Sadiq Khan announces review into £185m eco development

Sadiq Khan announces review into £185m eco development



Sadiq Khan has launched an investigation into whether London’s Garden Bridge project has achieved value for money for taxpayers.


In March, the Greater London Authority (GLA) Oversight Committee slammed former mayor Boris Johnson over the poor handling of the Garden Bridge development.

Now, Dame Margaret Hodge MP, former chair of the Public Accounts Committee, will conduct a review into taxpayers’ contribution to the £185m project, which would connect Temple with the Southbank.

“I’m clear that since the beginning of the project there hasn’t been the necessary standard of transparency and openness around the Garden Bridge,” Mr Khan explained.

“I am absolutely clear that no new London taxpayers’ funds should be committed to the Garden Bridge, but I’m also determined that the Garden Bridge review helps the project achieve higher standards of accountability and transparency it has so far been lacking.”

In total, £60m of public money has been pledged to the scheme, with £30m from Transport for London (TfL) and £30m from the government.

Some £20m of the money from TfL is in the form of a loan to be repaid in full, along with a further £22m in VAT to the Treasury if the bridge is finished.

Mr Khan claimed nearly £40m of public money had been spent on the project so far.

Ms Hodge will now investigate the conduct of TfL, the Greater London Authority and other relevant bodies with regards to the Garden Bridge project.

The review will produce a report scrutinising public spending across all areas of government and transparency surrounding the procurement process.

Ms Hodge added: “The planned bridge is a major project in an iconic part of London, and there are clearly questions that remain unanswered around issues like procurement.

“From his first day in office, Sadiq has been relentless in his drive to ensure Londoners get value for money, both around the Garden Bridge and other areas of major spending.

“I look forward to presenting the findings of the review, and assessing the lessons we can learn for other major projects in our city.”



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