Grenfell Tower survivors denied access from crucial meeting as council claims there is ‘risk of disruption’ as they discuss blaze behind closed doors
Decision will anger families and do nothing to calm fears of a cover-up into the causes and response to the deadly fire
SURVIVORS of the Grenfell Tower disaster are being denied access to a crucial council meeting after it claims there is “risk of disruption”.
Kensington and Chelsea’s Cabinet are holding their first panel since the deadly blaze behind closed doors tonight – with no members of the public or press allowed in.
The decision will anger families of the at least 80 people killed earlier this month, and do nothing to calm fears of a cover-up.
As an update on the fire will be delivered via an oral statement the only record of what was said will be in the minutes of the meeting, which are not a verbatim account.
The decision was revealed via the agenda for tonight’s event, which says “please note this meeting will be held entirely in private session”.
It cites one of its standing orders – the council’s rule book – as justification, saying “in the light of the risk of disruption” the meeting “will be open only to Council Members, support officers and invited guests (if any)”.
The council references the incident a fortnight ago, when protestors entered the council building after a demonstration outside calling for justice.
Kensington and Chelsea has come under criticism for the way it has handled tragedy, which forced its chief executive Nicholas Holgate to resign last week.
Its leader Nicholas Paget-Brown reportedly offered to stand down as well, but the rest of the Cabinet refused to accept his resignation.