Local Charity Responds to Grenfell Inquiry Report, Calls for Continued Action
Friday 11 October, 2024 – In the wake of the devastating Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, a local charity serving the Grenfell Tower community has responded to the disaster’s inquiry report and called for sustained attention to putting things right.
North Kensington Law Centre, located in the shadow of Grenfell Tower, has been providing free legal advice to the local community for six decades. Since the tragic fire, which claimed 72 lives, the centre has been a vital resource for survivors, their families, and other affected residents.
In response to the inquiry report, the North Kensington Law Centre released a statement, saying, “We welcome the unflinchingly honest report of the Inquiry Panel, which has established the truth about the disaster. We also recognize that justice for the bereaved and survivors is still years away. Finally, we call on the new government to show leadership and resolve in bringing about the change our communities need.”
The statement goes on to support the inquiry’s conclusions, which attribute the fire to multiple failures to heed warnings and update regulations, as well as a culture of deregulation and careless indifference. The report also highlights the dishonesty and cynicism of the building industry, from manufacturing to testing to selling and installing highly flammable materials.
The Grenfell Inquiry report also points to the complicity of oversight bodies in misleading the public and lists chronic and systemic failings of the local authority and its Tenant Management Organisation in relation to fire safety. The report highlights a culture of buck-passing from architects to installation firms, resulting in no one taking responsibility for ensuring the cladding was safe.
The report also exposes what the former Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Reverend James Jones, has dubbed “The Patronising Disposition of Unaccountable Power,” a sentiment also seen in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster. In 2017, Jones called for a Duty of Candour to be enshrined in law to strengthen public accountability. However, victims in Liverpool and London are still waiting for this to be implemented.
The North Kensington Law Centre’s statement concludes by calling for wider change and urging the Prime Minister to expedite his promised examination of implementing all 58 recommendations of the report. The centre pledges to continue supporting the local community and holding the government accountable for their promises. The statement also honors the courage and determination of survivors, the bereaved, and the local community in their fight to bring this story to the public’s attention and demand change.
For media enquiries please contact Franck Kiangala, North Kensington Law Centre – franck@nklc.org.uk.
Notes to editors:
– North Kensington Law Centre (NKLC) is a local charity operating from the Lancaster West estate, where Grenfell Tower is located, in west London.
– A Law Centre is a not-for-profit law practice that employs solicitors and specialist caseworkers to provide free legal advice and assistance to local people. It specializes in assisting those facing disadvantage, such as housing, welfare benefits, or immigration status issues.
– North Kensington Law Centre is the first organization of its kind, established in 1970. It is part of a movement of 42 Law Centres still operating across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.