Public heckle new Council leader following Grenfell Tower fire

AFP photo

By

Hazel Speed

What is the problem with Kensington and Chelsea Council?

The survivors of Grenfell Fire want a new Council, not remnants of an old one who collectively, whether specifically not each individual, are responsible for ‘signing off’ refurbishments to Grenfell Tower and ignoring warnings of a feared disaster which, sadly, came true.

If the old order had a chance to stay in situ, then they lost it by inaction after the fire also.

Promises made immediately after the tragedy do not appear, by what one hears the survivors referring to in interview, to have been kept and inept temporary accommodation offered – in at least one case, to be put in another high rise building on a high level floor.

Also, the survivors have had little by way of practical or medical trauma support, if any.

Imagine, and I have tried but with painful restrictions I had to abandon envisaging in my own life, if you, the reader, lost relatives, friends and neighbours in such a horrific (preventable fire). That will remain within the psyche of the survivors forever so they need PTSD counselling to help alleviate recurring moments of anguish in everyday living they now have to face.

Could Kensington and Chelsea Council Members cope with that and then deal with usual Council Authorities as if they were just moving from one nice house to another?

I, for one, fully understand why many only want to go in a final home without being offered temporary accommodation they may be ‘stuck’ in for years. They need to build one new home and even if it were a metaphorical palace it would be swapped back immediately if their lost loved ones could be with them as before the day of the fire.

Whenever they try to get established in a permanent home it will be difficult enough so stability is vital or they cannot rebuild their lives in any capacity.

I, for one, also understand why they want to stay in the same area. It was not their fault they are in this position.

It would be good (if the survivors feel the need for same), that some facility allows them to meet whenever they wish as a collective group with, or without, professionals they may wish to be present.

Apparently some medical specialists are struggling to obtain lists as to the present location of survivors in order to visit and help them. So survivors are wondering why nobody has been to help them.

To be blunt, after seeing interviews on BBC, Victoria Derbyshire programme, BBC2 and listening to interviews with Council representatives on BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, ironically enough, the survivors are the very people who know how things should be working and how to join up the dots.

Nobody seems to know where the huge financial donations are either.

Anyone can see that in fairness to the survivors of Grenfell Tower, that the present Kensington and Chelsea Council should go.

One fire consultant on the Victoria Derbyshire Show said that we have known since the Great Fire of London in 1666 that the materials used in Grenfell Tower should not have been utilised. A further BBC Radio 4 documentary programme related a similar fire in 1905 (Scotland), where lessons were learned then.

Please give the survivors of the Grenfell Fire the respect and input as they have earned the right, don’t you think?

It is a pity they could not form their own autocratic sub-Council with Authority to implement the correct action they need, supervised by a Judge who has human empathy for their situation.

Expedition is vital.

Hazel Speed

Photo (c) Hazel Speed – used by kind permision to Tuck Magazine

Hazel Speed is a Philosopher, Writer, and Artist with various creative projects at differing stages of development. Her flaship project is an animation which has produced a film short: www.thepinkprofessor.com. She has also written an E-novel, ‘Just Suppose…!‘ which is available via the attached link.

Art sites: www.candystoreart.com, www.terrificart.com, www.artbadges.co.uk