andrew boff am draft manifesto v5 · $1'5(: %2)) )25 0$

MY PLAN FOR LONDON A MANIFESTO FOR CHANGE

ANDREW BOFF AM

ANDREW BOFF FOR MAYOR OF LONDON

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Table of Contents

Foreword from Andrew Boff AM ................................................................... 2

Making a safer city for Londoners ................................................................ 6

Tackling violent crime ............................................................................... 6

Early intervention and support for those at risk ......................................... 7

A real plan to bring about real change ...................................................... 7

A home for every man, woman and child ................................................... 10

A competitive and affordable tariff regime .............................................. 11

Just Buy the Bricks .................................................................................. 11

Support for local authorities ................................................................... 11

Innovative solutions for young people ..................................................... 11

Boosting estate regeneration .................................................................. 12

A plan for Greater London and beyond .................................................... 12

Protecting our environment for future generations ..................................... 14

Tackling climate change from the ground up .......................................... 15

Planting the seeds of the future .............................................................. 15

Modern transport that meets London’s needs ............................................ 17

Automating the London Underground ..................................................... 17

A long-term solution to meet our air capacity needs ................................ 18

Expanding the cycle network .................................................................. 19

Enhancing transport in south London ...................................................... 19

Integrating the Thames into our transport network ................................. 19

A confident city making its own decisions .................................................. 20

Decisions made by London for London.................................................... 21

Enacting change one signature at a time ................................................. 22

Conclusion ................................................................................................ 23


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Foreword from Andrew Boff AM

London is facing a critical moment in its history. Since Sadiq Khan was elected Mayor two years ago we have seen a wave of crime engulf our city. This epidemic didn’t happen on its own, Mr Khan has shown that he is weak on crime and unable to get to grips with the challenges facing Londoners every day.

In 2020 London will go to the polls again and set our direction for the next four years. I believe the choice is a simple one: four more years of Khan, with a continuing surge in violent crime, a shortage of houses, people struggling to meet the cost of travel and the Tube unions holding Londoners hostage.

Or there is another choice – under Conservative leadership we don’t have to settle for the status quo. We can be tough on crime; we can build the homes Londoners need; we can develop a transport network fit for the 21st century; we can make sure that wages rise so Londoners can meet the cost of living. We can do so much more.

London’s potential is untapped, there should be no limits to our ambition, as long as we are brave enough to vote for the change that London needs.

I believe I am the person to drive that change and that is why I want to be the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London. I truly believe that London is the greatest city in the world: we have such a rich history, are home to so many cultures, we’re a magnet for the arts, an international hub for financial services and a beacon of democracy for others across the world. I will be its most ambitious Mayor.

As Mayor I will stand up for all Londoners, I’ll fight for the change we need, take the tough action on crime, automate our underground, tackle the housing crisis and fight to bring powers from Westminster to City Hall and push them down to Town Halls. I will challenge waste and I will cut taxes

I hope I can count on your support. Together we can bring about the change that London needs.

Andrew Boff AM


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A Mayor with a Plan for London

A SAFER CITY FOR ALL LONDONERS

On day one I will establish the London Violence Reduction Commission to bring together the police, London councils, the NHS and all sides of the public sector to stamp out gang violence from our city. I will also enhance key initiatives including the Safer Schools Partnership and the Volunteer Police Cadet programmes while also supporting an expansion of Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

A HOME FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IN LONDON

As Mayor of London, I will help councils use Right to Buy receipts to develop new council houses, tackling the scourge of overcrowding. I will work with councils outside London to help them build more homes for London’s extended family in the commuter belt, I will relax protections on industrial land to get more homes built and I will let self-builders acquire public land at no cost so they can simply “Buy the Bricks” and own a home of their own.

PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

Air quality remains a significant problem in parts of London, but it is improving other than in central London and along main routes. I will reverse Sadiq Khan’s new tax on driving and scrap the expansion of the ULEZ out to the North & South Circular roads. I will use the money saved to reduce pollution by replacing all of London’s diesel buses with zero-emission vehicles and by empowering communities to make the changes they need to provide clean and safe air to breathe for future generations.

