Boris Johnson will have to answer further questions about the failed Garden Bridge project after Assembly Members issued a binding summons for him to appear before them.
The former Mayor declined to take part in Dame Margaret Hodge’s review of the bridge which raised a number of questions about the project’s procurement and funding.
As an outside contractor paid by Mayor Sadiq Khan, Dame Margaret had no power to compel potential witnesses to co-operate.
As a result of Mr Johnson’s refusal to do so, the Assembly’s Oversight Committee has issued a summons which compels the now Foreign Secretary to return to City Hall next February.
Failure to answer the summons without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence.
Len Duvall AM, Chair of the GLA Oversight Committee said: “When Margaret Hodge appeared before us and explained that Boris Johnson did not participate in her review of the Garden Bridge Project, we realised that an important part of the story was not being made public.
“Dame Margaret did not have the power to formally request the former Mayor to give evidence, however the Assembly does have that statutory power.
“£37 million of transport finance was allocated to a project which seemed to bypass proper appraisal, procurement procedures were not followed and the promised money from the Garden Bridge Trust did not materialise – leaving the tax payer to pick up the bill.
“So I think it’s only right that Boris gives us his side of the story.
“I know that Londoners are still very interested to know how the whole project got so far down the track, before the plug was pulled.”
