Chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea Council Nicholas Holgate resigns over Grenfell Tower inferno
Nicholas Holgate was asked for a resignation by communities secretary Sajid Javid
THE EMBATTLED chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea Council has resigned after they were slammed over their response to the Grenfell Tower inferno.
Nicholas Holgate was asked for a resignation by communities secretary Sajid Javid.
He said in a statement: "Serving the families so desperately affected by the heart-breaking tragedy at Grenfell Tower remains the highest priority of the council.
"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."
Holgate had received heavy criticism over the response to the blaze, which killed at least 79 people when it tore through the 24-storey tower block last week.
Frustrated residents claim they had repeatedly warned the council about fire safety in the building before the tragedy.
The Sun revealed Kensington council boasted Grenfell Tower’s fire safety standards were exemplary – and should be extended to all other major works.
Locals then branded the initial relief effort as "absolute chaos".
Since the devastating fire, residents left homeless were forced to stay in hotels and B&Bs.
MOST READ IN NEWS
There were fears some would be re-homed hundreds of miles away by Kensington and Chelsea Council.
But it has since emerged that some of the residents forced to leave their homes will be permanently housed in 68 flats in Kensington High Street in a £2billion development.
Tensions then erupted on Friday when a group of protesters broke away from a demonstration to storm Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall demanding answers.
And a "Day of Rage" took place in London today as hundreds of protesters marched across the capital seeking justice.
Furious critics have lashed out at how council officials misjudged the fire risk to the west London tower block following a £10 million refurbishment that saw inflammable thermal cladding blamed by some for the blaze installed.
Nicholas Paget-Brown, leader of the council, said: "It is with great regret that I have today accepted Nicholas Holgate’s resignation. Like everyone else, the Council has been grief stricken by the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire and has sought to provide the greatest level of support we can to victims. That is a huge challenge and Nicholas has led from the front in seeking to do this. However, the Council will now need to work in a new way with different partners to take this forward.
"Nicholas has made a huge contribution to Kensington and Chelsea during his eight years with us and is greatly admired by staff and members. I am enormously grateful to him."