Bo Jo to face scrutiny over planned budget cuts

BORIS Johnson will be questioned tomorrow (Tuesday) on how his cuts to the Mayoral budget will affect Londoners.

The Budget and Performance Committee at City Hall will challenge the Mayor on how the Greater London Authority will cope with a drop of nine per cent in Government grants.

Around 1,000 police officers are expected to be lost this year due to budget cuts of �100 million for the Met while Transport for London will see its finances slashed by �2.17 billion over the next four years.

The London Development Agency will receive �54m less than in last year’s budget and will be shut in 2012 as part of the Coalition Government’s ‘bonfire of the quangos’.

A spokesperson for Boris Johnson said: “The mayor has proved himself financially prudent. He’s frozen the council precept after it’s been rising for many years. There are still record numbers of police and there are 50,000 affordable homes being built.

“We’re looking to maintain front line services.”

Ex-Mayor Ken Livingstone said: “Boris Johnson’s budget brings home the stark reality of Tory cuts to the capital in which the interests of ordinary Londoners are ignored, 1,000 police officers are cut and millions are hit by huge increases in bus, tube and rail fares.”

The Mayor’s draft budget, published on 22 December, sets out planned spending on police, transport, fire and development for the next financial year. The assembly will vote on the proposals in Feb