A CITY THAT RUNS ON TIME

For too long London has been at the mercy of the unions who bring our Underground to a halt when they don’t get what they want, inconveniencing millions of Londoners. It’s time that changed. As Mayor of London, I will begin to automate our Tube lines so they run at the convenience of Londoners and not at the mercy of unions.


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A CONFIDENT CITY MAKING ITS OWN DECISIONS

I believe that Londoners are the best people to make decisions for London. That is why I will fight to bring more powers from Westminster to City Hall and trust elected councillors in our boroughs to make more decisions for themselves. As one of the wealthiest cities in the world we should be able to control more of the tax we generate so we can meet our own needs.

CUTTING WASTE AND CUTTING TAXES

I will share the benefits of cutting Sadiq Khan’s waste in City Hall. Londoners work hard and I want to help you keep more of your hard-earned cash. That is why I want to cut waste and use the savings to cut City Hall taxes every single year that I am Mayor.


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CRIME & JUSTICE


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Making London a safer city

As Mayor of London, your safety is my number one priority. Londoners should not have to fear for their wellbeing when they walk our streets; no parent should have to worry about a visit from the police to tell them their child has been the victim of violent crime. When I am Mayor, I will set out on day one to take tough action to reverse the epidemic that has engulfed our city under Sadiq Khan.

When I am elected Mayor, I will:

Establish the London Violence Reduction Commission, modelled on the Violence Reduction Unit in Scotland, which saw murder fall by 60% and woundings halved.

Enhance Neighbourhood Policing, investing in technology, PCSOs and civilian staff to support the PCs and Sergeants who are the most direct link between the Police and London’s communities.

Enhance the Safer Schools Partnership programme and build on the success of the Volunteer Police Cadet programme.

Pursue intervention with troubled families and pupils at as early an age as practical identified as being at risk and ensure proper mentoring schemes are available for those at risk.

Tackling violent crime I will not dance around the issue; London has a problem with violent crime. Sadiq Khan has been slow to respond, weak on action and is intent on blaming everybody else but himself.

Instead of ducking the challenges, I intend to take firm action to ensure that our streets are once again safe.

That is why I will establish a London Violence Reduction Commission to help bring together the police, city hall, councils, the NHS and the public sector to stamp out gang violence from the capital. The Scottish Government brought forward a similar

Instead of ducking the challenges, I will take firm action to ensure that our streets are

once again safe.


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commission when they experienced a surge in violent crime – the result was a 60% fall in murder rates and woundings were halved.

This approach has worked across the world and is strongly backed by Iain Duncan Smith’s think tank, the Centre for Social Justice, who have written extensively on the subject. Their most recent report, It Can Be Stopped, gave a blueprint to follow. I say let’s take ideas that are proven to work and implement them in London.

I will chair the Commission, which will meet every month. It will focus on disrupting gang activities using higher-profile policing, increasing stop and search and other detection methods to remove knives and guns from circulation.

We’ll also use innovative methods of engaging with gang members, let them know they are being watched and offer them viable exit routes out of gang life and back into society.

Early intervention and support for those at risk But criminal life doesn’t start at gang level. Any credible strategy needs to offer real prevention strategies to intervene when troubles begin. That’s why as Mayor I’ll be putting an emphasis on police engagement with young people and early intervention with troubled families, coupled with mentoring strategies focusing on mental health and domestic violence.

Just as our police service will play a vital role in reducing crime levels, so will our NHS. My administration will establish youth worker groups to assist in accident and emergency departments when cases are identified and via NHS referrals, modelled on the successful Scottish Navigator programme.

The third sector must also play its role in stamping out this epidemic. I will engage with any group which wishes to help. There are already great examples like Second Wave in Lambeth and Chance UK in Hackney, which can help tailor our local strategies and deliver the direct support for those at risk, right where it is needed. I will also look to enhance the Safer Schools Partnership and build on the success of the Volunteer Police Cadet programme, which had 5,000 recruits last year.

