Grenfell Tower will come under government control once detectives wrap up their 13-month investigation at the site.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced it would take over legal responsibilities instead of Kensington and Chelsea Council this month.

It followed anger among survivors and bereaved families at the prospect of the tower’s remains being handed to the council, as legal owner.

Officials from the authority were likewise reluctant to trigger sensitivities through any involvement, with anger still simmering over the role it played in the botched refurbishment blamed for fuelling the fire.

Specialist teams from Scotland Yard have been picking through the remnants of the blaze as part of a vast investigation into the disaster on June 14 last year.

The husk of the west London block is now shrouded in white sheeting while those touched by the tragedy decide on its future. </s> LONDON (Reuters) - British police said on Thursday they had completed the forensic examination of Grenfell Tower after a fire that killed 71 at the building last year, adding that it was no longer required as a crime scene by investigators.

“We have carefully planned for this day and are satisfied that passing over control of the tower will have no bearing on the ongoing criminal investigation or any subsequent criminal proceedings,” Commander Stewart Cundy said in a statement.

“Simply put, we have everything we need from the tower.”

An independent site management team will be responsible the site on a day-to-day basis, with the government making operational decisions.

Police have said they are considering possible criminal offences including gross negligence manslaughter, corporate manslaughter and breaches of the Health and Safety Act as part of their investigation. </s> The remains of Grenfell Tower will be placed under Government control after a 13-month investigation of the site of the tragedy ends.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced it would take over legal responsibilities instead of Kensington and Chelsea Council this month.

Seventy-two people have been confirmed dead in the fire which engulfed the Ladbroke Grove block in June, 2017.

Survivors were furious at the thought of the local council being the legal owner of the site, after the tragedy, as evidence over the cladding comes to light.

The combustable cladding is thought to have contributed to the spread of the fire that killed at least 80 people.

Officials from the local authority were likewise reluctant to trigger sensitivities through any involvement, with anger still simmering over the role it played in the botched refurbishment.

Specialist teams from Scotland Yard have been picking through the remnants of the blaze as part of a vast investigation into the disaster on June 14 last year.

The husk of the west London block is now shrouded in white sheeting while those touched by the tragedy decide on its future.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) will remain legal owners of the building, but the Government will make operational decisions until its fate is decided, the MHCLG said on Wednesday.

Natasha Elcock, a survivor from Grenfell Tower and member of survivor and bereaved group Grenfell United, said: 'We are relieved that the Government has listened to us and stepped in to make sure that RBKC will not be managing site and will have no involvement in any decisions about the site.

'It's hard to put into words how personal what happens to the site is to all of us who lived in the tower, lost loved ones in the fire, and for the wider community.

'The people we lost that night will be forever in our hearts and it will be survivors, bereaved families and the community that will make decisions together about what happens to the site now and how we remember the loved ones we lost.' </s> Grenfell Tower will come under Government control once detectives wrap up their 13-month investigation at the site.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced it would take over legal responsibilities instead of Kensington and Chelsea Council this month.

It followed anger among survivors and bereaved families at the prospect of the tower’s remains being handed to the council, as legal owner.

Officials from the authority were likewise reluctant to trigger sensitivities through any involvement, with anger still simmering over the role it played in the botched refurbishment blamed for fuelling the fire.

Specialist teams from Scotland Yard have been picking through the remnants of the blaze as part of a vast investigation into the disaster on June 14 last year.

The husk of the west London block is now shrouded in white sheeting while those touched by the tragedy decide on its future.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) will remain legal owners of the building, but the Government will make operational decisions until its fate is decided, the MHCLG said on Wednesday.

Natasha Elcock, a survivor from Grenfell Tower and member of survivor and bereaved group Grenfell United, said: “We are relieved that the Government has listened to us and stepped in to make sure that RBKC will not be managing site and will have no involvement in any decisions about the site.

“It’s hard to put into words how personal what happens to the site is to all of us who lived in the tower, lost loved ones in the fire, and for the wider community.

“The people we lost that night will be forever in our hearts and it will be survivors, bereaved families and the community that will make decisions together about what happens to the site now and how we remember the loved ones we lost.”

