UK

Grenfell Tower fire victims criticise estate managers for being 'invisible in aftermath of tragedy' as they meet prime minister

Victims, volunteers and community leaders from the Grenfell Tower disaster, arrive in Downing Street in London, for a meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May PICTURE: Jonathan Brady/PA
Victims, volunteers and community leaders from the Grenfell Tower disaster, arrive in Downing Street in London, for a meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May PICTURE: Jonathan Brady/PA Victims, volunteers and community leaders from the Grenfell Tower disaster, arrive in Downing Street in London, for a meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May PICTURE: Jonathan Brady/PA

RESIDENTS who met the prime minister in Downing Street following the Grenfell Tower fire have criticised estate managers of the building as having been "invisible in the aftermath of the tragedy".

The group, made up of victims, residents, community leaders and volunteers, said they were grateful to Theresa May for listening to their concerns but demanded "real action and immediate results" moving forward.

In a statement to the Press Association they criticised Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation for its reaction to the disaster.

The group said: "In our meeting at Downing Street, we explained to the Prime Minister the anger of all residents towards the management of the estate over a long period of time, paving the way to this tragedy.

"With the exception of very few junior officers, the estate managers have been invisible in the aftermath of the tragedy."

The group, which spent two-and-a-half hours with Mrs May on Friday and Saturday, hit out at the "longstanding neglect" of council buildings in the area.

It said: "We are devastated by this tragedy. We are angry about the inadequacy of the response and the longstanding neglect of our buildings by the council and building management.

"We are grateful to the Prime Minister for listening to us and for the assurances she has given us but now we need to see real action and immediate results with centralised coordination of the relief effort with residents closely involved.

"The Government must also take a serious look at the neglect and chronic underfunding of social housing over decades."

They added that local residents should be "consulted at all stages and that we should be listened to" in dealing with the fallout from the tragedy.

Victims who have been left homeless will be given at least £5,500 from an emergency fund, Theresa May later announced.

Residents will be given £500 in cash followed by a bank payment for the rest from Monday.

The Prime Minister insisted the government was doing everything possible to help those caught up in the tragedy.