A real plan to bring about real change Sadiq Khan is more concerned about protecting his own reputation than taking action to address the crisis. When knife crime began to soar in the capital it took the Mayor 18 months to put together a strategy.

He ran on a platform to tackle violent crime but since he took office knife crime is up by nearly 10%. His assurances that he would make London safer have fallen flat.


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Unlike Khan it won’t take me nearly two years to form a strategy, I’ve already got one. By bringing together the public sector and emergency services we can focus on the areas that require our attention, by intervening early we can help at-risk youths before they become the criminals of tomorrow and by working with third sector groups we can reach out to people and deploy our resources to the most troubled areas.


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HOUSING


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A home for every man, woman and child

Housing is a challenge for London, affecting tenants and homeowners alike. House prices are often beyond what is affordable for ordinary residents. At the same time rents are going up, putting pressure on young people and families across the capital. There is no sense in pretending that there are quick and easy solutions, but Sadiq Khan’s excuse that this is a marathon not a sprint is complacent and insulting. This is an emergency which needs direct action.

So, when elected, I will:

Scrap “affordable housing” targets and instead have a simple tariff based on market value, which developers will give to Councils in the form of discounts to create affordability to meet local needs

Give away unused public land if people can get planning permission to build homes.

Help Councils to build new family houses with Right to Buy money currently sitting in their bank accounts to help solve the problem of over-crowding.

Look for 10% of land, currently designated as Strategic Industrial Land, to be released for new homes.

Work with local authorities outside London to support new towns, new suburbs and new villages through investment in transport and other infrastructure to support new homes for London’s workers.

Reinstate the protection against garden grabbing removed by Sadiq Khan.

Help Councils move forward with Estate Regeneration projects using the already established Land Fund to support buying in former Council homes.

Relax the rules around minimum floor areas to allow developers to build smaller units.

A real plan to deal with our housing crisis, backed up by strong leadership.


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A competitive and affordable tariff regime When I am Mayor, I will immediately give notice to developers that the way we secure Affordable Housing will change one year after I am elected. Instead of endless negotiations over “viability” because they paid too much for the land, there will be a simple tariff-based system to give developers certainty when they buy land and Councils the power to secure the homes they need to meet local needs. Developers will either have to use this new system after one year, or get their plans in fast. Either way, negotiations will be shorter. Homes will be built faster.

Just Buy the Bricks TfL and other public bodies have land which could be used to build homes. These are often large sites coming forward for strategic development, but there are also odd bits of land which might not seem a likely prospect to the big developers, but which a self-builder or a small builder might be able to make work. I want them to have that land for free.

If they can get planning consent, then I will transfer the land to them without charge. Then they can “Buy the Bricks” and have a home for perhaps as little at £160,000. If they sell on in future, then they can pay for the land, but I want to re-invigorate the creativity and imagination of building homes on small sites and for those homes to be truly affordable.

Support for local authorities My new City Hall administration would offer its support to councils across London by helping them to use Right to Buy receipts to build new council houses for families.

Many councils are sitting on Right to Buy money, unable or unwilling to use it. London also faces a major problem of overcrowding in social housing. I want to help solve both problems. By helping councils with grants, together we can cover 60% of the cost of building. I will do this where they build family houses – and I mean houses, with a front door opening on to the street and a garden – which are used to house families currently living in an overcrowded council or housing association home elsewhere. This will then set off a “chain” effect, freeing up their previous home for another household and so on. Just like a first-time buyer in the private market can release a whole series of house moves, building one new council house can do the same in the social sector.

Innovative solutions for young people Getting on the housing ladder can be a struggle for young people fresh out of school and university. The supply is short, and demand is high, pushing prices out of reach of young people. Innovation is key to tackling this problem and “micro homes” offer a solution. By relaxing requirements around minimum floor areas, we


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can free up the market for developments to build micro homes. By developing these smaller units, we can create a new section of the market geared towards students, graduates and other young people.