The Government will take decisions about the site including security arrangements, safety and access.

This will then be put into action by the independent team who have overseen day-to-day management of the site since last July, led by Doug Patterson, chief executive of Bromley Council.

A formal agreement will be finalised in the autumn, the MHCLG said.

The move paves the way for the creation of a “fitting memorial” once the tower is demolished, the shape of which is being planned by survivors and bereaved.

The MHCLG reaffirmed the Prime Minister’s “own personal commitment” that the process will be led by those affected and the wider community.

Survivors and bereaved families will take control of the site once an “appropriate body” representing them has been established.

Core participants and expert witnesses to the public inquiry still require access to the site, the Government said, which “must continue to take priority”. </s> Image copyright PA Image caption Detectives are set to complete their 13-month investigation at the Grenfell Tower site in west London

The government will take responsibility for Grenfell Tower when the police release the site as a crime scene.

The housing ministry will take over safety and security until the community decides how the site should be used.

Kensington and Chelsea Council, which owns the site but will not have a management role, welcomed the decision.

Survivors of the 2017 fire, in which 72 people died, had feared the council would take control of the west London site and said they were "relieved".

Natasha Elcock, a member of survivor and bereaved group Grenfell United, said: "It's hard to put into words how personal what happens to the site is to all of us who lived in the tower, lost loved ones in the fire and for the wider community.

"The people we lost that night will be forever in our hearts and it will be survivors, bereaved families and the community that will make decisions together about what happens to the site now and how we remember the loved ones we lost."

Image copyright Reuters Image caption A march marking the first anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire

The government, which is set to take over management of the site in the autumn, has said access for those involved in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry remains the priority.

Decisions taken by central government will be implemented by the independent team - led by the chief executive of Bromley Council - which has overseen day-to-day management of the site since last July.

The land will be transferred to a body representing the bereaved and survivors once an appropriate body is set up and when the land is ready for use - as set out in an agreement between the government, the local council and community groups.

A spokesman for Kensington and Chelsea Council said it should be for the Grenfell community to decide on the tower's future.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said Wednesday's announcement was "the next step on the journey to a fitting memorial". </s> The forensic investigation of Grenfell Tower is completed and the site is no longer a crime scene, the Metropolitan Police has said.

Commander Stuart Cundy confirmed officers "have everything we need from the tower" as he sought to reassure victims.

72 people were killed in the blaze at the west London tower of flats in June 2017.

Cdr Cundy said the police had worked "meticulously" on a detailed examination of the tower and that they had recorded "every aspect" of it - inside and out.

It can now be "virtually recreated" to help with ongoing investigations.

Cdr Cundy added: "We have carefully planned for this day and are satisfied that passing over control of the tower will have no bearing on the ongoing criminal investigation or any subsequent criminal proceedings.

"Simply put, we have everything we need from the tower.

"I recognise that releasing the tower as a crime scene is a significant milestone and we have updated bereaved families and survivors that whilst our work on the site is now complete, our large and complex police investigation continues."

Police will now hand over day-to-day management of the site to an independent site management team, led by the chief executive of Bromley borough council, Doug Patterson.

Three interviews have already been carried out under caution by detectives investigating the fire, Scotland Yard confirmed last month.

It is "likely" that further interviews will take place in the "coming weeks and months", it added.

Offences being considered include "gross negligence manslaughter, corporate manslaughter and breaches of the health and safety act".

Since June this year, the tower has been covered with white sheeting and banners with the green Grenfell heat around the top.

On Wednesday, members of survivors' group Grenfell United said they were "relieved" that the government will take over the site from the autumn.

That could allow for a "fitting memorial" once the tower is demolished, which is being planned by survivors and the bereaved. </s> LONDON — British police have finished their forensic examination of Grenfell Tower more than a year after a fast-moving fire at the London high-rise killed 72 people.

Forensics officers spent months combing through the charred rubble for victims’ remains and for clues to how a blaze that started in an apartment kitchen was able to race through the 24-story residential building.

Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy said Thursday that officers recovered “huge quantities of material” for a criminal investigation.

