NEWS > Mayor welcomes 2012 Games progress but determined to contain costs
Published: Friday, 20 Jun, 2008
London Mayor Boris Johnson on 18 June 2008 praised the progress that had been made on building the Olympic Park but said that greater transparency and openness were needed in the budget and forecasting for the 2012 Games and that pressure should be sustained to contain costs that are rising due to the global economic downturn
London Mayor Boris Johnson on 18 June 2008 praised the progress that had been made on building the Olympic Park but said that greater transparency and openness were needed in the budget and forecasting for the 2012 Games and that pressure should be sustained to contain costs that are rising due to the global economic downturn.
His comments came at Mayor’s Question Time in response to a report published today by Carphone Warehouse co-founder David Ross, which revealed that new economic and market conditions had put additional pressures on the venues’ budget which had risen by £106 million. The report also identified areas of risk requiring attention, in particular planning the delivery of the Olympic Village, the Olympic Park legacy and security.
On the Olympic Park legacy, David Ross recommended work should be accelerated to ensure Londoners receive long term benefits from the Games. The Mayor said he has asked David to work with him to establish a Legacy Board of Advisers to advise him on plans for the Olympic Park once the Games are over.
The Mayor said: “Like me David believes that the Games will be a huge success and a wonderful thing for this city and this country and his report recognises the excellent work already undertaken. However he highlights some important issues including how important it is to have greater transparency and openness about cost forecasts for the Games than has been the case so far and I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm that Londoners will not pay a penny more council tax to pay for the Games – no matter the circumstances.
“We must also not lose sight that the Olympic Village offers the hope of new homes for many thousands of people. We cannot put that at risk by reducing the quality of these homes and indeed I want to see this village as a model for new housing sought after by people of all incomes - a mixed community with excellent schools and facilities with as much shared ownership as possible to give people a ladder to home ownership.”
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