London Assembly Members have long argued that because fares make up a large part of the Mayor’s budget, they and Londoners should have automatic access to the advice.
During Ken Livingstone’s Mayoralty, City Hall refused to publish the information, arguing that as advice to the Mayor it was exempt from Freedom of Information laws.
This policy continued by Mayor Johnson, other than the publication of a single briefing note to his predecessor in 2008 which he claimed proved Livingstone had take short-term, unsustainable fares decisions in the build up to the election.
However in April City Hall agreed to publish the advice relating to the 2013 fares increase following a provisional assessment from the Information Commissioner that the public interest in seeing how the annual fares decision was made outweighed the Mayor’s right to confidentiality.
By agreeing to publish the document, the Mayor’s office avoided a formal ICO ruling against it.
In response to further Assembly pressure, Mr Johnson last month published fares briefings covering 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.
According to a letter sent by the Mayor to Assembly Member John Biggs, City Hall’s officials have failed to retain copies of briefings for 2000-2007 and 2011.
In the latest development, the Mayor has now agreed to publish the advice given to him by Transport for London when he publishes his annual fares decision form.
According to the Mayor’s latest letter to Mr Biggs “this will start with the decision to be taken on fares later this calendar year.”
