Busy media day today. Splashed across Evening Standard front page is news of a ‘leaked’ document from the Assembly showing the appalling performance to date of the two private companies running the tube – and their manager, Transport for London.

I am really cross as it wasn’t a ‘leaked’ document – it was just the background briefing for members of the Assembly Transport Committee (which I chair) who will be questioning Tim O’Toole (MD of the tube for Transport for London) and the two Chief Execs of the private company on Thursday when they come before me in public session.

Cross – because the witnesses will now be forewarned. We always give them the questions or subjects so that they can prepare their background. However, the point of a public session in scrutiny is to put them on the spot.

Give a long interview to Metro on the failings of the PPP. How long have you got? Late with almost everything they are contracted to do – from over-running engineering to station upgrades.

Thursday’s session should be pretty interesting!

Also the Standard has taken my news release based on figures I have got hold of on how Capita (the Mayor’s favourite contractor administering the congestion charge) has had to pay GBP 4.5 million in fines – that’s GBP 7,400 per day. Even worse – the Mayor is going to extend their existing contract and almost certainly give them the contract for his westward extension to the congestion charge.

Well – given they are still missing 21% of their targets (improved from missing 35% previously) they are hardly going to kill themselves to improve when they know that seemingly whatever their performance they are going to be not only re-employed – but given new contracts.

It’s in the Standard and I do an LBC radio pre-record on the Capita release. Transport for London telephone – absolutely furious. However, the figures came in official Mayoral answers to written questions I had submitted.

Red faces I understand at TfL – they are now saying they gave the wrong figures in the Mayoral answer.

Capita have only had to pay GBP 3.7 million in fines not GBP 4.5 million.

I am sure that makes all the difference – not!

Then – to my surprise – BBC want to tape me talking about Ken’s climbdown over the Royal Ballet School. Happy to oblige. Ken has made a complete arse of himself by trying to use planning consent as a means to engineer his social policies – in this case the real sub-text being a view that a Royal Ballet School in a Royal Park is too posh and elitist.

My understanding is that this is rubbish as any budding Billy Elliott anywhere in the country aspires to come there – whatever the background.

Caught out, Ken is trying to assert that concessions by the school that they will make more strenuous efforts to attract diverse kids is the reason he has now been able to change his mind.

Last media call of the day is about the Parking Enforcement scrutiny I have instigated and been chairing at the London Assembly. We are in the process of writing up the evidence. It has become clear that the report will be ready in time for the April meeting – but if Blair calls the election – it might not be allowed to be published during that period.

There is some ruling somewhere that no one should gain any advantage from its publication. I would argue that it is the normal work of the Assembly and shouldn’t be stopped. I will ask for a legal ruling on this in due course.

Back to Hornsey & Wood Green to whip round to various houses collecting envelopes and then mountain of emails and casework to attend to.