Mayor of London and Communities Secretary will work together on capital’s COVID-19 recovery

Coronavirus: Policy-makers, business leaders, community leaders, unions and citizens will map future of city’s economy

Communities Secretary Robert Jenerick

Communities Secretary Robert Jenerick

The Government and Mayor of London have set up two boards to help plan the capital’s transition out of lockdown.

The London Transition Board will draw on range of expertise to restart the city’s economy. The board will be co-chaired by the Communities Secretary, Robert Jenrick and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

A new London Recovery Board, meanwhile, will plan and oversee the capital’s wider economic and social long-term recovery.

The London Transition board will be made up of senior leaders from across the city and provide strategic direction for the next phase of response and restart, focusing on the key issues which London will face over the coming months, including: infection control; phasing in and out of varying levels of lockdown; and the recovery of public services, such as transport.

The programme of work will include opportunities for Londoners to be involved in setting priorities and shaping London’s recovery and renewal.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “I want to thank all of those across London who have worked in partnership with the government since the start of the pandemic to protect Londoners and keep essential services running. Now we are past the peak it is right that we focus on safely reopening the capital, taking the necessary steps to control the virus.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “The COVID-19 pandemic is the most significant public health crisis in living memory. We are not being complacent about the continued threat from coronavirus, but the economic, health and social challenges arising from both the virus itself and from the lockdown are far-reaching, and London’s recovery will be a long and complex road that will take many months, if not years.”

The boards will bring together local government, civil and civic society, faith organisations, business, unions and Londoners themselves to reshape London as a city that remains open, safe and attractive for Londoners, visitors and investors.

Until the end of the year, the London Transition Board will run in parallel with and complement the establishment of London Recovery Board, chaired and constituted by the Mayor of London and Cllr Peter John, the Chair of London Councils. The Minister for London, Paul Scully, will attend the Recovery Board on behalf of government.

A London Recovery Board will develop a strategy and plan of action to reshape London to be fairer, more equal, greener and more resilient than it was before the crisis.

Minister for London, Paul Scully, said: “As we fire up the UK’s economic engines again, we know that the capital will be pivotal to our national recovery. Supporting London’s extraordinarily diverse and dynamic businesses in getting back to work while keeping Londoners safe is essential. This plan gives us a roadmap for those efforts.”

Cllr Peter John, the Chair of London Councils, added: “London local government has made an enormous contribution on behalf of Londoners in response to COVID-19 to date.  We now must be ready to work closely with all of our communities across the capital and with our key partners, including the Mayor, government and others to ensure that we are able to transition safely out of lockdown and pursue London’s economic and social renewal in a way that our city needs.”