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| Kensington and Chelsea council leader quits in wake of Grenfell disaster | Kensington and Chelsea council leader quits in wake of Grenfell disaster |
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| The Tory leader of Kensington and Chelsea council is to step down along with his deputy after weeks of criticism over the response to the Grenfell Tower fire, culminating in a bungled attempt to hold a meeting about the blaze in private. | The Tory leader of Kensington and Chelsea council is to step down along with his deputy after weeks of criticism over the response to the Grenfell Tower fire, culminating in a bungled attempt to hold a meeting about the blaze in private. |
| Nicholas Paget-Brown, who became the focus of protests over the Conservative-run authority’s actions before and after the deadly inferno, said he was departing to accept some responsibility for “perceived failings” by the council. | Nicholas Paget-Brown, who became the focus of protests over the Conservative-run authority’s actions before and after the deadly inferno, said he was departing to accept some responsibility for “perceived failings” by the council. |
| It follows condemnation from both Downing Street and the communities secretary, Sajid Javid, after Paget-Brown’s decision to call off the first post-fire council cabinet meeting when the high court ruled he could not stop journalists from attending it after a legal challenge led by the Guardian. | It follows condemnation from both Downing Street and the communities secretary, Sajid Javid, after Paget-Brown’s decision to call off the first post-fire council cabinet meeting when the high court ruled he could not stop journalists from attending it after a legal challenge led by the Guardian. |
| The council had already seen its direct role in caring for survivors of the fire taken from it by ministers earlier this month, with a dedicated response team created amid concerns at the slow pace of efforts to provide survivors and bereaved families with housing and information. | The council had already seen its direct role in caring for survivors of the fire taken from it by ministers earlier this month, with a dedicated response team created amid concerns at the slow pace of efforts to provide survivors and bereaved families with housing and information. |
| Paget-Brown, a councillor for more than 30 years, resisted calls to go then. But on Friday evening he said he must “accept my share of responsibility”. He said he would depart as soon as a successor was in place, and that his deputy leader, Rock Feilding-Mellen, who is also responsible for housing, would go as well. | Paget-Brown, a councillor for more than 30 years, resisted calls to go then. But on Friday evening he said he must “accept my share of responsibility”. He said he would depart as soon as a successor was in place, and that his deputy leader, Rock Feilding-Mellen, who is also responsible for housing, would go as well. |
| Feilding-Mellen was the councillor ultimately responsible for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower with the cladding that is widely believed to have fuelled the blaze that killed at least 80 people. It had emerged earlier on Friday that the council had approved the replacement of fire-resistant zinc cladding with cheaper aluminium panels. | |
| Documents seen by the Guardian showed this saved £293,368, with the project manager for the housing organisation in the borough emailing consultant to saying they needed to find “good costs” for Feilding-Mellen. | |
| Paget-Brown identified as a key factor in his decision for the scenes on Thursday evening, when he called a halt to the cabinet meeting after failing to have the media barred from the event, saying to go ahead with journalists present could prejudice the public inquiry into the fire. | Paget-Brown identified as a key factor in his decision for the scenes on Thursday evening, when he called a halt to the cabinet meeting after failing to have the media barred from the event, saying to go ahead with journalists present could prejudice the public inquiry into the fire. |
| Paget-Brown blamed the advice of lawyers for his order to keep the press out of the meeting, which was overturned by a high court judge after the Guardian and a group of other media organisations objected at the last minute. | Paget-Brown blamed the advice of lawyers for his order to keep the press out of the meeting, which was overturned by a high court judge after the Guardian and a group of other media organisations objected at the last minute. |
| He said: “In particular my decision to accept legal advice that I should not compromise the public inquiry by having an open discussion in public yesterday has itself become a political story. And it cannot be right that this should have become the focus of attention when so many are dead or still unaccounted for.” The new leader would pick their own cabinet, Paget-Brown added. | He said: “In particular my decision to accept legal advice that I should not compromise the public inquiry by having an open discussion in public yesterday has itself become a political story. And it cannot be right that this should have become the focus of attention when so many are dead or still unaccounted for.” The new leader would pick their own cabinet, Paget-Brown added. |
| Downing Street was understood to be furious at the chaotic scenes at the meeting, which saw Labour opposition councillors shouting in fury as Paget-Brown announced it would have to end because he could not discuss the fire with journalists in the room. | Downing Street was understood to be furious at the chaotic scenes at the meeting, which saw Labour opposition councillors shouting in fury as Paget-Brown announced it would have to end because he could not discuss the fire with journalists in the room. |
| A No 10 spokeswoman said the prime minister “would have expected the council to respect” the high court ruling. She said: “Our view is that access to democracy should always be easy, and we think that’s vital if people want to retain confidence in our democratic system. I can’t obviously speak for the council, but there are rules that state all meetings must be open to the public except in certain circumstances.” | A No 10 spokeswoman said the prime minister “would have expected the council to respect” the high court ruling. She said: “Our view is that access to democracy should always be easy, and we think that’s vital if people want to retain confidence in our democratic system. I can’t obviously speak for the council, but there are rules that state all meetings must be open to the public except in certain circumstances.” |
| Javid said: “Access to the democratic process should always be open and transparent.” | Javid said: “Access to the democratic process should always be open and transparent.” |
