451.Sections 306 and 307 provide for the preparation of the London Development Agency Strategy, by inserting new sections 7A and 7B into the RDA Act, which apply an amended version of section 7 of that Act to the LDA.  Section 7 of the RDA Act obliges a development agency to formulate and keep under review a strategy in relation to the purposes given to it in section 4 of the RDA Act. The Secretary of State can give an RDA guidance on directions on certain aspects of the strategy, and the RDA must take account of this strategy in carrying out its functions.
452.The new section 7A provides for both the Mayor and the LDA to be involved in preparing and revising the strategy. The LDA's role is to draft the strategy and keep it under review, following any directions and guidance given it by the Mayor. The Mayor, on receiving a draft strategy from the LDA, must publish the strategy, with or without modifications, as soon as is practicable. The LDA must keep the strategy under review and may propose revisions to the Mayor, who must publish it as revised.
453.Before publishing the strategy, the Mayor must carry out the consultations required by section 42 and also consult representatives of employers and employees in London.
454.The LDA and the other three functional bodies must take account of the current strategy in carrying out their functions.
455.The new section 7B to the RDA Act empowers the Secretary of State to give guidance and directions to the Mayor on certain aspects of the strategy. The Secretary of State can give guidance to the Mayor concerning matters to be covered by, and issues to be taken into account, in preparing or revising the strategy. The issues can be any on which guidance can be given to RDAs outside London. The Mayor must have regard to any such guidance.
456.If the Secretary of State considers that the strategy (or any part of it) is inconsistent with national policies, or that its implementation is having, or is likely to have, a detrimental effect on any area outside London, then he can direct the Mayor to revise the strategy in order to remove that inconsistency or detrimental effect.    For this purpose, national policies are any government policies which are available in written form and have been presented to either House of Parliament or published by a Minister.   The Mayor must revise the strategy in accordance with any such direction.    The Mayor will not be obliged to carry out the consultation required by section 34 or the new section 7A of the RDA Act on such a revised strategy.
457.The notes on sections 41 to 44 describe the Mayor's general duties regarding his strategies and the Secretary of State's power of direction, and apply to the LDA strategy as they do to other strategies.
Commentary on Sections Part V: the London Development Agency Sections 306 and 307: The London Development Agency strategy