Neale Coleman, London mayor Ken Livingstone’s housing adviser, is set to be promoted to the post of executive director for housing.
Livingstone announced last week that he intends to appoint six of his special advisers to executive director positions, in order to centralise power in a new Policy Integration & Service Delivery Unit (PISDU).
According to sources within the Greater London Authority (GLA), Coleman could receive a salary of up to £80,000 for the post, which would allow him to give direct orders to the GLA’s civil servants.
Last Wednesday, the Greater London Assembly unanimously endorsed an emergency motion calling for Livingstone to provide more information about the creation of PISDU and other posts within his office.
The motion called in particular for more information on the funding, structure and professional roles of the executive directors.
It said: “This Assembly notes with concern the announcement yesterday by the mayor of his creation of new posts within his office.
“This Assembly proposes that the mayor provides information to this Assembly to demonstrate how this is supported by his Business Plan for 2002-03 with regard to the funding of the proposed posts, the structure of GLA staffing and the professional roles of the GLA staff.”
EGi News 02/04/02