| The attempt to hold the meeting in private prompted alarm from press organisations. On Friday, the Guardian wrote to the council asking it to confirm it would allow reporters to attend future meetings connected to Grenfell Tower. | The attempt to hold the meeting in private prompted alarm from press organisations. On Friday, the Guardian wrote to the council asking it to confirm it would allow reporters to attend future meetings connected to Grenfell Tower. |
| The newspaper’s legal director, Gill Phillips, said the argument that reporting of Thursday’s meeting could prejudice the public inquiry “can only be interpreted as suggesting that the council were wanting to discuss matters that they did not want the public inquiry to know about”. | The newspaper’s legal director, Gill Phillips, said the argument that reporting of Thursday’s meeting could prejudice the public inquiry “can only be interpreted as suggesting that the council were wanting to discuss matters that they did not want the public inquiry to know about”. |
| While it is understood that there was no overt pressure from No 10 for Paget-Brown and his team to step down, ministers welcomed the move and immediately signalled a more interventionist approach towards the council as it struggles to deal with the aftermath of one of the UK’s most serious postwar civil disasters. | While it is understood that there was no overt pressure from No 10 for Paget-Brown and his team to step down, ministers welcomed the move and immediately signalled a more interventionist approach towards the council as it struggles to deal with the aftermath of one of the UK’s most serious postwar civil disasters. |
| Greg Hands, the Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham, who also has the role of minister for London, said it was the “right decision” for Paget-Brown to go, and signalled a more interventionist approach from government towards the council. | Greg Hands, the Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham, who also has the role of minister for London, said it was the “right decision” for Paget-Brown to go, and signalled a more interventionist approach from government towards the council. |
| He tweeted: “I will be working closely with Kensington & Chelsea councillors to ensure a new council leader who commands support within the group and the wider public and from government. Lessons need to be learned & action taken in response to Grenfell Tower.” | He tweeted: “I will be working closely with Kensington & Chelsea councillors to ensure a new council leader who commands support within the group and the wider public and from government. Lessons need to be learned & action taken in response to Grenfell Tower.” |
| Labour called for more direct control over a council which at the time of the fire had built up £274m in reserves, and had offered rebates to residents paying the top rate of council tax, and spent £1.5m setting up a charity to run opera events in the well-off Holland Park neighbourhood. | Labour called for more direct control over a council which at the time of the fire had built up £274m in reserves, and had offered rebates to residents paying the top rate of council tax, and spent £1.5m setting up a charity to run opera events in the well-off Holland Park neighbourhood. |
| The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the government should appoint commissioners to take over the running of the council “to act in the best interests of residents” until the next local council elections. | The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the government should appoint commissioners to take over the running of the council “to act in the best interests of residents” until the next local council elections. |
| The Labour MP for Kensington, Emma Dent Coad, said: “Years of neglect and disdain for tenants contributed to the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower. | |
| “Nick Paget-Brown and the cabinet must take responsibility for the cladding decisions, including the use of lower-quality cladding that was not fire resistant, fire inspections and other issues which may have contributed to the fire. They should also be held to account for dismissing the fire safety concerns of residents.” | |
| Robert Atkinson, leader of the council’s Labour group, who expressed fury as the cabinet meeting was closed, said Paget-Brown had “totally failed” since the disaster. | Robert Atkinson, leader of the council’s Labour group, who expressed fury as the cabinet meeting was closed, said Paget-Brown had “totally failed” since the disaster. |
| He told Sky News: “My reaction is one of relief because, with the departure of the council leader, perhaps the council can now start to organise itself to provide the services that the residents so desperately need.” | He told Sky News: “My reaction is one of relief because, with the departure of the council leader, perhaps the council can now start to organise itself to provide the services that the residents so desperately need.” |
| A spokesman for the Radical Housing Network, of which Grenfell Action Group is a member, welcomed the resignation: “His council’s response both before and after the tragedy has been incompetent and callous; the only concern has been to avoid scrutiny. | |
| “His appalling resignation statement shows a dogged inability to understand the concerns of the community he is meant to represent. Residents are angry, let down, and yet all Mr Paget-Brown can do is pass the buck. | |
| “These resignations are just the beginning. Criminal charges must follow for those responsible, and the recently announced public inquiry into Grenfell must deliver real justice.” | |
| Paget-Brown said he hoped his departure would mark a new stage for the area after what had been “a huge human tragedy for so many families”. | Paget-Brown said he hoped his departure would mark a new stage for the area after what had been “a huge human tragedy for so many families”. |
| He said: “The task for my successor is to ensure that the strengths which also characterise this place, and North Kensington in particular, are seen to play their part in bringing the community together and ensuring that this borough, the most wonderful place, can start to move forward from this tragedy.” | He said: “The task for my successor is to ensure that the strengths which also characterise this place, and North Kensington in particular, are seen to play their part in bringing the community together and ensuring that this borough, the most wonderful place, can start to move forward from this tragedy.” |
| Earlier on Friday, the organisation which manages Grenfell Tower said its chief executive would step aside to “concentrate on assisting with the investigation and inquiry”. | Earlier on Friday, the organisation which manages Grenfell Tower said its chief executive would step aside to “concentrate on assisting with the investigation and inquiry”. |
| Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation said Robert Black would be replaced by an interim chief executive. | Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation said Robert Black would be replaced by an interim chief executive. |