Grenfell Tower
Home truths
Sir Bob Neill says it’s vital that, with the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill having been introduced, local government brings its expertise to bear in the forthcoming discussions – with three areas key to the conversation.
Home Office rejects Grenfell Inquiry safety recommendation
The Government has rejected a recommendation that would require owners of high-rise buildings to prepare emergency evacuation plans for disabled residents.
Social housing Bill 'imminent'
Housing minister Eddie Hughes this week insisted the Government would bring forward a social housing Bill ‘as quickly as possible’ as he apologised for delays.
EXCLUSIVE: Post-Grenfell legal claim warning
Council landlords could face large legal claims for discrimination unless they put in place personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for disabled tenants, local authorities have been warned.
Grenfell council admits leadership was 'unable to cope'
Kensington & Chelsea LBC has admitted to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry its ‘leadership was unable to cope’ in the days after the tragedy.
A wake up call for social housing
Media reports of the shocking state of some homes has given social housing providers a wake up call on standards and complaints. Dan Peters reports.
No new Government deadline for cladding removal
The Government has failed to come up with a new deadline for replacing all unsafe Grenfell-style cladding after missing its previous target.
London government's longest serving chief to step down
One of the UK’s longest-serving chief executives, Barry Quirk, has announced he will retire after 45 years in local government.
Gove reveals new cladding plan
Michael Gove has vowed to use the law or increase taxes on developers if they refuse to pay for the removal of unsafe cladding.
DLUHC apologises for Grenfell failures
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has apologised for failures in the lead up to the Grenfell Tower fire.
Building homes is as urgent as tackling climate change
Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith says that with trust in Kensington & Chelsea LBC only starting to return after Grenfell, how anyone in the borough could oppose building homes is beyond his comprehension.
The power of quiet diplomacy
Outgoing chair of the District Councils’ Network, Cllr John Fuller, talks to Martin Ford about his legacy. He says districts showed their mettle during COVID and are best placed to deliver the levelling up agenda.
Councils must lead the way in raising standards across social housing
The Social Housing White Paper should be welcomed as a chance to renew council housing’s purpose of providing people with the highest possible standard of living, say Jamie Carswell and Joanne Drew.
Council leader urges Grenfell inquiry to be 'swifter'
Kensington & Chelsea LBC’s leader has called for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry to be conducted with more urgency.
Council’s Grenfell recovery costs top £400m
Kensington and Chelsea LBC has spent more than £400m in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.
Grenfell council's procurement ban on tower block firms
Kensington and Chelsea LBC said it held ‘doubts about the integrity’ of the firms following evidence heard at the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry.
Grenfell inquiry hears of dire warnings before fire
Kensington and Chelsea LBC was warned of the dire consequences of a fire at Grenfell Tower years before the blaze that left 72 people dead.
Grenfell works not an ‘afterthought’
Kensington & Chelsea LBC’s former housing director has denied the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower before the fatal fire was an ‘afterthought’.
Queen’s Speech: New law to ‘modernise’ planning system
The Government has pledged to push ahead with reforms to the planning system in order to meet housebuilding targets.
Government criticised over dragging feet on cladding after new fire
The Government has been accused of failing to force developers to take action after a fire broke out at a tower block with Grenfell-style cladding.