Police are considering corporate manslaughter charges in the June 2017 blaze. No one has been charged yet.

Grenfell Tower no longer is a crime scene now that the search for physical evidence is done.

The police force says it will turn the publicly owned building over to the government. Survivors and residents will help decide what form of memorial will replace the gutted tower. </s> PA Wire/PA Images ﻿The future of the tower is due to be decided in Autumn, with members of the community promised a say

The forensic investigation of Grenfell Tower has been completed and the site is no longer a crime scene, the Metropolitan Police have announced.

An independent site management team is now in charge of the site, taking charge of health, safety and security.

The Government will now take direct responsibility for the Grenfell Tower site, rather than the building’s owners, Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council.

A final decision about the future of the tower is due in Autumn, with Theresa May promising that the Grenfell community will have a say in what happens next on the site.

Commander Stuart Cundy, said: “In the six months following the fire, one of our key priorities was to recover, identify and return all those who tragically died to their families.

“From the outset, we have also been relentless in our investigations at the tower.

“I recognise that releasing the tower as a crime scene is a significant milestone and we have updated bereaved families and survivors that whilst our work on the site is now complete, our large and complex police investigation continues.”

He added: “Simply put, we have everything we need from the tower.” </s> At least 25 tower blocks have the same tinder-box cladding that helped engulf Grenfall Tower in 15 minutes, it was revealed today.

Thousands of residents are living in blocks in London, Manchester, Plymouth and Portsmouth encased in panels blamed for the devastating blaze that claimed the lives of at least 79 people last week.

Theresa May has said they will not be forced to stay in 'unsafe homes' but with councils facing what could be one of Britain's biggest peacetime evacuations they have so far told residents they will not be rehoused.

Today Premier Inn admitted it has 'serious concerns' about cladding on three hotels - including one in Mrs May's Maidenhead constituency.

Up to 30,000 buildings including more hotels, hospitals, GP surgeries, student flats and office blocks will also have to be tested to see if they are also 'combustible'.

The increasing safety concerns for all high-rise British buildings has reached a watershed since the devastating blaze at Grenfell, whose cladding and insulation failed all safety tests, police said today.

Scotland Yard has confirmed it has launched a manslaughter inquiry, which will see Kensington and Council Council and the contractors who refurbished the block for £8.6million last year.

Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack documents and materials had been seized from a 'number of organisations'.

She said: 'We are looking at every criminal offence from manslaughter onwards. We are looking at every health and safety and fire safety offences and we are reviewing every company at the moment involved in the building and refurbishment of Grenfell Tower'.

The forensic search of Grenfell is not likely to be completed until the end of the year - but she said there are 'no hidden victims'.

Commenting on the investigation into the blaze, DSI McCormack said: 'What we are being told at the moment by the Building Research Establishment is that the cladding and insulation failed all safety tests.'

Describing how the investigation was proceeding, DSI McCormack added: 'We have been in Grenfell Tower, from top to bottom, last week.

'Next week we will be installing a lift to the outside of the building to assist. But our forensic search may not be complete until the end of the year.'

As part of the investigation, teams listened to some 600 distressed 999 calls with 'terribly harrowing content' - suggesting that some operators may have kept talking to victims until their deaths.

DSI McCormack added: 'Every complete body has been removed from the building. What we are dealing with now, as you can imagine in the intense heat, is a very distressing scene.

'What we haven't got is a picture of how many people might have been in there. That's the number in really worried about, that there might have been other innocent people in there.'

With Britain facing its biggest housing safety scare for decades, it has emerged:
• None At least 14 buildings across eight local authority areas in England have been found to have flammable cladding, But at least 25 are believed to have aluminium composite cladding, like that which was fixed to Grenfell. 600 are being tested at a rate of 100 per day
• None Police say there are 'no hidden victims' inside Grenfell - but not all the bodies of the 79 have been removed
• None Hotel chain Premier Inn said it has 'concerns' that cladding used on some of its buildings may not meet safety regulations, particularly hotels in Maidenhead, Brentford and Tottenham.
• None The Charity Commission announced an initial £20,000 will be given to the families of each person who has died or is declared missing presumed dead, from the money raised from numerous appeals.
• None It was confirmed a total of 151 homes were destroyed in the blaze, including 129 in the tower itself and 22 from nearby Grenfell Walk.
• None 363 households have been placed in hotel accommodation in or as near to the Royal Borough as possible, 213 of which are from the cordon area which surrounds the tower.

