Kensington council boasted Grenfell Tower’s fire safety standards were exemplary – and should be extended to all other major works
KENSINGTON council boasted Grenfell Tower’s fire safety standards were exemplary - and should be extended to all other major works, The Sun can reveal.
The astonishing claim came in a report by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Director of Housing just 11 months ago.
It came out just after the tragic block’s controversial refurbishment - which included the allegedly inflammable thermal cladding being blamed for the devastating fire’s rapid spread.
Furious critics last night insisted the boast reveals how badly council officials misjudged the terrible fire risk to the West London high rise.
The annual report – published on July 13, 2016 - named the £10.3m Grenfell Tower project as one of the jewels in the council’s housing programme that gave it “a commendable year based on performance”.
It did highlight fire safety as one of the issues facing its social housing stock, after alarmed residents issued multiple warnings.
But the report insisted council officials and contractors had since carried out “regular liaison meetings” with the London Fire Brigade over standards in the tower.
So successful had they been in tackling fire risk to Grenfell Tower residents, that the council’s Health & Safety Action Plan for its housing stock would now be redrafted.
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The report said officials would: “Extend fire safety approach adopted at Grenfell Tower to all major works projects”.
In the report, the Housing Director also claimed the Grenfell reburb meant the council could insist that “health and safety continue to be delivered, enabling the Council to meet its statutory duties and strategic aims”.
Labour MP David Lammy, who lost a friend in the fire, said of The Sun’s revelation last night: “This report proves Kensington and Chelsea council turned a wilful blind eye to the reality staring them in the face, as reported to them by the residents in Grenfell.
“It’s another reason why both the police and public inquiry must take into account gross negligence, which could result in criminal charges.”
Newly elected Labour MP for Kensington Emma Dent Coad this week lashed out at the Tory-run council’s relationship with contractors.
Former local councilor Ms Dent Coad said: "The council continues to act as PR for estate agents and developers".
It has also emerged that calls to fit sprinklers in all old tower blocks were rejected six years ago, after the government dubbed the proposal “not economically viable or practical”.
The United States has also banned the sort of flammable cladding that allegedly encased the tower block.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council did not respond to The Sun’s request for comment about the report’s claims.
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