The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has said it is considering extending a ban on the use of companies involved in the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy.
In 2021 the council, which covers North Kensington where the tower was based, banned the use of Rydon, Arconic, Celotex and Kingspan on any of its projects, including in work carried out by subcontractors.
At the time it said the ban would be reviewed after the Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase two report was published.
A report presented to the council on its response to September’s report, last Wednesday (27 November) said the ban would be “strengthened”, with details to be set out “rapidly”.
“We will strengthen our existing ban on contractors and products implicated in the Grenfell Tower fire from use by the council, and maintain a complete ban on the use of any combustible materials in external walls for all council construction and refurbishment projects, regardless of building height,” the report said.
Last year contractor Lawtech was told to apologise and remove Kingspan insulation from balconies on two tower blocks in North Kensington, after using the material in breach of the existing ban.
Last week the local authority reiterated its acceptance of the inquiry’s findings, inquiry including that its building control department failed to ensure the design of the Grenfell Tower refurbishment complied with building regulations, and that its response to the tragedy caused a breakdown in the relationship it had with residents.
It said it was taking measures including commissioning reviews of its internal culture and complaints process, and establishing an independent panel of bereaved family members, survivors and residents to have a say in selecton and management of council contracts.
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea leader Elizabeth Campbell told the meeting: “We commit to implementing not just the letter of the inquiry’s recommendations, but the spirit of them; to maintain the highest standards of safety across all our properties, embrace resident voice and power throughout our organisation, build a workforce that combines technical excellence with care, competence, and humanity.
“The memory of those who lost their lives at Grenfell Tower must always remain in our hearts.”
Last month the government said it sent initial warning letters to 49 organisations named in the phase two report “as the first step to stopping them being awarded government contracts”.
Specific details of the ban and the process being followed by sending the letters have not been released. The Cabinet Office refused to divulge the contents of the letter, or confirm all the companies that had been written to.
Organisations criticised in the phase two report include Local Authority Building Control (LABC), which has been working with the Building Safety Regulator and government to reform the sector in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
It was criticised for a “complete failure… over a number of years to take basic steps” to ensure the technical accuracy of product certificates issued to them by manufacturers Celotex and Kingspan. It was said to have been “vulnerable to manipulation” because its processes were not rigorous enough.
In a statement after the report was released, LABC said it was “not the same organisation as it was” and had radically changed.
LABC chief executive Lorna Stimson has since confirmed to Construction News that it had received a letter from the Cabinet Office.
“As requested, we have formally acknowledged receipt of the letter. We will continue to cooperate fully with the government on any next steps,” she said.
Kingspan and Arconic previously confirmed to CN that they had been sent the letters.
A Kingspan spokesperson said: “We further restate our commitment to respond to the inquiry’s findings and recommendations and to explaining the comprehensive measures that have been taken to address the historic failings that occurred in the business.”
