I DO NOT say this often, but Mayor Boris Johnson’s £30m investment in community sports prior to the Olympics, announced as part of his Sporting Future for London initiative, can only be welcomed.

The mayor says “this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to increase sports participation and activity, tackle social and health inequalities and bring the capital’s communities together under the same vision”.

This is clearly a laudable sentiment, though more locally it is perhaps a shame the mayor does not seem to be so committed to delivering improvements at Crystal Palace Park.

As we know, the future of this valuable and key open space now hangs in the balance after the London Development Agency failed to take up its commitment to take over its management.

And what a shame Bromley’s Conservative-run council does not share Mr Johnson’s vision for London’s Sporting Future – still the only London borough to refuse the offer of government cash to provide free swimming to those under 16 and over 60.

Perhaps Mr Johnson needs to make his warm words about tackling childhood obesity and creating a sporting legacy for London clearer to his Bromley colleagues?

Surely he agrees Bromley’s young and older people deserve the same opportunities as residents of neighbouring boroughs?


Len Duvall
Leader
London Assembly Labour Group