exist in the policy of climate change. There was not enough cooperation among flood threat management organisations. There was inadequate public awareness and capability to react in high level threats. In certain areas of London, the ‘Floodline Warning Direct’ system is weak and there is no particular alertness among people in case of flooding. In several cases, the insurance replacement is unsuccessful to recover the elasticity of assets from the effect of flooding. With respect to drought, the water effectiveness packages are not combined with energy competency programs. Thus, it makes more challenging and costly for organisations to deliver water services. The four water service providing organisations of London have drought policies but there was no London specific drought policy. In dealing with overheat, new and renovated improvement strategies were usually not aimed for the climate. The energy effectiveness actions can raise the threats of ‘overheat’. Several citizens of London are unaware about overheat threats and thus they need to be educated about the activities which can cause overheating of climate (Greater London Authority, 2011). Priorities for London Presently, the major priority for the Mayor of London is managing the air pollution. London contributes significant amounts of PM10, NO2, and Carbon Di-Oxide (CO2) that also impacts on climate change. The Mayor is trying to invest more money to improve the public transport system and introduce hybrid technology which can help to reduce the air pollution. The Mayor is financing almost £250 million in a year on ecological long-standing actions to challenge the air quality, for example, cycling revolution; enhance the habit of using electronic cars and transforming all buses to hybrid which will be 40% less polluting compared to outdated diesel operated buses (Mulholland, 2010). It is the vision of London Mayor to present 100,000 electric cars in the roads of London by 2020 (Greater London Authority, 2009). Conclusion London is one of the most populated places in the UK. The life in London is connected with crowding, jamming, and pollution among others. These aspects result in bad air quality and scarcity of water supply and energy. From the analysis of the report, it can be found that the GLA and the Mayor of London have not progressed effectively to deal with the environmental issues. Still, there are people living in urban areas who suffer from several diseases due to pollution. However, there are certain areas where the performance of the GLA and the Mayor is effective. The bad environmental condition is generally concentrated on small terrestrial zone of London. Significant level of CO2 emissions can be found in London. It has been identified that the key issues for the Mayor and the GLA are shortages in availability of free place, slow transportation movement, high degree of jamming and high urbanisation which lead to environment pollution and climate change (Greater London Authority, 2008). London Mayor and GLA need to be more operative to deal with the environmental issues. There is need to implement policies for climate change and reducing air pollution to make the city green and keep the environment clean. References Greater London Authority, 2008. London’s Environmental Effectiveness - An Update: Comparing London With Other English Regions. London Development Agency. [Online] Available at: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/economic_unit/docs/environmental_effectiveness_of_london_2008.pdf [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Greater London Authority, 2009. Leading To A Greener London An Environment Programme For The Capital. Mayor of London. [Online] Available at: http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/leading-greener-london-300709.pdf [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Greater London Authority, 2010. The Mayor of London’s Proposals for Devolution. Mayor of London. [Online] Available at: http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/proposals-for-devolution.pdf [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Greater London Authority, 2010. Clearing the Air The Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy. Mayor of London. [Online] Available at: http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Air%20Quality%20Strategy%20v3.pdf [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Greater London Authority, 2011. Managing Risks And Increasing Resilience The Mayor’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Mayor of London. [Online] Available at: http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Adaptation-oct11.pdf [Accessed November 16, 2011]. London Elects, 2008. The GLA, The Mayor Of London And The London Assembly. Factsheet 1. [Online] Available at: http://www.londonelects.org.uk/pdf/factsheets/fs1_gla.pdf [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Mulholland, H., 2010. Boris Johnson's Air Quality Measures 'Not Fit For Purpose'. Guardian News and Media Limited. [Online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/14/london-black-cabs-electric [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Mulholland, H., 2010. Air Pollution Leads To Premature Deaths Of More Than 4,000 Londoners A Year. Guardian News and Media Limited. [Online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/30/london-air-quality-premature-deaths [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Mayor of London & London Assembly, No Date. The GLA Group. Greater London Authority. [Online] Available at: http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/greater-london-authority/gla-functional-bodies [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Mayor of London & London Assembly, No Date. Role of the Mayor. Greater London Authority. [Online] Available at: http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/mayor/role [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Mayor of London, No Date. Mayor of London – Role. London. [Online] Available at: http://legacy.london.gov.uk/mayor/role.jsp [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Vidal, J. & Mulholland, H., 2010. UK Given Final Warning Over London Air Quality. Guardian News and Media Limited. [Online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/03/uk-warning-london-air-quality [Accessed November 16, 2011]. Read More