Mayor of London facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of London
Incumbent Sadiq Khan since 9 May 2016
Greater London Authority
Member of	Greater London Authority Council of the Nations and Regions
Reports to	London Assembly
Seat	City Hall, London
Appointer	Electorate of London
Term length	Four years, renewable
Constituting instrument	Greater London Authority Act 1999, s 2(1)(a)
Inaugural holder	Ken Livingstone
Deputy	Statutory Deputy Mayor of London
Salary	£165,001 (per annum)

The Mayor of London is the main leader of the Greater London Authority. This important job was created in 2000. It followed a public vote in 1998 where Londoners decided they wanted a new way to govern their city. The Mayor of London was the first directly elected mayor in the United Kingdom. This means people voted for them directly, not through a council.

The current Mayor is Sadiq Khan. He started his role on May 9, 2016. Before him, Ken Livingstone was the first Mayor, serving from 2000 to 2008. Then, Boris Johnson was Mayor for two terms, from 2008 to 2016.

The London Assembly checks the Mayor's work. The Mayor, with help from their team, is in charge of big plans for all of London. This includes the historic City of London, which also has its own special mayor called the Lord Mayor of London. Each of London's 32 areas, called London Boroughs, also has a mayor. The Mayor of London is chosen by the largest group of voters in the UK.

How the Mayor's Job Started

London used to have a government called the Greater London Council. This council was stopped in 1986. After that, different groups handled London's big plans. In 1998, Londoners voted in a special public decision. They chose to create a new way to run Greater London. The job of the directly elected Mayor of London was then set up in 2000. This was part of new laws for the city.

How London Mayors Are Elected

The Mayor is elected for a four-year term. Elections happen in May. The person who gets the most votes wins. There is no limit to how many terms a Mayor can serve. The Mayor is elected by the largest group of voters in the United Kingdom.

Candidates who want to become Mayor must pay a deposit of £10,000. They get this money back if they win at least 5% of the votes.

The Latest Election

The most recent London mayoral election was on May 2, 2024. The results were announced on May 4, 2024. Sadiq Khan was re-elected as Mayor. He became the first Mayor to be elected for three terms. He won against the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall.

List of London Mayors

#	Portrait		Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office		Elected	Political Party	Other Important Roles
1			Ken Livingstone (born 1945)	4 May 2000	4 May 2008	2000 2004	Independent Labour	Leader of the Greater London Council (1981–1986) Member of Parliament for Brent East (1987–2001)
				8 years, 0 days
2			Boris Johnson (born 1964)	4 May 2008	9 May 2016	2008 2012	Conservative	Member of Parliament for Henley (2001–2008) Prime Minister (2019–2022)
				8 years, 5 days
3			Sadiq Khan (born 1970)	9 May 2016	Incumbent	2016 2021 2024	Labour	Member of Parliament for Tooting (2005–2016)
				9 years, 107 days

Timeline of Mayors

Timeline

What the Mayor Does

The Mayor's main powers come from several laws. These include the Greater London Authority Act 1999 and later acts in 2007 and 2011.

The Mayor's key responsibilities are:

• City Planning: Making big plans for housing, managing waste, and protecting the environment. This includes creating the London Plan.
• Building Permissions: Deciding whether to allow or refuse large building projects.
• Transport: Overseeing London's transport system. This is done through Transport for London (TfL).
• Fire and Emergencies: Planning for fire safety and other emergencies. This is handled by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.
• Policing and Crime: Setting policies for policing and crime. This is done by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime. The Metropolitan Police reports to the Mayor.
• Economy: Helping London's economy grow. This is done through a company called GLA Land and Property.
• Development: Creating special groups to develop certain areas, like the London Legacy Development Corporation.

Local councils in London, called London borough councils, handle other local government tasks. Sometimes, the Mayor and boroughs share responsibilities. For example, boroughs manage waste, but the Mayor creates a city-wide waste plan. The Mayor is also part of national councils that discuss issues across England and the UK.

Key Initiatives by Mayors

Ken Livingstone's Projects

Ken Livingstone introduced several important projects as Mayor.

• Congestion Charge: He started a charge for private cars driving into central London on weekdays. This helped reduce traffic.
• Climate Action: He helped create groups like the London Climate Change Agency. These groups work on fighting climate change.
• Oyster Card: In 2003, he brought in the Oyster card. This electronic card makes paying for public transport easier.
• Bus Changes: The congestion charge led to many new buses. He also supported removing the old AEC Routemaster buses.
• Partnership Register: He created a register for same-sex couples to officially record their partnership. This helped lead to civil partnerships and same-sex marriage in the UK.
• London Olympics: Livingstone strongly supported London hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics. London won the bid in 2005. He believed the Olympics would help develop East London.
• Tour de France: In 2007, he brought the 2007 Tour de France cycle race to London.

Boris Johnson's Projects

In May 2008, Boris Johnson became Mayor.

• Transport Safety: He added more police officers around bus stations to improve safety.
• Alcohol Ban: He banned alcohol on the Underground, Docklands Light Railway, and tram services.
• The Londoner: He closed The Londoner newspaper, which was run by the Greater London Authority. This saved money.
• Street Trees: Some of the money saved was used to plant 10,000 new street trees.
• Oyster Card Expansion: In 2010, he expanded the Oyster card system to include all National Rail overground train services.
• Cycle Hire Scheme: He launched a bike hire scheme in London. It became known as "Boris Bikes."
• New Buses: He removed the "bendy buses" that Livingstone had introduced. He supported the creation of the New Routemaster bus.
• Outer London Fund: In 2011, he set up a £50 million fund. This fund helped improve local high streets in outer London areas.
• Cycling Investment: In 2013, he announced a £1 billion investment. This money was for making cycling safer in London. It included a long, separate cycle path across the city.

Johnson was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2015. He continued as Mayor until May 2016, when Sadiq Khan was elected.

Sadiq Khan's Projects

Sadiq Khan introduced the 'bus hopper' fare on TfL buses. This allows passengers to take a second bus within one hour for the same price. Under Khan, the Oyster card system was expanded to include debit and credit cards.

Khan also aimed to make London a "greenest city."

• Green City Vision: He invested in walking and cycling paths. He also worked to reduce polluting vehicles.
• Ultra Low Emission Zone: In 2019, the "Ultra Low Emission Zone" (ULEZ) scheme started. This charges highly polluting vehicles in certain areas.
• National Park City: London was declared the world's first "National Park City" in July 2019. This shows how much green space London has.

Extended Term

The government postponed elections in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant Khan served for five years instead of four. His term ended in May 2021. He was re-elected in the 2021 election for a shorter three-year term. He won against the Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey.

See also

In Spanish: Alcalde de Londres para niños

• Foreign relations of the Mayor of London
• Leaders of the Greater London Council
• Timeline of London § 21st century