Urban Dandy was yesterday shown sections of the Grenfell Inquiry Phase Two Report, along with a transcript of the remarks of Inquiry Chairman Martin Moore-Bick to core participants. The Report will be published at 11am this morning. Here are some key quotes…

From Moore-Bick’s presentation at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Kensington, 3rd September 2024:

Every death in the Grenfell Tower fire was “entirely avoidable.”

Kensington & Chelsea Council (RBKC), their Tenant Management Organisation (TMO) and various contractors “failed in their duties, whether through incompetence or, in some cases, dishonesty and greed.”

On RBKC and their TMO, quotes from the Report’s Executive Summary:

“The years between 2009 and 2017 were marked by a persistent indifference to fire safety, particularly the safety of vulnerable people.” 

“RBKC took little or no account of an independent and highly critical review of fire safety carried out for the TMO in 2009.”

“The demands of managing fire safety were viewed by the TMO as an inconvenience rather than an essential aspect of its duty to manage its property carefully.”

On the initial official response to the fire, quotes from the Executive Summary:

“RBKC’s systems and leadership where wholly inadequate to the task…”

“Certain aspects of the response demonstrated a marked lack of respect for human decency and dignity…”

Muslim victims of the fire “were left feeling that the council had no regard for their cultural and religious needs.”

“For many, their only source of support was local voluntary organisations, which moved in to provide for basic needs where those in authority had failed.”

“RBKC had failed to train its staff adequately.”

RBKC was “ill-equipped to deal with a serious emergency. None of that was due to any lack of financial resources.” 

RBKC’s chief executive was “unduly concerned for RBKC’s reputation.”

The TMO “was unfairly tainted by association with RBKC.”

“Those to emerge from the events with the greatest credit, and whose contribution only emphasised the inadequacies of the official response, are the members of the local community. With the support of local voluntary organisations, they provided support in the hours immediately following the fire when the authorities were conspicuous by their absence.”

@urbandandyLDN

@tomhcharles