Local campaign group, Coalition Against Asset Stripping, has again challenged Kensington & Chelsea Council (RBKC) over its 2026-2030 Asset Strategy, accusing the local authority of rushing the process in a way that is “entirely inconsistent” with its post-Grenfell commitment to meaningfully involve residents in policy making.
Leasing
As we reported last month, the recently formed Coalition wrote to RBKC’s Leader, Elizabeth Campbell, and CEO, Maxine Holdsworth, regarding the borough’s Draft Asset Strategy and Draft Leasing Policy, which were both due to go to the September Leadership Team Meeting for approval. The campaign group outlined a raft of detrimental financial, policy, equality and community outcomes for local people if Council plans proceeded along RBKC’s planned route.
Responding to the Coalition, Campbell confirmed that the Council had slowed the passage of the Leasing Policy due to concerns raised by the new group and other Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) representatives.
The Coalition has written again to Campbell and Holdsworth; in an email shared with Urban Dandy they note that “many of the substantive questions” had gone unanswered by the leadership duo, reiterating the call for fuller transparency in the Council decision making. The campaigners’ criticisms centre around RBKC’s approach to financial considerations; post-Grenfell commitments; transparency and the absence of due consideration for protected characteristics
Assets
Responding, Campbell acknowledged the close connection between the Leasing Policy and Asset Strategy, stating, “clearly these documents need to be able to make sense together” yet she initially insisted that RBKC had no choice but to put the Strategy forward for approval in September. The Council Leader invoked the apparently parlous state of RBKC’s finances: “it is a key piece of work that will allow us to unlock investment in properties to support front line service delivery whilst also helping to secure efficiencies needed to close the enormous funding gap we now face.”
RBKC’s Asset Strategy will have profound implications on the VCS for the next four years, yet the updated draft was shared with sector representatives who were asked to provide responses within three days. The Coalition Against Asset Stripping addressed this in their latest email to Campbell and Holdsworth: “The Asset Strategy itself specifically recognises that, post-Grenfell, the Council has made a commitment to involve residents in its decision-making processes. Providing a substantially revised Strategy with only days to respond, while seeking a Leadership decision later in the same month, is entirely inconsistent with that commitment.”
The Coalition told RBKC’s leaders, “The Asset Strategy must therefore not go to Leadership Team in September” pointing out an alternative, and seemingly more logical approach, of a longer consultation period followed by a new draft being reviewed by Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC). RBKC conceded this point to the campaign group, stating that VCS representatives had made the same observations. The upshot is that the Asset Strategy is now slated for consideration by lead Councillors on 13th October, with the VCS and public having until Monday 5th October to engage and provide feedback. Council officers have also let the OSC know that they can review the new draft in the light of the changes made.
The Council also provided the Coalition Against Asset Stripping with the redrafted VCS Leasing Strategy, revealing substantial changes to plans for the discounts to be offered to community groups, and an apology for a crude reference RBKC made to the Kroll Report in the earlier draft. The VCS Strategy is slated to go to Leadership for approval on 11th November.
Yesterday the Metropolitan Police confirmed that it has referred RBKC to the Crown Prosecution Service over three offences related to the atrocity at Grenfell Tower on 14th June 2017: Corporate Manslaughter, violations of Section Three of the Health & Safety at Work Act and violations of the Regulatory Reform (fire safety) Order. For over nine years, despite knowing that the police would eventually recommend criminal charges, Kensington & Chelsea Council has failed to meaningfully change its attitude or approach to its residents and community groups. The mindset that undoubtedly contributed to the Grenfell atrocity persists, as seen in the struggles of the Coalition Against Asset Stripping and others to prevent massive damage being inflicted on the local charity sector.
by Tom Charles @tomhcharles
(words + pics)
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