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Your weekly London local government update

11 Sep 24

Grenfell Tower Fire Inquiry

The public inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower published its final (phase 2) report last week. You can read the report in full here. ( [link removed] )

Responding to the inquiry's findings, London Councils Chair Cllr Claire Holland said: “The Grenfell Tower fire was a tragedy that shook London to the core and robbed 72 people of their lives in horrific circumstances. On the publication of the Inquiry report, my thoughts are with the 72 people who died, their loved ones, those who lost their homes and the many people living in the local community and beyond who were affected by the fire.

“Seven years on, London boroughs’ commitment to ensuring this never happens again remains unchanged. The publication of the phase 2 report of the Grenfell Tower Fire inquiry is an important step towards this. It must serve as a catalyst for action. The report's findings are damning and make clear how residents were let down by a broken system that failed at every level, with fatal consequences. Boroughs will be reading this report closely to ensure that we understand its findings in full and take action in response to its recommendations.

“Every Londoner has the right to be safe and feel safe in their home. Since the fire, London boroughs have continued working to improve building safety and overall housing standards for people living in high rise accommodation, but we know there is so much more to do and progress has been far too slow. It’s vital that we drive forward the change we need to see, in partnership with our residents and national government, to ensure this clearly avoidable tragedy is never repeated."

Conference events

London Councils will be hosting events at each of the upcoming Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative Party conferences.

The Liberal Democrat Party Conference ( [link removed] ) will be taking place in Brighton, 14-17 September 2024. Attendees are welcome to join us on Monday 16 September, 11.30-12.30pm in the Consort Room, The Grand Hotel, Brighton (outside the secure zone) to discuss the topic: YIMBYs or NIMBYs: Where do the Liberal Democrats stand on growth in London?

Speakers at the event will include:

Cllr Gareth Roberts, Vice Chair of London Councils (Chair) Cllr Luke Taylor, MP for Sutton and Cheam Hina Bokhari AM, London Assembly Member Muniya Barua, Deputy Chief Executive, BusinessLDN Antonia Jenning, Chief Executive, Centre for LondonThe Labour Party Conference ( [link removed] ) will take place in Liverpool, from Sunday 22 September to Wednesday 25 September. The Conservative Party Conference ( [link removed] ) will take place in Birmingham, from 29 September – 2 October. We will bring you further details of our planned events, including speakers, ahead of each.

APPG for London 

This week the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for London ( [link removed] ) was formally re-established at its inaugural meeting in the new Parliament. London Councils provides the Secretariat to the group.

We were joined by London MPs and Members of the House of Lords from all parties to elect new officers and discuss priorities for the year ahead, as the group seek to work together to strengthen the capital's voice in Parliament.

Three Co-Chairs were elected at the meeting, one from each of the main political parties in London: Florence Eshalomi MP (Labour), Peter Fortune MP (Conservative) and Munira Wilson MP (Liberal Democrat), as well as Liam Conlon MP (Labour) as Vice Chair, demonstrating the group’s commitment to cross-party working.

The group was also joined by Professor Kevin Fenton, Regional Director for London in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and Chris Streather, Regional Medical Director for the NHS England in London, who briefed MPs and peers on the health picture in the capital, including NHS pressures, prevention work and public health concerns.

Details of future public meetings will be shared in due course and advertised through the APPG’s digital channels.

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In the news this week...

Councils promise change following ‘clear and obvious’ Grenfell failures
LGC ( [link removed] )

Councils draining ‘dwindling’ reserves to stay afloat
LocalGov ( [link removed] )

Quarter of Westminster primary school places empty
BBC News ( [link removed] )

Cllr Gareth Roberts: ‘Going for growth’ nationally must mean more devolution locally
Liberal Democrat Voice ( [link removed] )

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What topics are you interested in? Click here to let us know ( [link removed] )

Three by-elections took place in Camden last week (Thursday 5 September). The by-election in the Camden Square ward was won by Patricia Leman (Lab); the by-election in the Kentish Town South ward was won by Joseph Ball (Lab); and the by-election in the Kilburn ward was won by Robert Thomspon.

You can find full results for all of the above on LB Camden's website here. ( [link removed] )

Monday (9 September) was World Electric Vehice Day. London is the EV capital of the UK, with more than 20,000 charge points available for public use and nearly 200,000 plug-in vehicles registered in London. You can read more about EV in London in our Twitter/X thread here. ( [link removed] )

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London Councils is the collective of local government in London, the 32 boroughs and the City of London.We also run pan-London services like Freedom Pass and Taxicard. 59½ Southwark Street, London SE1 0AL | [email protected] ( [email protected] )

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