Thread by @PeteApps

Update from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry:

KCTMO chief executive questioned over alleged 'concealment and half truth' and 'attempt to blame the fire service' in response to Grenfell residents raising concerns about fire safety in 2010

So this morning, Robert Black - the former chief executive of KCTMO - continued giving evidence to the inquiry about fire safety issues in the build up to the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017

A particularly interesting run of questions covered a fire in the tower in April 2010, when some recycling bags piled up in a communal area were set alight. As we know from previous witnesses - this exposed a serious fault with the tower's smoke extraction system...

... which rather than ventilating smoke out of the building distributed it across eight other floors, causing smoke inhalation injury to around three residents. In September 2010, the Grenfell Tower Leaseholders Association called for an independent investigation as a result.

Their letter was sent to Mr Black, but another manager Anthony Parkes responded. He said the smoke vents "were working at the time of the fire" and suggested the leakage wouldn't have happened if the brigade turned on the manual fan.

But this contrasted with an internal maintenance report (from May 2010) which said inlet dampers "are not reliable and may not activate". So why not tell the residents this?

"Would you agree that... the three paragraphs of this letter under fire alarm and health, safety, health and safety are really an exercise in concealment and half truth?"

"I'm not sure... I hadn't seen the report [on the smoke vent]" says Black

"And it looks like an attempt to blame the fire brigade rather than the state of the [smoke ventilation system] doesn't it?"

"I'm sort of upset reading this and can't explain it," he says.

System was later deemed 'not fit for purpose', a deficiency notice was served calling for its replacement by LFB in 2014, but it was not replaced until 2016.

"Do you agree with me that meant Grenfell did not have a fully functioning [ventilation system] between 2010 and 2016?"

"Based on what you're telling me, yes," he replies.

Another major topic covered this morning has been fire risk assessments and carrying out the works identified by them as necessary.

We've previously heard that the TMO appointed sole-trader Carl Stokes to carry out assessments to all 650 blocks it managed. It had procured him to do it for the 'medium risk' blocks but extended this to high and low risk without formal procurement.

"Just standing back, did you yourself ever stop and ask yourself... how a one man band could possibly perform the job of fire risk assessor for 650 buildings?"

"I believe the programme is over three years. And therefore, the assumption [was] in that three years, he could do it"

Counsel to the inquiry then asks how the head of health and safety could stay on top of all this work by herself.

"Was there an atmosphere perhaps in the in the tmo, of encouraging people to get on with the job as best they could and don't ask for any more money?"

"People knew how much money there was, in a time of austerity, where across the country, everything has been cut. So I think the culture is you recognise that there's no magic pot of money to actually sort of make everything perfect," he says.

On this point, we see there was no specific budget line within KCTMO's budget to carry out fire risk assessments and the works related to them.

As has been well covered with other witnesses, the TMO struggled to carry out actions raised by risk assessments ...

A couple of specific points to bring up from Black's evidence. First, he received a report from a consultant, Matt Hodgson, in 2013 which raised major issues with health and safety compliance. But in a report to his board, Black made no reference to the issues raised

"Why did you not mention any of the issues [he raised] particularly about the potential exposure of the business to corporate and personal liabilities?"

"I can't recall," says Black.

We then saw an executive team meeting in September 2013 where (director) Peter Maddison made a presentation on health and safety, which notes that none of the actions for a risk assessment on Grenfell had been carried out and "unfortunately" this was shared with residents

"What was unfortunate about telling the residents that their building wasn't compliant with statutory fire safety standards?"

"I agree, it's not a great minute," says Black.

"It reveals an attitude, doesn't it, of not wanting to be candid with the people living in your buildings," says Millett.

"I think I picked up sometimes that Peter was uncomfortable with this information being released... because that exposes some work hadn't been done."

We also saw that after May 2016, executive team meetings stopped discussing the FRA backlog, despite many actions still outstanding.

"Can we take it from that it was of insufficient interest to the executive team?"

Black says no, asked why he "can't recall from five years ago"

Black continues after lunch.