§ Mr. Haselhurstasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements will be made for the financing and membership of the Lee Valley regional park authority in the event of the Greater London council being abolished.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinAfter considering responses to the consultation paper on future arrangements for the Lee Valley regional park, I have decided that in the event of the GLC abolition, Greater London's share of the costs of the park should be split between the 32 boroughs and the City of London by way of a per capita levy, with the six riparian London boroughs (Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest), which already appoint one member each to the authority, making a double per capita contribution. I have also decided that the eight members of the authority at present appointed by the GLC should be replaced by eight members appointed by the 26 non-riparian boroughs and the City acting jointly. These changes to the Lee Valley Regional Park Act 1966 would be contained in an order laid before Parliament under powers to be included in the Local Government Bill to be introduced shortly.
I am concerned that the present statutory arrangements for the park, under which Greater London contributes 80 per cent. of the precept, even though only 36 per cent. of the park's area lies within the Greater London boundary, may not reflect a proper balance. Although fundamental changes would not be appropriate in the context of GLC abolition, I intend in due course to invite the various bodies concerned to consider whether legislation to change those arrangements should be promoted.