[1][2] The Act legislated for the holding of a non-binding referendum to be held on 7 May 1998 in Greater London on whether there should be a democratically elected London Assembly and a separately elected Mayor for London and legislates for the appointment a Chief Counting Officer to oversee the referendum.

The act legislated for a non binding referendum to be held in Greater London on 7 May 1998 on the issue of a Greater London Authority and enables the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to appoint a Chief Counting Officer to oversee the referendum.

The question that appeared on ballot papers in the referendum before the electorate under the act was: Are you in favour of the Government's proposals for a Greater London Authority, made up of an elected mayor and a separately elected assembly?

The 33 London Boroughs would be used as the counting areas for the referendum.

Following the successful outcome of the vote the Greater London Authority Act 1999 was passed by the UK Parliament and the Authority came into being following elections in 2000.