HOUSING PROMISE UNFULFILLE
UK task force to help council after deadly tower block fire
London — A task force will help run the local authority struggling to cope with the aftermath of a London tower block blaze that killed at least 80 people. Kensington and Chelsea council has been criticised for its handling of the disaster in Grenfell Tower on June 14. "The delivery of the initial response on the ground was simply not good enough," housing minister Alok Sharma told parliament. The task force would focus on housing, regeneration and community engagement, Sharma said. Prime Minister Theresa May promised all tower residents would be offered good temporary homes in the local area within three weeks. But that deadline passed on Wednesday. While 139 families had been offered homes, only 14 had been accepted and just three had moved in. Many rejected the homes offered as unsuitable. "No one will be forced into a home they do not want to move to," said Sharma. The Labour Party accused May’s Conservative government of being consistently slow to act. "It’s been off the pace a...
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