The row between Westminster City Council and the Mayor of London over Soho's licensing policy showed no sign of cooling on BBC London News last night, with both sides accusing the other of putting politics ahead of the area's interests.
Asked whether he felt bullied by the Mayor's office over the issue, Cllr Tim Barnes, Westminster's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, said:
"Not sure I'd necessarily call it bullying.
"I don't feel bullied. I feel exhausted by having to explain that a policy that was put forward as being true isn't true, never has been, and it's been an enormous waste of time of public money as a result of the mayor's political manoeuvrings."
He also set out new figures to back the council's position: two wards, West End and St James's, account for 26% of all "small crime" across the whole of London, which he says is exactly why some regulation of venues is necessary. He again pointed to the Mayor's record on transport as the bigger barrier to a good night out, saying Sadiq Khan "keeps cutting the night buses and won't bring in a late-night tube service on Thursdays."
Deputy Mayor Justine Simons pushed back on behalf of City Hall, saying the Mayor wants "less blanket restrictions" in the policy, with businesses able to apply for licences and be considered "on a case-by-case basis" rather than facing blanket rules.
The report also featured Soho restaurant owner Jack Godik, who said the political row is an unwelcome addition to a difficult summer for local businesses already dealing with heatwaves, tube strikes and the World Cup, on top of pressure from both local and national government.
Karl Mercer reported that under new powers granted to the Mayor, Westminster is now required to formally respond to his criticism of its licensing plans, the first time these powers have been used against any council since they came into force. He noted the row has intensified since the end of last week, against the backdrop of Westminster's change of political control in May, when the council moved from Labour to Conservative leadership.
Oxford Street planning powers move to City Hall
The same report flagged a second, related development: as of today, the Oxford Street Development Corporation, the Mayor's own body for delivering his pedestrianisation plans, takes over planning control of the section of Oxford Street up to Marble Arch. The previous Labour administration in Westminster had reluctantly agreed to work with the scheme; the current Conservative council opposes the pedestrianisation plans, and will now lose its own planning powers over that stretch of the street as a result.
