Greater London Authority facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greater London Authority |
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|---|---|
| Mayor of London elected every four years London Assembly elected every four years |
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 |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | Unicameral |
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Term limits
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None |
| Leadership | |
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Deputy Mayor of London
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Joanne McCartney, Labour
Since May 2016 |
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Chairman of the London Assembly
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Tony Arbour, Conservatives
Since May 2016 |
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Deputy Chairman of the London Assembly
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Jennette Arnold, Labour
Since May 2016 |
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Leader of Largest Group
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Len Duvall, Labour
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Head of Paid Service
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Jeff Jacobs
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| Seats | 1 mayor and 25 assembly members |
| Elections | |
| Supplementary vote | |
| Additional member | |
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Mayor of London last election
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May 2016 |
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London Assembly last election
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May 2016 |
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Mayor of London next election
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May 2020 |
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London Assembly next election
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May 2020 |
| Meeting place | |
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| City Hall, Southwark, London | |
The Greater London Authority (GLA) is a special government body for Greater London, England. It was created in 2000 after people voted for it in a local vote. The GLA helps manage important things across London.
It has two main parts:
- A directly elected Mayor of London, who leads the GLA. The current Mayor is Sadiq Khan.
- An elected 25-member London Assembly, which checks the Mayor's work.
The GLA gets its powers from special laws passed by the government. It looks after big areas like transport, policing, how London grows, and planning for fires and other emergencies.
The GLA works with other groups to get things done. These groups include Transport for London (for transport), the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (for policing), and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (for fire and emergencies). The Mayor also has a plan for London's growth called the London Plan.
The GLA gets most of its money from the government. It also collects some money through local Council Tax. The GLA is unique in the UK because of how it's set up and what it does. It was created to bring back an elected body for all of London, after the Greater London Council was stopped in 1986.
Contents
What the GLA Does
The GLA helps manage the whole area of Greater London, which is about 1579 square kilometers. It works with the councils of London's 32 boroughs and the City of London Corporation.
The main goals of the GLA are:
- To make sure all the local councils in London work well together.
- To have one person, the Mayor of London, represent the whole city.
The Mayor suggests new rules and ideas, plans the GLA's budget, and chooses people to lead important London services like Transport for London. The London Assembly's main job is to check what the Mayor does and make sure they are doing a good job. The Assembly also has to agree to the Mayor's yearly budget. The GLA's main office is at City Hall, a modern building near Tower Bridge on the River Thames.
It's important to remember that the GLA is different from the Corporation of the City of London. The Corporation only looks after the small "Square Mile" area, which is London's financial center. It has a mostly ceremonial Lord Mayor.
Why the GLA Was Created
For 14 years, from 1986 to 2000, there was no single elected body for all of London. Before that, there was the Greater London Council (GLC). In 1986, the government at the time decided to get rid of the GLC.
After the GLC was gone, different government groups and local councils took over its jobs. But many people felt that London needed one elected body again to speak for the whole city. The Labour Party promised to create a new city-wide elected authority if they won the election.
How the GLA Started
When the Labour Party won the 1997 general election, they decided to create a new body for London. Their idea was to have a single, directly elected Mayor and an Assembly to watch over the Mayor. This idea was inspired by how some American cities are run.
In May 1998, people in London voted in a special vote about creating the GLA. A large majority, 72% of voters, said yes! After this, a law called the Greater London Authority Act 1999 was passed.
In March 2000, the first Mayor of London was elected. The GLA officially started its work on July 3, 2000.
What the GLA is Responsible For
The GLA is in charge of big areas like transport, policing, fire and rescue services, and planning how London develops. The GLA itself doesn't directly provide these services. Instead, it works through four main groups, called "functional bodies," that follow the Mayor's and Assembly's plans.
These groups are:
- Transport for London (TfL): This group manages most of London's transport, including public transport, main roads, and traffic. It also runs the London congestion charge.
- Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime: This group oversees the Metropolitan Police Service, which provides policing across Greater London.
- London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA): This group manages the London Fire Brigade and helps plan for emergencies.
- GLA Land and Property (GLAP): This group helps with development projects across London.
Planning London's Future
The GLA is also in charge of making sure that land is used well in Greater London. The Mayor creates a big plan called the "London Plan". All the individual London Borough councils must follow this plan. The Mayor can even change planning decisions made by local boroughs if they don't fit with London's overall interests.
Energy and Climate
London produces a lot of carbon emissions each year. The Mayor's energy plan aims to cut these emissions. They want to make London a greener city. This includes encouraging energy-efficient buildings and cutting energy use in homes.
| Service | Greater London Authority | London borough councils |
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| Education |  |
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| Housing | |
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| Planning applications | |
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| Strategic planning | |
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| Transport planning | |
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| Passenger transport | |
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| Highways | |
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| Fire | |
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| Social services | |
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| Libraries | |
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| Leisure and recreation | |
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| Waste collection | |
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| Waste disposal | |
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| Environmental health | |
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| Revenue collection | |
Who is in Charge?
After the 2016 elections, the Labour Party has the most members in the GLA. The Mayor is from the Labour Party, and they have twelve members in the Assembly. The Conservatives have eight members, the Greens have two, UKIP has two, and the Liberal Democrats have one.
Elections for the GLA
People in London vote for the Mayor and the Assembly members every four years. Here are some of the past elections:
- London Assembly election, 2000
- London mayoral election, 2000
- London Assembly election, 2004
- London mayoral election, 2004
- London Assembly election, 2008
- London Assembly election, 2012
- London Assembly election, 2016
Images for kids
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City Hall in Southwark was the main office for the Greater London Authority for many years.
See also
In Spanish: Autoridad del Gran Londres para niños
