Keith Mills and Barbara Cassani have been asked to discuss key concerns about the impact of the Games on London.
“Londoners have been promised that these Olympics will improve our transport, create facilities of use to local people and be the most sustainable bid ever. We will be ensuring that these promises are not just hot air. The Games will be hugely expensive. Barbara Cassani and Keith Mills must ensure the Olympics deliver value for money – no easy task,” declared Noel.
The Green Party Group want guarantees that:
· London’s creaky transport system will be improved to cope with the 150,000 extra people making up millions of extra trips
· Boroughs will not be left paying for the wrong facilities that are over-grandiose for the needs of local people.
· Full use will be made of existing facilities
· There will be no loss of green space because of any new developments
· Financial costs will be kept low and under control
· The Olympic company will make information available to the public
“Too many high profile events suffer from spiralling costs – Wembley and the Dome are just two recent examples. The hardest job will be making sure that estimates for new facilities are credible and are kept to,” Noel added.
“The Greens welcome the Mayor’s recent Environmental Principles as a start, but they do not go far enough. They do not set clear standards and targets and so could be satisfied by good intentions that fail to achieve anything. Barbara Cassani and Keith Mills will have to show us that they mean business,” he concluded.
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Noel Lynch is a member of the London Assembly Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee that has investigated the proposals for the Olympic bid.