Boosting estate regeneration Many of London’s post-war housing estates are in poor condition and refurbishing them will not address the fundamental defects in their design and construction. They will continue to be socially divisive as well as expensive to maintain and to live in.

Redeveloping them as streets of terraced houses and mansion block apartments could create an extra 100,000 homes and, where residents agree this should happen, I will help Councils to achieve this. By using the existing Land Fund, I will help councils to buy back former council homes sold under Right to Buy so regeneration can move forward.

A plan for Greater London and beyond London is much larger than its political boundaries, with millions of people commuting into London every day, swelling the ranks of “Londoners”. Many Councils around London have ambitious plans to build new homes but need to unlock transport improvements to deliver these. I want to work with those Councils and support their projects with investment from Transport for London, so that the people who live in those homes, but who work in London have the best possible chance of a safe and secure journey to work and a family home where they want to live.


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THE ENVIRONMENT


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Protecting our environment for future generations

For about ten years, air quality across London has been improving. Boris Johnson introduced the Low Emission Zone in 2008 and progressive tightening of vehicle emission standards have all contributed to this general improvement. But there are parts of the city which regularly exceed safe levels of pollution and it is estimated that 9,000 Londoners die before they otherwise would because of poor air quality.

The problem is especially bad in central London and along major traffic routes and at junctions, and a major contributor is the diesel buses in TfL’s fleet, with more than 7,000 of the 9,600 buses it operates being non-hybrid diesels. But it isn’t just vehicles which cause pollution. As much NO

x is emitted by domestic and

commercial gas boilers in our homes and workplaces as is emitted by all the petrol and diesel cars and light vans put together.

However, Sadiq Khan has taken aim at the ordinary driver with his changes to the Ultra Low Emission Zone. Right now, there is an additional £12.50 daily charge to drive in the Congestion Charge zone. Between now and October 2021, this charge will be extended out to the A406/A205, North & South Circular roads, first for larger vehicles and finally for cars and light vans. To enforce this, a ring of cameras, estimated to cost almost £800m, will have to be installed.

If you are retired on a small pension and you took the Government’s advice and bought a fuel-efficient diesel car a few years ago, you could now face a £12.50 charge to drive to your local hospital. If you are a carer, or a cleaner, who has to drive around to various clients with equipment, you face losing £62.50 each week from your take home pay. That is unfair and disproportionate. So I will scrap the proposed extension out to the North & South Circular roads.

Instead, I will:

Use the savings from not installing the camera ring to move London’s buses over to zero-emission by 2022 in central London and everywhere by 2026.

We have an obligation to future generations to leave them a city where the air is safe to

breathe.


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Support communities to set develop Neighbourhood Plans so we can tackle climate change at the local level.

Require councils to submit to an audit of the number of new trees they are planting.

Bring forward new regulations to require green or brown roofs on all new developments capable of accommodating them.

Tackling climate change from the ground up Governments, businesses and organisations alike all have climate change obligations – but so do communities. And who better to tackle climate change at the local level than the community that lives there? That is why my administration will help support local communities to develop their own neighbourhood plans, localised to their own community needs, tackling climate change one neighbourhood at a time.

Planting the seeds of the future Trees are the centrepiece of any climate policy. They take carbon dioxide and turn it into fresh oxygen for the city. London needs more trees and I will make that happen. Under my leadership local authorities will have to audit their annual tree planting and report back to City Hall. I will also bring in new regulations requiring all new developments to have green or brown roofs, providing they are capable of doing so. New trees and new vegetation are the first steps in tackling London’s problem with air quality.


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TRANSPORT


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Modern transport that meets London’s needs

The London Underground has operated for 150 years and is a centrepiece of our city’s identity. 1.37 billion passengers use the network every year, travelling 52 million miles. Millions of Londoners rely on the tube every single day to go to school, to work or to visit friends and family. That is why it’s so important to have an underground network that runs on time and meets the needs of the people who live here. But it all grinds to a halt whenever the unions dig their heels in and resist the changes needed to modernise our network to make it fit for the 21st century. This costs the London economy hundreds of millions of pounds.

