What the Mayor of London and the London Assembly do

London has one Mayor and 25 Assembly Members who work to make the capital a great city – and who are elected by you.

This unique form of government was set up in 2000, and through the support of staff at the Greater London Authority, the work of the Mayor and London Assembly is carried out across London.

The Mayor of London:

The Mayor’s job ranges from developing policies to setting budgets and championing London around the world – all in line with his or her vision, and in the interests of London.

The London Assembly:

The 25 Assembly Members hold the Mayor to account by examining their decisions and actions to ensure they deliver on their promises to Londoners. They act as the eyes and ears of Londoners at City Hall. Assembly Members also champion Londoners’ concerns by investigating important issues and pressing for changes to national, mayoral or local policy.

What they are responsible for:

There are many areas of London life that are affected by the work of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly, such as policing, transport, housing, planning and the environment. The Mayor plays a key role by putting together plans and policies to improve the city and benefit Londoners. Before finalising any of his or her strategies however the Mayor must consult with Londoners and their elected representatives on the London Assembly. The responsibilities of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly are detailed below.

The budget

• The Mayor of London is responsible for a budget of £14.6bn which is used to run transport services, police and fire services and promote London’s economy. More information on these services can be read below. Part of the Council Tax levied by local borough councils is set by the Mayor to provide funds for these services.
• The London Assembly can amend the Mayor’s budget when two-thirds of the 25 Members agree

Policing

• Policing in London is managed by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC)
• The Mayor sets the budget for the Metropolitan Police in consultation with the Metropolitan Police commissioner, and provides their strategic goals
• The work of MOPC will be monitored by the London Assembly Police and Crime Panel
• Operational policing decisions are not made by the Mayor or the London Assembly
• The London Assembly highlight areas of concern for Londoners in relation to policing and police budgets, and encourage MOPC to tackle these

Transport

• Transport in London is managed by Transport for London (TfL)
• The Mayor sets the budget & appoints the board of TfL
• The Mayor develops the strategy for transport across London, and looks at the ways Londoners get around the capital
• The London Assembly holds TfL to account in relation to its budget, and its performance.
• The London Assembly reviews the Mayor’s transport strategy, recommends improvements to it and tests the efficiency and effectiveness of its delivery
• The Assembly also oversees the operation and budget of London TravelWatch, the capital’s transport users’ committee.

Fire and emergency planning

• The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) runs the London Fire Brigade
• 8 Assembly Members sit on the Authority and are appointed by the Mayor so as to reflect the balance of the political parties within the London Assembly
• The Mayor also appoints 7 borough representatives (to reflect the balance of parties in London local authorities), two Mayoral representatives, and the Chair
• The London Assembly scrutinises the budget and performance of LFEPA

Housing

• The Mayor is responsible for developing a housing strategy to meet the needs of London’s growing population.
• The housing strategy may address issues such as homelessness, social housing, landlords, and renting
• The London Assembly reviews the Mayor’s housing strategy, recommends improvements to it and tests the efficiency and effectiveness of its delivery

The environment

• The Mayor develops strategies to address environmental issues in London such as air quality, water, noise, climate change, and public spaces.
• The Mayor appoints members of the board of the Royal Parks Agency and is directly responsible for  Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square
• The London Assembly reviews the Mayor’s environmental strategy, recommends improvements to it and tests the efficiency and effectiveness of its delivery

Planning and development

• The Mayor develops a planning strategy for London which sets out a vision for the development of the capital for decades to come
• In certain cases, the Mayor may act as the planning authority for London with the power to approve or reject planning applications for large developments
• The London Assembly reviews the Mayor’s planning strategy, recommends improvements to it  and tests the efficiency and effectiveness of its delivery

Arts and culture

• Supporting and promoting arts and cultural events – everything from film and theatre, to celebrations and music

Health

• The Mayor is responsible for promoting public health, and looking at ways of improving health and well-being of Londoners
• The Mayor also works to reduce the level of health inequalities in London
• The London Assembly reviews the Mayor’s health strategy, recommends improvements to it  and tests the efficiency and effectiveness of its delivery
• The Assembly also publishes a variety of research reports on how health changes impact London, such as obesity, epidemics and drug use
• The Mayor of London and the London Assembly are not responsible for any aspect of the National Health Service (NHS)

Economic development and regeneration

• Promoting a strong economy in London and helping Londoners to create wealth

What they are not responsible for

The Mayor and the London Assembly do not have responsibility for: council housing, schools, social services, hospitals, street cleaning, parking permits, or birth, death & marriage certificates. These services are all provided by your local council, government, or other organisations.

For more information please download our factsheet below.