Displaying emotions

Yes, sorry, misheard that. Moving back into a block 20 ft. away.

"Some families who live in low-rise blocks adjoining the tower, who were initially given hotel accommodation, were told on Monday they should return to their homes, despite the absence of hot water, and residents’ concerns about pollution and the risk of falling debris.

“The people who were evacuated are being asked to go back to flats that have no hot water and where there has been no risk assessment. There needs to be a printed copy of the fire safety risk assessment,” Blakeman said.

Beinazir Lasharie, another Labour ward councillor who lives in a block at the bottom of the tower, said she had not received the reassurances she needed about the safety of her flat, which is just 20ft from the ruined building. She said she felt officials had treated her “like a nuisance” when she asked questions about air quality, fire safety and the risk of falling debris."

Would you?

What's wrong with requisitioning empty mansions, or mobile homes on Kensington Gardens? Don't need to use school playing fields then.
126 families, by the way.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/19/grenfell-tower-survivors-put-in-bb-with-no-shower-says-councillor

That makes more sense Riverwalk. I was surprised by dj's post because I didn't think anyone would be allowed near the building.

mcem I've heard about that stumbling block a couple of times now and tbh, I do wonder if it's the whole story. There must be a way around the rule, but I would be worried about people refusing to move out after the 3 months if the next offer is unsatisfactory. It could create legal problems. Another offer was for a large-ish number of student studios over the summer. The issue could be the same - potential legal problems if residents decide to stay put.

gillybob static caravans were mentioned the other day, but I don't think using school playing fields was mentioned. I like that idea (as long as the schools can make alternative arrangements).

I'm sure experts are on the job now that Gold Command have taken over.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08tvj7f

50 minutes in here. The law exists.

John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said councils already had the power to requisition property, using compulsory purchase orders, to find places for people to live.

It isn't legal in peacetime, it was done in the two world wars

Kensington Gardens not far away?
However, requisitioning houses is quite legal when they are empty.

I remember a (relatively minor by comparison) emergency that occurred some years ago when my grandparents were having their home modernized. The contractors managed to sever a main drain pipe and there was some kind of dangerous issue with the gas too which meant that the whole area had to be evacuated rapidly. The landlord (I believe it was the William Sutton Trust) provided around 20 fully equipped caravans and put them at the top of a nearby school field which enabled them to move the effected families into temporary accommodation whilst the work was completed. The caravans were so lovely and fully equipped that some people (my grandad included) didn't want to go back home. Just wondering if something like that could be a temporary solution.

I read of a developer who has just finished building/refurbishing 30 flats in the area. She has offered their use for 3 months before putting them on the market.
She was told that if families accepted her offer of temporary housing their names would be removed from the council's rehousing lists.
A practical,generous offer turned down because the rules won't allow this.

Wilma no families have returned to Grenfell Tower, only to some of the nearby blocks.

I can't see an insurmountable reason why land could not be requisitioned or repurposed on a temporary basis dj.

The families who have returned can only have lived on the 1st 3 floors because the fire started on the 4th. They will have to leave again soon because the utilities will not be reconnected and the building will be condemned. Perhaps they're protecting their belongings.

My suggestion means the residents can stay in the area if they choose.

I think in London the land not the property is the real investment for overseas buyers.

If you can't enlarge it enough on there, look at his taxresearch website.
The essential question is which is more important, people or property?

I thought Richard Murphy might have an answer. He was talking about it on radio 4's PM programme. This is his plan.

I've wondered that, Iam.
Any foreign owner who wanted gratitude from our government could easily allow families who have lost their homes to live in their mansions.

It's interesting about assumptions isn't it? It must be a Labour council if things go wrong.
The ridiculous price of housing in London is fuelled by investors getting a higher return by buying property in London (and the south coast for example) than they would on other investments. We've been reading for some time about foreign investors buyin up huge properties and leaving the to fall into disrepair as their value rises. I don't know what legislation could prevent this but I'm sure any number of Housing specialist lawyers could find a way, if it's possible. Meanwhile, I wonder if those wealthy foreign owners could find the heart to offer to help by allowing empty property to be used. This happen d in Manchester when the Neville brothers and other former Man Utd players allowed homeless people to live their n a huge buying they owned and planned to renovate. The building was used during the cold winter weather.

I am not sure that they could use the ground around it, Wilma. There was a woman on channel4 news who said that some of them have moved back in because their flats are not too badly affected, but they have no water, no gas or electricity and the air is toxic.
Nobody has been to see them about alternative accommodation.
It sounds pretty horrific round there.

Just wanted to add that I thought TM looked dreadful on the news tonight. Unwell in fact. I hope she's managing her diabetes during this unprecedented time. We saw what happened to Diane Abbott when she recently struggled to manage her diabetes. I worry about my 82 yr old diabetic FiL in this heat, but it's well known stress can affect blood sugar levels. Sometimes he gets the fluid filled undereye bags TM has at the moment. It's not the same as when you're lacking in sleep.

I agree with wilma

My reply was to dj

Really? I would have thought they had other things to worry about.

dj I don't know why you would ask me that question, but since you did then my solution would be to build temporary modular houses on the green or brown land in the area around Grenfell Tower. This would make good use of the £300 million reserves held by K&C.

The survivors thought it was.

I do agree we can be too touchy-feely nowadays towards people we don't know personally, and this attitude started when Diana died. I don't think May should be hugging people and crying in public. She obviously has emotions but is controlled which is surely what we need in the leader of the country who has an enormous job to do, dealing with the aftermath of the fire, the terrorists attacks and Brexit in addition to her normal work. She probably should have spoken to the survivors when she visited but that's not a major sin.

Definitely seems like a Tory council to me, quizqueen.

"Opposition councillors are angry at the way council leaders appeared to freeze when confronted by a disaster on the scale of the fire. They said they were kept in the dark and repeatedly given incorrect assurances that accommodation had been found for residents. The Conservative-led administration had failed to return calls from neighbouring councils offering to provide accommodation and other help, the councillors said.

Other criticisms include a failure to communicate with survivors and their families; a lack of visible staff on the ground providing advice; a failure to distribute any of the money being donated; and a failure to ensure that surviving residents were allocated suitable accommodation nearby.

The Labour leader on the council, Robert Atkinson, said the leadership had lost all credibility. “They have lost control,” he said. “They seem mesmerised by the gravity of the situation.”

Atkinson called on Paget-Brown, his deputy and senior officials to stand down, saying they had “collapsed on the job”. “There must have come a point on Wednesday or Thursday when they realised they were out of their depth,” he said."

In the meantime, Wilma, homes are needed now for the 200+ families who have lost theirs.
What should we do now?

to Ana (sorry, I blame the heat!)