John Biggs back as London Assembly budget chair to face tough year

The London Assembly’s Budget chairman John Biggs has been re-elected to lead his committee for the next 12 months—with the biggest spending cuts the capital faces in a decade.

The Labour Assembly member for the City and East London faces a gruelling year head, scrutinising Mayor Boris Johnson’s raft of savings in the face of tough Government spending restrictions.

Biggs’ deputy is Lib Dem Mike Tuffrey, elected at today’s annual general meeting of the Assembly at City Hall.

Labour’s Jennette Arnold returns to chair Business Management & Administration, while Tory Roger Evans continues chairing the Assembly’s Audit panel.

But five key committees have new chairs for the next 12 months, four of them women.

Lib Dem’s Dee Doocey now heads Economy, Culture & Sport, Green’s Jenny Jones Planning & Housing, Lib Dem Caroline Pidgeon Transport and Tory Victoria Borwick Health & Public Services.

Labour’s Murad Qureshi is new head of Environment, replacing the Green’s Darren Johnson.