We need to plan for the future. Whether it’s our railways, underground, roads or airports – an ambitious, forward-looking transport policy is essential for this city if it is to continue to grow.

As Mayor, I will:

Automate the tube network, starting with the Jubilee Line, so that the underground can no longer be held to ransom by the unions.

Oppose the expansion of Heathrow Airport and make the case for the development of a new airport off the Isle of Grain.

Bring forward a wide-ranging consultation on expanding the cycle network and find solutions that work for residents, businesses, motorists and cyclists.

Instigate a review of public transport services in South London and bring about improvements to train, tube and bus services.

Support the increased use of the River Thames as part of London’s public transport network.

Automating the London Underground Millions of passengers rely on the London Underground everyday to get to work. For 150 years it has formed an integral part of our city’s public transport system and generates billions of pounds of revenue for the city each year.

The London Underground must not be held to ransom by the unions.


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Any transport network requires upgrading and that is also true of our tube network. But whenever changes are proposed the unions hold London to ransom, threatening to shut down the network with strikes, causing chaos for the millions of Londoners who rely on the tube. But it’s not just an inconvenience. Rail and tube strikes in 2017 cost London over £500 million.

As Mayor, I will begin automating the underground network, starting with the Jubilee Line. Driverless trains are common in other cities, meaning passengers aren’t at the mercy of strikes and walkouts. We’ll save millions of Londoners’ time whilst preventing our economy from haemorrhaging hundreds of millions of pounds in lost revenue.

Londoners have had enough of strikes. It’s time to bring forward a modern underground network that meet the needs of Londoners, not the unions.

I will support Black Cab drivers, who face a real threat to their existence. I will help them transition to zero-emission vehicles and build a network of dedicated rapid charging points. I will also separate the Taxi and PHV licensing function from TfL’s other operations and have it properly scrutinised by the Assembly, with LTDA representation on that committee. I won’t deny to Londoners the benefits of new technology, but nor will I put my head in the sand and put the iconic Black Cab at risk as Sadiq Khan has done.

A long-term solution to meet our air capacity needs The expansion of Heathrow Airport is the wrong solution for London. The environmental damage suffered by residents is already unacceptable, a third runway will make it even worse. And it is such a dreadfully unambitious solution for a great city like London.

I will support a second runway at Gatwick as a short-term solution. However, for London’s long-term air transport needs to be met, it needs a 24/7/365 hub airport, something Heathrow can never be.

I will therefore lobby Government to plan for a new airport off the Isle of Grain. Connected to HS1 and the A2/M2, linked across the Thames to the A13 and M25 and served by a light rail network linking the airport to Southend and the Medway Towns, which will extend employment opportunities to their residents. I will support an initial two-runway airport with the explicit assumption it will grow to four – which Heathrow cannot.

This is a truly ambitious plan for the air transport capacity needs of a 21st century London and the wider South East.


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Expanding the cycle network Cycling has proved to be hugely successful in London. Positive initiatives like the Boris Bikes have helped increased cycling four-fold in London over the last 20 years. It’s now the most popular form of transport during rush hour. But it has proved troublesome for motorists in parts. As Mayor, I will seek to further expand the cycling network, but this would only be done after a wide-ranging consultation that takes into account everybody’s views. We must find solutions that work for residents, businesses, cyclists and motorists alike.

Enhancing transport in south London Transport integration remains an issue for passengers in the south of London. But because Sadiq Khan won’t stand up to the unions we won’t see any improvements until we have a strong Conservative Mayor in place ready to put the people first.

Integrating the Thames into our transport network The River Thames remains one of London’s most underused arteries in its transport network. Whilst projects like Crossrail will undoubtedly ease congestion on our network we should not overlook the importance of the Thames as an artery running through the heart of London. I will challenge existing operators to integrate with the rest of the TfL network. If they failed to do so, I would look to award new contracts to operators willing to integrate river travel into the network.


