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Chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea Council resigns
The chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea Council has been forced to resign following the Grenfell Tower fire.
Nicholas Holgate said despite his wish to continue in the role he had decided it was better to step down.
Yesterday prime minister Theresa May apologised in the House of Commons for a “failure of the state, local and national” in responding to the Grenfell Tower fire last week.
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She said support on the ground for families in the initial hours of the fire “was not good enough… People were left without belongings, without roofs over their heads, without even basic information about what had happened, what they should do and where they could seek help”.
The council has found hotel rooms for Grenfell residents and yesterday the government announced 68 flats in Kensington would be given to residents as permanent accommodation. However, the government would not reveal what tenure these flats would be or if the tenancies would be fixed term or lifetime.
In his statement announcing his resignation Mr Holgate said: “Despite my wish to have continued, in very challenging circumstances, to lead on the executive responsibilities of the council, I have decided that it is better to step down from my role, once an appropriate successor has been appointed.”
UPDATE: at 1.30pm An earlier headline on this story said the leader of the council had resigned. This, of course, should have read ’chief executive’. We apologise for any confusion.
