As David Robinson argued on this blog last year, the London Mayoralty is an idiosyncratic institution that gives us an unparalleled opportunity to road-test the new kind of politics that Compass and others are calling for.

Wielding the UK’s largest democratic mandate but with little formal power. the mayoralty is unique instead for the voice, the visibility, and the capacity to convene and cajole it affords its incumbent. Barely a day goes by without the Mayor featuring in London’s papers, in public life and on our TV.

Writing for our newly-launched website Changing London last year Neal Lawson said: “The London mayoral campaign provides a platform and a space to make politics matter again…It has to start with a vision for London.” In over 150 posts following Neal’s, Londoners shared their visions for our city and we are now drawing them together into six papers over the next six months. Here’s one possibility.

What if the mayor, its businesses, public services, charities and citizens determined to make London the greatest place on Earth to raise a child?

When they are growing up we expect much of our children and young people. In return they should expect much of their Mayor and their city. In the paper we launched last week we proposed the six rights of a London child, spelt out because many are denied them at present.

The first might sound flippant but we think it is at the heart of a good childhood –  a fun, friendly neighbourhood. The former Mayor of Bogata Enrique Penelosa said: ““If only children had as much public space as cars, most cities in the world would become marvelous.” London’s streets account for 80% of our public space – we could reclaim them for our children by designating 1000 ‘play streets’ throughout the capital within the first year of a new Mayoral term, reinforced by a ‘presumption of consent’ for parents wishing to introduce one in their own street. Perhaps also, as in Rotterdam, new developments could be required to include “a pavement suitable for playing, 3.5 metres wide on at least one side of the street, preferably on the sunny side.”

Whatever we think of this in adults it is surely unjust that children are judged by other children according to what their parents can afford. Even a small step to lessen the influence of our acquisitive culture on London’s children would bind us together from a young age. As a first step, the Mayor could agree with London Councils to ban all advertising near to and in schools, as has been done in Paris. Children will be exposed to adverts on television and the internet and in the rest of the city but this measure would send a message and set a trend; our children deserve to live in communities unsullied as far as possible by the inequality for which they bear no responsibility.

Every London child should be entitled to a decent income and a good home. We will devote an entire paper to tackling inequality in the Autumn, but one idea specific to our children is for a London Child Trust Fund, mirroring the The UK’s scheme – ‘the most successful savings scheme there has ever been’ – which was cancelled by the new government 2010. San Francisco didn’t need national Government – their Kindergarten to College programme does the same thing. Why not a London equivalent?

London’s businesses benefit from operating in one of the most successful cities in the world – we should expect more of them in return. To start with, a Mayoral Compact with Business would see inspiring work experience, apprenticeships, and fair starting pay become a hallmark of every reputable company to support our children and young people into great jobs. Harnessing potential, not taking away benefits.

A London Young Mayor would give children the right to be heard. We could replicate the success of the London Challenge in transforming London’s schools by rolling out a London Challenge 2 focused on children’s social services to ensure the extra help is in place for those who need it, whatever it takes.

London Sundays – backed up by free tube travel into the centre for families – would replicate the success of Bristol’s Make Sunday’s Special in bringing families together to enjoy our city’s rich cultural resources. It could be accompanied by a Cultural Guarantee of things our children will have experienced by the time they leave school – see a play, visit an art gallery, write with an author, be mentored by a professional artist. And an annual Have-a-Go Festival would rival Edinburgh’s except we would all take part rather than just watch.

These and many more ideas are included in a paper we launched last week to stimulate discussion and generate new ideas for London’s next Mayor. It is the first of six to be released over the next six months.

If you’d like to join the discussion, to suggest an idea, improve or disagree with something we have suggested, or tell us your favorite, please get in touch. We are particularly keen to post blogs in response to the paper. Please join us at www.change-london.org.uk