Chief exec quits amid criticisms of response to Grenfell Tower fire

Nicholas Holgate, RBKC’s Town Clerk, said in a statement that the Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, had required the council’s Leader to seek his resignation.

Holgate said: “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.

“Success in our efforts requires leadership across London that sustains the confidence and support of central Government. There is a huge amount still to do for the victims of the fire, requiring the full attention of this council and many others. If I stayed in post, my presence would be a distraction. 

“Whilst the public inquiry and other investigations will get to the truth of the causes of this tragedy and the management of its aftermath, I strongly believe that councillors and officers have always endeavoured to have the interests of our residents at heart and will continue to do so.”

The Leader of Kensington and Chelsea, Cllr Nicholas Paget-Brown, said it was “with great regret” that he had accepted 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,” he said.

“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.”

A DCLG spokesman said: “The appointment of chief executives is entirely the responsibility of the local authority.”

The Department has meanwhile announced that it had secured the first tranche of permanent new homes to rehouse local residents affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower.

The 68 flats are all newly built social housing and form part of the Kensington Row development in Kensington and Chelsea.

The homes will be purchased and managed by City of London Corporation, with allocations delegated to Kensington and Chelsea.

The Department said the increase to local social housing was “a significant step towards meeting the government’s commitment that every family from Grenfell Tower will be rehoused in the local area.”