Boris Johnson has announced the creation of an ‘Outer London Commission’ to advise him on ensuring the needs of outer boroughs are adequately reflected in his administration’s policies and identify up to five areas to become outer London growth hubs.
The Commission, to be chaired by William McKee, will also showcase examples of excellence in service delivery and initiatives in outer London.
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Mayor Johnson claimed “the focus of the previous Mayoralty has been channelled towards inner London and a few favoured areas” and said the role of town centres and communities in the suburbs “has been overlooked, if not ignored”.
The Mayor said he was “determined to redress that imbalance and tap into this rich source of business and planning expertise to create an even stronger and more vibrant outer London which will ensure the capital remains an economic force to be reckoned with for generation after generation.”
McKee, a former Chairman of Tilfen Land and Chair of the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation, said his Commission “will work hard to identify these new hubs and the ideas that have built outer London’s successful town centres so that they can be applied across the capital.”
