The London council that owned Grenfell Tower has apologised for putting financial benefits ahead of social benefits in planning decisions before the disaster.
Fire swept through Grenfell Tower killing 72 people in June 2017, making it one of the country's biggest peacetime disasters, and since then investigations have been trying to work out what went wrong and why the fire spread so quickly.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea takes in some of the capital’s most expensive real estate, including mansions overlooking Holland Park and Hyde Park, but also has stretches of social housing, including Grenfell Tower, where there is desperate need.
The apology, issued by council leader Elizabeth Campbell, related to the sale of property leases, including a library and a teacher trainer centre, to private school operators, among them the £21,000 ($29,250) a year Notting Hill preparatory school.
“Before 2017 the council did not find the right balance between financial benefits, and social benefits,” Ms Campbell said.
“Too often the council put the narrow goal of generating commercial income above the broader aim of delivering benefits to our wider community.
“We fell below the bar on consultation, transparency, scrutiny and policy. We cannot say hand on heart that residents were involved every step of the way, or that the council put their interests first and foremost, and for that we apologise.”
Among the deals, all for properties in the poorer north of the borough, the private school took on the lease of a Citizen’s Advice Bureau and sublet part of it to the Pret a Manger food chain.
Ms Campbell’s apology came as the council released an independent report into the deals that found shortcomings and problems, but not wrongdoing.
“No wrongdoing does not mean you were doing everything right,” Ms Campbell said.
“We will continue to shift our focus so that, wherever possible, we put social value and community interests first, beyond property, and in all we do,” she said.
Later this year, councillors will be cross-examined at a public inquiry into the Grenfell disaster.
Harley, the cladding firm responsible for supplying materials for Grenfell Tower, has admitted it made a budget mistake that led to a cheaper type of insulation panel being used.
A former employee at Celotex, the company that made the highly flammable insulation, has admitted the fire test was rigged.
Jonathan Roper told the public inquiry that the company was dishonest and over-engineered a fire test so the cladding would meet safety standards.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said Mr Roper’s testimony was “very shocking” and it showed why the UK needed a much stricter building code.
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
