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Avoid ‘knee jerk responses’ after Grenfell, says Ashby
Housing associations should not make “knee jerk responses” to the Grenfell Tower fire, the chair of the social housing regulator has warned.
In a comment piece for Inside Housing Julian Ashby, chair of the Homes and Communities Agency Regulation Committee, said it is important for the sector “to avoid the trap of making knee jerk responses” rather than waiting for the outcome of the police and fire investigations and the public inquiry.
Mr Ashby said that while recent conversations he has had with housing sector figures have been “tinged with sadness”, many have also been “inspiring as people talk about how their organisations are helping survivors and most have been reflective as people think how we can prevent this happening again”.
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However, he added that some conversations have been “disturbing for the wrong reasons”.
He wrote: “In the immediate aftermath, while we wait for the full facts, we must avoid reaching premature conclusions and ensure that the focus remains on a measured and comprehensive response.
“There are so many unanswered questions about how the fire happened, both how the tragic events of that night unfolded and whether anything could have been done in advance to prevent the disaster.”
Mr Ashby said the Grenfell fire could “define the future of the sector” in a similar way to the Ronan Point disaster, in which a tower block collapsed and killed four people, or the first screening of Cathy Come Home.
