The government have decided to grant Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone vast new powers that include - Control of the affordable housing budget - Forcing Councils to rewrite development plans if he doesn\'t like them - Approving planning applications that have been blocked by local authorities in respect of the wishes of local people - Control of learning and skills across London - Telling Councils how to dispose of waste, whether or not their own systems are better - Huge powers of patronage over sports, arts and cultural appointments to quangos - Powers to put health inequality goals ahead of improving health services, leading to likely levelling down rather than general improvement. - Powers to micro-manage energy policy We believe these largely unaccountable powers, many of which currently sit with local authorities should not be placed into the hands of one person of any political party. Public services work best when as accountable to local people as possible. This decision is a huge blow to local accountability and should be reconsidered.