11.01.19
Kensington and Chelsea RBC commits £50m to Grenfell survivors alongside new recovery strategy
Kensington and Chelsea Royal Borough Council has agreed to put £50m funding into recovery services for those worst affected by Grenfell fire over the next five years.
An overarching Grenfell Recovery Strategy has also been approved by councillors, setting out plans to support the survivors, the bereaved and the wider community to help them “build better futures for themselves and their families” after the chaos caused by the Grenfell tragedy.
The £50m will be released over the next five years, and will be used to provide the services which were co-designed with the survivors and bereaved families, alongside the £50m which will be provided by the NHS for physical and mental health services.
The strategy, which has been in development since July, has been set up in initial form with the full service due to be up and running by April, and the council says the dedicated service “will be at the heart of recovery for those most affected.”
Kensington and Chelsea council’s leader said: “This strategy demonstrates the council’s long-term commitment to recovery and we will be developing the plans set out here further with residents.
“Our plans will be delivered alongside a whole range of other activities led by partners, voluntary and community organisations and, most importantly, residents themselves.
“We recognise the enormous amount of work that survivors, the bereaved and the wider community have done to support, facilitate and drive their own recovery. We are indebted to them for their willingness to work with us and we are committed to supporting them to lead their own recovery wherever we can.”
In October, NHS England pledged £50m to provide a five-year screening programme for the survivors of the Grenfell fire to examine the effects of smoke and asbestos exposure.
Simon Stevens announced the funding, saying the NHS was “stepping up again” to the provide long-term health programme after the North Kensington community came to the NHS and said “you need to up your game.”
Image credit - David Mirzoeff, PA Wire edit