Background
16.The Authority comprises a directly elected Mayor and a separately elected Assembly of 25 members. The Authority was established by the GLA Act 1999 and the first elections took place in 2000.
17.In November 2005, the Government consulted on proposals to grant additional powers to the Authority. The proposals covered a wide range of areas, but focussed on housing, skills, planning and waste. In July 2006, the Government announced the final package of additional powers for the Mayor and Assembly. The proposals include new lead roles for the Mayor in housing and adult skills in London and additional strategic powers in a wide range of policy areas including planning, waste, culture and sport, health, climate change and energy and appointments to the boards of three of the four functional bodies (that is to say the LFEPA, the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) and TfL). The Assembly’s role is enhanced to complement the additional powers of the Mayor. The Government’s Policy Statement can be read on the DCLG website at: www.communities.gov.uk/glapowers.
18.The Act gives effect to most of the additional powers that require primary legislation for their implementation. The Mayor’s new role in adult skills and employment in London is included in the Further Education and Training Act 2007. The broad thrust of the Mayor's new powers to appoint the chairman and any vice chairman of the MPA is included in the Police and Justice Act 2006, with detail in relation to the powers to follow in regulations.