London: Mayor & More

Isabel Dedring: What People Say

The ones I've been speaking to confirm that she's a deeply serious environmentalist. Their worry is that as a member of Team Boris she'll have a hard time getting good things done.

Isabel Dedring: Darren Johnson AM Responds

Following Jenny Jones comment, the Assembly's other Green member writes:

"It is a relief that he [Mayor Johnson] has actually appointed someone. Some of his appointments were made wth undue haste only days after being elected while others such as this have had to wait four months, at a time when it has been vital to have a clear steer on the green agenda."

A thought: would Dedring have got the job were Parker still on the team?

Isabel Dedring: Jenny Jones AM Responds

She emails:

"I'm delighted that the Mayor has finally appointed an environmental advisor, and a woman at that. I look forward to working with her over the next four years in an attempt to green a very ungreen administration."

Is there a "green light" metaphor here? Anyone find it for me, please?

Isabel Dedring: Bad News For Cars?

Boris Watch is hopeful. You read it here second.

Environment Adviser Announced!

My, the Mayor's media centre's been busy this morning. No scope for "downsizing" there, it seems to me. The fourth of five press releases I've been sent this morning begins:

"The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is delighted that Isabel Dedring has agreed to take charge of the crucial environment brief at City Hall. Isabel is currently Director of the Policy Unit for Transport for London, overseeing over the last four years the development and delivery of a wide range of strategies covering climate change, low carbon transport, low carbon building retrofits and sustainable travel planning. She has previously worked for McKinsey and Ernst and Young."

Isabel Dedring? She's "smart, tough, lean and American," according to The Guardian.

Bark Of Approval

The mayor has a new best friend.

Green On The Cheap?

From the Mayor's office yesterday, a press release:

"The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today (11 August) confirmed his manifesto commitment to encourage all Greater London Authority staff to spend time out of the office helping to 'clean and green' London - the Mayor announced he and his senior advisers will also sign up to the scheme and lead by example. The Mayor believes City Hall staff can encourage more Londoners to volunteer by spending at least one day a year volunteering themselves for one of the many organisations that are dedicated to protect and enhance the environment."

However, there will soon be two fewer GLA staff available for such good works. They are the project manager and project administrator for the London Schools Environment Award scheme which was set up under Ken Livingstone in 2003 to encourage green awareness among London's primary school children. The two LSEA posts are among those set to be "deleted" according to an internal consultation document about the restructuring of the mayor's office. Is this move rather at odds with the very public enthusiasm for the LSEA expressed by Mayor Johnson only last month? Is it consistent with the mayor's insistence that he's serious about pursuing a green agenda? Just wondering.

Hydrogen Buses On Hold

From Business Green:

"Transport for London and the mayor's office are putting plans for around 60 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on hold, providing fresh ammunition for green groups which claim Boris Johnson's environmental record has failed to live up to his pre-election pledges. TfL released a statement earlier today claiming that a plan to "seed the market" for hydrogen-powered vehicles in London has been shelved due in part to a poor response from vehicle manufacturers."

Now read on.