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DEVOLUTION


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A confident city making its own decisions

London is a city of more than eight million people, more than most small European countries. Our economy is bigger than those of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland combined. London is a unique city, able to stand on our own two feet and capable of taking our own decisions, in the interest of Londoners. I want to enhance our devolution settlement so we can chart our own course in life; and as those powers come from Westminster to City Hall I want to pass them back to the people.

As Mayor, I will:

Fight for more powers to be transferred from Whitehall to City Hall, including the ability to keep more of the tax we generate so we can spend it on our own priorities.

Introduce Swiss-style direct democracy where, if 10% of Londoners sign a petition, that will automatically trigger a binding, city-wide referendum.

Seek more devolution of power from Westminster to City Hall and then pass that on to Londoners so that we can make our own decisions in the interests of London.

Decisions made by London for London Devolution has enhanced the way that London is governed through the establishment of the London Assembly. Members and the Mayor of London are now able to formulate policy that meets London’s needs. But when I am elected Mayor, our devolution will be 20 years old. Let’s show Londoners that we have grown up. Let’s take the next step forwards and bring new powers to City Hall.

I want to see new powers over taxation devolved to London, so that we can keep more of the money that we generate to fund the projects and infrastructure our city needs.

But devolution isn’t an end-point, it’s a process that we need to continue to build on. Across the UK we have seen the huge benefits that local decision-making has

The Greater London Authority is 18 years old. Let’s show Londoners that we’ve grown up.


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brought, be it in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or in the English regions with devolved settlements.

It’s time to build on the success on devolution and take our next steps as a city.

Enacting change one signature at a time Not only should we strive to see power devolved from Westminster to City Hall, our ambition should be allow Londoners to have a powerful voice in the governance of their city. That is a mature approach to a mature city, putting decision-making in Londoners’ hands, enacting change one signature at a time.

That is why I want to introduce Switzerland’s popular initiative system where ordinary citizens, regardless of who they are or what they do, can trigger a referendum by collecting signatures on a petition.

My proposal is that if a petition collects signatures from 10% of London residents, calling for a change that is within the competence of City Hall, then a city-wide referendum will automatically take place, with the result being binding on the Mayor.


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Conclusion

My plan is for a revitalised London; a city where the streets are safe to walk, where opportunity is available to every child no matter what their background, a London with a world-leading automated transportation network and which is improving the environment, and a confident capital with a system of government allowing Londoners to take their own decisions.

I want to build a London for the future by tackling the challenges facing us today. Only with strong Conservative leadership can this city maximise its full potential and ready itself for the opportunities that the future will bring.

THIS IS MY PLAN FOR LONDON

A bold and ambitious plan that meets its challenges head on.

A CITY WHERE ITS STREETS ARE SAFE TO WALK

A new Violence Reduction Commission to coordinate all sectors of the public sector to tackle the violent crime epidemic that is sweeping the capital.

A HOUSE TO CALL YOUR OWN

A real plan, backed by strong leadership, to build new houses, make available public land and give every Londoner a chance to call a home their own.

A GREENER LONDON UNDER BLUE LEADERSHIP

I’ll build on the legacy of Boris Johnson and work towards a greener London with more trees, cleaner air and more local control

A TRANSPORT NETWORK FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT THE UNIONS

No more crippling strikes that cost the economy billions and hurt Londoners, I’ll start work on automating our tube network on day one.

A CAPITAL CITY MAKING ITS OWN DECISIONS

I’ll bring power from Westminster to City Hall and then pass it back onto the people best-placed to make decisions about London, us.

CUTTING TAXES SO YOU KEEP MORE OF YOUR MONEY

I’ll cut waste and cut taxes, allowing you to keep more of the money you earn to spend on your priorities.


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andrew boff am draft manifesto v5 · $1'5(: %2)) )25 0$

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