{"id":90273,"date":"2018-03-22T12:33:52","date_gmt":"2018-03-22T12:33:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=1818bce8d6979f1817bcaecf5a870edd"},"modified":"2018-03-22T12:33:52","modified_gmt":"2018-03-22T12:33:52","slug":"statement-to-parliament-the-second-independent-grenfell-recovery-taskforce-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=90273","title":{"rendered":"Statement to Parliament: The second Independent Grenfell Recovery Taskforce report"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Mr Speaker, with permission, I would like to make a statement to update the House on support for those affected by the Grenfell tragedy\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 and on the second report<\/a> from the Independent Recovery Taskforce.<\/p>\n

This report will be published in full on Gov.uk<\/a> and placed in the Library of the House.<\/p>\n

Nine months on, the shocking and terrible events of 14 June continue to cast a long shadow.<\/p>\n

I know that it can\u2019t have been easy for the survivors and the bereaved hearing last week\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026.about the failure of a fire door from the tower that was tested as part of the Metropolitan Police Service investigation.<\/p>\n

I am confident that the police and Public Inquiry will, in time, provide answers.<\/p>\n

But, having met survivors and heard their stories\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026I know that doesn\u2019t take away from the pain and the loss being suffered by those left behind.<\/p>\n

Their welfare remains our highest priority.<\/p>\n

Through our continued work supporting the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC<\/abbr>).<\/p>\n

And through my Right Honourable Friend\u2019s valuable work as Grenfell Victims\u2019 Minister\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 ensuring that their voices and concerns are heard right across government.<\/p>\n

Work that\u2019s supported by my department and, more widely, by the NHS, by local government and by the voluntary sector.<\/p>\n

My thanks to everyone who has gone the extra mile to be there for a community which has gone through so much.<\/p>\n

And to the Taskforce for its work in helping to ensure that – after a slow and confused initial response to the disaster\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026that the people of North Kensington are receiving better support from RBKC<\/abbr> to help them recover and to rebuild their lives.<\/p>\n

I was clear, when I reflected on the Taskforce\u2019s first report<\/a> in November, that, while progress was being made\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026I expected to see swift, effective action to address all the other the issues highlighted\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026particularly the slow pace of delivery and the need for greater empathy and emotional intelligence.<\/p>\n

Two things that are absolutely vital if RBKC<\/abbr> is to regain the trust of the people it serves.<\/p>\n

My department has been working closely with RBKC<\/abbr> throughout to provide the support and the challenge necessary to drive this work.<\/p>\n

And I\u2019m pleased to see, from the Taskforce\u2019s second report, that some important progress has been made.<\/p>\n

RBKC<\/abbr> \u2013 alongside the government \u2013 has put in significant resources\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and increased its efforts to provide those affected with greater clarity about the support that\u2019s available to them.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve also seen a stronger focus on implementing new ways of working\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026to drive much-needed cultural change across the council and collaboration with external stakeholders.<\/p>\n

Plus greater candour about the improvements that still need to be made.<\/p>\n

But there is much more to do to ensure that residents can see and feel that things are getting better on the ground.<\/p>\n

Nowhere is this more important than the vital task of rehousing those who lost their homes\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026a task that, I\u2019ve always been clear, must be sensitive to individual needs, but not use these needs as an excuse to justify any type of delays.<\/p>\n

Five months on from the fire \u2013 at the time of the Taskforce\u2019s first report\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026122 households out of a total of 204 had accepted an offer of temporary or permanent accommodation.<\/p>\n

Only 73 households had moved in \u2013 and only 26 of those into permanent homes.<\/p>\n

Today I can report that 188 households have accepted an offer of accommodation.<\/p>\n

Just over two thirds of these, 128 households, have already moved into new accommodation, 62 of these into permanent homes.<\/p>\n

This is welcome news, but as the Taskforce\u2019s second report highlights, progress has been far too slow.<\/p>\n

It was always going to be a challenge to respond to an unprecedented tragedy on this scale\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and to secure new accommodation in one of the country\u2019s most expensive locations.<\/p>\n

But progress has not been made as quickly as it should have done.<\/p>\n

There are still 82 households in emergency accommodation, including 15 in serviced apartments.<\/p>\n

With 25 families and 39 children among them.<\/p>\n

This is totally unacceptable.<\/p>\n

The suffering that these families have already endured is unimaginable.<\/p>\n

Living for this long in hotels can only make the process of grieving and recovery even harder.<\/p>\n

As the Taskforce has said, it\u2019s unlikely that all households will be permanently rehoused by the 1 year anniversary of the fire.<\/p>\n

This is clearly not good enough.<\/p>\n

I hoped to have seen much more progress.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s very understandable that the people of North Kensington will feel disappointed and let down\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026even if there are encouraging signs that the pace of rehousing is speeding up.<\/p>\n

The council now has over 300 properties that are available to those who lost their homes.<\/p>\n

So each household can now choose a good quality property that meets their needs.<\/p>\n

With the option of staying in the area if that\u2019s what they wish.<\/p>\n

To ensure that these homes are taken up, I expect all households\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026regardless of their level of engagement\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026.to be given whatever support they require to be rehoused as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

The government will continue to play its part and provide help with rehousing and other support for survivors\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026including financial support currently worth \u00a372 million to date.<\/p>\n

The weeks ahead will be critical for ensuring that efforts to rehouse survivors go up a gear.<\/p>\n

I will be closely monitoring this progress and will of course keep this House updated.<\/p>\n

Mr Speaker, as I said earlier, it\u2019s paramount \u2013 that if the council is to regain trust\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026that the Grenfell community are not just being told that things are changing\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026but they can see that their views and concerns are being heard and that they are being acted upon.<\/p>\n

A good example of this \u2013 as has been highlighted by the report \u2013 is\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026the transfer of responsibilities from the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) to RBKC<\/abbr>\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026on an interim basis.<\/p>\n

This happened after residents made it clear that the Tenant Management Organisation could no longer have a role\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026not only on the Lancaster West estate, but more widely in housing management throughout the borough.
\nResidents have also been engaged in the process of refurbishing the Lancaster West estate\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026with the government matching the \u00a315 million that the council is investing in this programme.<\/p>\n

Alongside this, the council will shortly be consulting with residents on the long-term delivery of housing management needs across the borough.<\/p>\n

And their voices and needs will also be at the heart of the process to determine the future of the Grenfell site and the Public Inquiry\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 which has just began its second procedural hearing.<\/p>\n

There must be an even stronger focus on needs as we go forward and we step up efforts not just on rehousing survivors\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026but also in helping them to rebuild their lives.<\/p>\n

And, vitally, rebuilding trust.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a process that will clearly take time and unstinting commitment on all sides.<\/p>\n

As the Taskforce has noted, some progress has been made, but there is no room for complacency.<\/p>\n

I expect the council to take on board its recommendations\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and do more to listen to the community, to improve links with the voluntary sector and to act on the feedback that it gets from the frontline.<\/p>\n

And I want to thank the Taskforce\u2019s members once again for their valuable contribution\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026a contribution which will continue for as long as it\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n

As they have noted, despite the many challenges, there is, I quote\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026\u201ca level of community spirit and attachment not often seen in local communities in London\u201d.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a dynamic and diverse community spirit made stronger during the darkest of days.<\/p>\n

A spirit that is determined to secure a brighter future for the people of North Kensington.<\/p>\n

We share that determination and will continue to work with the bereaved, survivors and others.<\/p>\n

I commend this Statement to the House.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Housing Secretary Sajid Javid gives a statement following the second report from the Independent Recovery Taskforce.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90273"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=90273"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90273\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=90273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=90273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=90273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}