‘Cloak of secrecy’ over Mayor’s budget plans for 100 extra City Hall staff

sive costs” of recruiting extra staff, rather than reallocating existing ones, could mean other key areas lose out.

The Greater London Authorit y employs 795 staff, with the average wage thought to be about £60,000, although some are paid much more.

City Hall’s headcount increased by a small number every year, except for two, under Boris Johnson as the former mayor received extra powers from the Government over areas including housing, transport and skills.

Mr Khan has set up two new teams within City Hall — Homes for Londoners and Skills for Londoners — to deliver on key election pledges and is also prioritising areas such as air pollution and social integration.

However, the new posts are thought to be spread across the administration including culture, marketing, education and health.

The number of GLA staff paid more than £150,000 has fallen from four to two since the Mayor was elected last May. He takes home £145,350 a year.

But another 26 employees earn more than £100,000 — including his chief of staff David Bellamy, his deputy mayors and his four mayoral directors. A further 233 staff earn over £50,000.

A handful of new advisers have been appointed to the deputy mayors.

Tory London Assembly leader Gareth Bacon said: “This budget process has been cloaked in secrecy. The Mayor and his senior officers have repeatedly refused to tell us how many new staff they require, not even a rough figure.

“They have this information and are intentionally withholding it from those in charge of scrutinising their work.

“It is estimated that the Mayor is going to recruit in excess of 100 people to City Hall. If so, this will have massive costs, which will be siphoned from other parts of his already shaky budget.”

Mr Khan told the Assembly he would be able to provide more information once his budget was approved and senior GLA officials had looked “in some detail” at staffing requirements.

He said it was “not unreasonable” to assume he would increase numbers, adding: “You shouldn’t be surprised that I will do what previous administrations have done which is when we get more power, to raise staff.”

A spokesman for the Mayor said: “As the powers and responsibilities of the GLA has grown over a number of years, so has the number of staff.

“This is due to a recognition from successive administrations that City Hall to have the resources it needs to deliver Londoners’ priorities.”