Green Party: London Assembly elects new Chair

Darren Johnson, a Green Councillor in the London Assembly since 2000, was elected today as the Chair for the next year at the London Assembly, with Jennette Arnold taking over the role of Deputy Chair.

Darren Johnson said:

"I am honoured to have been chosen by my colleagues to lead the Assembly in the year ahead and delighted to have this additional opportunity to serve Londoners. I believe the next twelve months will be a crucial time for the future of our city as we seek to pull out of recession and alleviate its impact on individual Londoners. Assembly Members will vigorously make the case for London to receive its fair share of resources from central government during these tough times."

"The coming year will also see the Mayor set out his detailed plans for the future development of London with a number of key strategies being published and refined, including transport, housing, economic development, planning and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Assembly will continue to work to have a positive impact on the development of these strategies, identifying areas for improvement and monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of their implementation."

Darren was elected to the London Assembly in May 2000. He was the first Green member on Lewisham Council and is now leader of the Council's six-strong Green Group. Darren has led investigations into a range of topics including the government's proposal for Heathrow expansion, plastic bags, loss of street trees and front gardens. He has also promoted measures to address low pay in the Capital and policies to protect vital local services.