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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/07/grenfell-tower-inquiry-aims-for-first-public-hearings-in-september
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| Grenfell Tower inquiry aims for first public hearings in September | Grenfell Tower inquiry aims for first public hearings in September |
| (3 days later) | |
| The Grenfell Tower fire inquiry hopes to hold its first public hearings into the cause of the disaster in September as it prepares to seize council planning archives. | The Grenfell Tower fire inquiry hopes to hold its first public hearings into the cause of the disaster in September as it prepares to seize council planning archives. |
| Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the chairman, is expected to hold further meetings with bereaved relatives, local residents, survivors and interested organisations next week in a push to resolve the inquiry’s terms of reference. | Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the chairman, is expected to hold further meetings with bereaved relatives, local residents, survivors and interested organisations next week in a push to resolve the inquiry’s terms of reference. |
| Until those terms are approved by the prime minister, Theresa May, and lodged with parliament, investigators cannot begin taking evidence. | Until those terms are approved by the prime minister, Theresa May, and lodged with parliament, investigators cannot begin taking evidence. |
| At a three-hour meeting with residents on Thursday night, Moore-Bick, a recently retired appeal court judge, was heckled as he explained his first priority had to be to fix the terms of reference so that the inquiry can get started. | At a three-hour meeting with residents on Thursday night, Moore-Bick, a recently retired appeal court judge, was heckled as he explained his first priority had to be to fix the terms of reference so that the inquiry can get started. |
| A inquiry spokesman said: “Sir Martin thought it was a very useful meeting to hear the views of the residents. He made it clear that he wants to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible and that the terms of reference need to be decided.” | A inquiry spokesman said: “Sir Martin thought it was a very useful meeting to hear the views of the residents. He made it clear that he wants to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible and that the terms of reference need to be decided.” |
| Investigators want lawyers to look through files in the archives of Kensington and Chelsea council and its commercial contractors to see details of fire regulations and planning permissions. | Investigators want lawyers to look through files in the archives of Kensington and Chelsea council and its commercial contractors to see details of fire regulations and planning permissions. |
| The inquiry will be working on a tight schedule over the summer to appoint counsel, ensure legal representation is provided and grant individuals core participant status, which would give them special rights such as the right to see documentation and advance notice of the inquiry’s report. | The inquiry will be working on a tight schedule over the summer to appoint counsel, ensure legal representation is provided and grant individuals core participant status, which would give them special rights such as the right to see documentation and advance notice of the inquiry’s report. |
| Parliament goes into recess on 20 July but it may be permissible for the terms of reference to be lodged at Westminster after MPs have gone on holiday. The Inquiries Act merely says that they must be reported to parliament as soon as is practicable. | Parliament goes into recess on 20 July but it may be permissible for the terms of reference to be lodged at Westminster after MPs have gone on holiday. The Inquiries Act merely says that they must be reported to parliament as soon as is practicable. |
| After the meeting on Thursday evening, Andrea Newton, vice-chair of Lancaster West Residents Association, said: “We are calling on Theresa May to allow three further weeks for residents to make submissions on the terms of reference. | After the meeting on Thursday evening, Andrea Newton, vice-chair of Lancaster West Residents Association, said: “We are calling on Theresa May to allow three further weeks for residents to make submissions on the terms of reference. |
| “We are not in a position [unlike MPs] to go on holiday. We are still grieving and need time to organise.” She said that Moore-Bick, who faced calls to stand down earlier this week, had listened to residents. “I don’t care which judge presides over the inquiry but they need to give us longer to [make submissions].” | “We are not in a position [unlike MPs] to go on holiday. We are still grieving and need time to organise.” She said that Moore-Bick, who faced calls to stand down earlier this week, had listened to residents. “I don’t care which judge presides over the inquiry but they need to give us longer to [make submissions].” |
| Senior police officers and health officials were at the meeting and were also heckled by residents and survivors, who are still coming to terms with the scale of the disaster and the way their lives have been disrupted. | Senior police officers and health officials were at the meeting and were also heckled by residents and survivors, who are still coming to terms with the scale of the disaster and the way their lives have been disrupted. |
| One of those present, Joe Delaney, of the Grenfell Action Group, said Moore-Bick “wasn’t jeered or booed. It was more scepticism. You could hear people sighing and tutting.” | One of those present, Joe Delaney, of the Grenfell Action Group, said Moore-Bick “wasn’t jeered or booed. It was more scepticism. You could hear people sighing and tutting.” |
| He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It got a bit loud before the end. The man couldn’t even control the crowd and hold them. I have heard public speakers who can shut up a stadium full of thousands of people. This man couldn’t hold a room with 200 or so people.” | He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It got a bit loud before the end. The man couldn’t even control the crowd and hold them. I have heard public speakers who can shut up a stadium full of thousands of people. This man couldn’t hold a room with 200 or so people.” |
| Moore-Bick told the meeting: “I can’t do more than assure you that I know what it is to be impartial. I’ve been a judge for 20 years and I give you my word that I will look into this matter to the very best of my ability and find the facts as I see them from the evidence. | Moore-Bick told the meeting: “I can’t do more than assure you that I know what it is to be impartial. I’ve been a judge for 20 years and I give you my word that I will look into this matter to the very best of my ability and find the facts as I see them from the evidence. |
| “That’s my job, that’s my training, and that’s what I intend to do. Now if I can’t satisfy you because you have some preconception about me as a person, that’s up to you.” | “That’s my job, that’s my training, and that’s what I intend to do. Now if I can’t satisfy you because you have some preconception about me as a person, that’s up to you.” |
| There was no mass demand for the former judge to stand down. The session, which began at 7pm, was held in Latymer community church in the shadow of the burnt-out shell of Grenfell Tower. The building’s windows and walls are still plastered with notices seeking information about missing victims of the inferno. | There was no mass demand for the former judge to stand down. The session, which began at 7pm, was held in Latymer community church in the shadow of the burnt-out shell of Grenfell Tower. The building’s windows and walls are still plastered with notices seeking information about missing victims of the inferno. |
| Melvyn Akins, 34, said residents felt frustrated, angry and confused. “It was always going to be an uphill struggle [for the chair of the inquiry],” he said. “People feel abandoned. | Melvyn Akins, 34, said residents felt frustrated, angry and confused. “It was always going to be an uphill struggle [for the chair of the inquiry],” he said. “People feel abandoned. |
| “He was saying he was going to look into things but the residents have many immediate needs. People believe arrests should be made and if there aren’t arrests then justice won’t have been done.” | “He was saying he was going to look into things but the residents have many immediate needs. People believe arrests should be made and if there aren’t arrests then justice won’t have been done.” |
| An attender who suggested that the inquiry should look at the general issue of social housing was told by Moore-Bick that it would be too broad a subject for his inquiry. | An attender who suggested that the inquiry should look at the general issue of social housing was told by Moore-Bick that it would be too broad a subject for his inquiry. |
| Dr Lauriane Thorner, a resident, said there had been some positive developments. “They said they wanted us to give what evidence we have and the questions we [need answered].” | Dr Lauriane Thorner, a resident, said there had been some positive developments. “They said they wanted us to give what evidence we have and the questions we [need answered].” |
| However, not everyone was reassured at the end of the evening. Jacqui Haynes, a resident, said: “What a load of crap. We don’t want the [judge] who was handpicked by Theresa May.” | However, not everyone was reassured at the end of the evening. Jacqui Haynes, a resident, said: “What a load of crap. We don’t want the [judge] who was handpicked by Theresa May.” |
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