Thousands of people who own a model of fridge-freezer which started the Grenfell Tower blaze are being urged to contact Hotpoint as the number of buildings found to be covered in potentially flammable cladding continues to rise.

The government ordered an urgent investigation into Hotpoint's FF175BP after police revealed it was the model which started the blaze which killed at least 79 people in west London.

Hotpoint's FF175BP model had not been subject to any product recall, but will now be examined by safety experts as part of a government-ordered review.

Consumer group Which? says the machines should be recalled to tackle the concerns of the hundreds of terrified families who may still have one.

Scotland Yard said today it will consider 'every criminal offence from manslaughter onwards' and have seized documents and materials from a 'number of organisations'.

Towers in Camden, Manchester and Plymouth are among the at-risk buildings, Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid said in a letter to MPs yesterday.

It has since emerged that blocks in Portsmouth and the London boroughs of Brent, Islington and Hounslow are also a risk.

Islington Council today said cladding was to be removed from its Braithwaite House, one of eight blocks tested, after it was found to have aluminium composite material.

Test results from the other blocks, Harvist Estate and Brunswick Estate, are yet to be returned, a spokesman said.

Councillor Diarmaid Ward said: 'Last night we received results of tests on cladding on the side of Braithwaite House, and they have confirmed the presence of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM).

'We're arranging to have the cladding, which is only on the sides of the building, removed as soon as we possibly can by a specialist contractor.'

Work is also being carried out to strip material from a residential block in the Village 135 development in Wythenshawe, Manchester after concerns were raised about the cladding.

Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG), which runs the block, said it was taking no chances and work to remove the material began yesterday afternoon.

In a statement WCHG said: 'Following the tragic events from the Grenfell Fire, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, working with the Greater Manchester Fire service, has conducted a comprehensive review of all ten tower blocks within Wythenshawe.

'We can confirm following early fire safety actions taken we have been able to detect that our Village 135 scheme has been identified as having 78 feature panels which are located in a small area of the overall development, works to remove these panels will commence today.'

Cladding at two high-rise buildings in Portsmouth - Horatia House and Leamington House - is being removed as a precaution after tests revealed a fire risk, Portsmouth City Council said.

Letters were being sent to residents living in the two blocks explaining the measures being taken. The city council's deputy leader Luke Stubbs said no other blocks were affected.

Mr Stubbs said: 'Like all councils, we have been working with the Government and fire service to review our buildings.

'As a precaution we submitted some cladding for testing and the results that came back said the cladding on Horatia House and Leamington House was a fire risk.

'As a result we are removing the cladding from those buildings. Protection of Portsmouth's residents is our number one priority and we will not comprise on safety standards.

'We will be removing the cladding as quickly as we can. In the meantime, we would like to reassure residents we have conducted a full assessment of the buildings, with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the buildings are safe to stay in with all of the existing safety measures still in place.'

In every fire that has broken out in city council tower blocks in the past few years, the blaze has been contained within the property where the fire broke out, he added.

Mr Stubbs went on: 'As an extra precaution council staff will be present in the two buildings 24 hours a day, for as long as necessary.'

Three high-rise tower blocks in Plymouth, Devon, have also been found to be clad in the same combustible material to the Grenfell Tower in London.

Occupants of the 16-storey Lynher, Tamar and Tavy buildings in Devonport, Plymouth were told of the potential fire risk to their buildings. The towers will now be monitored round the clock by security teams.

Other councils across the UK have been ordered to provide samples of the cladding used on high-rises by Monday and these will be tested at a rate of 100 per day.

Barnet Council has warned that inspectors have found that three of its blocks have similar metal panels as the ill-fated Grenfell Tower, but say they are not combustible.

Residents at the 22-storey River Apartments in Tottenham, north London, have been sent an email saying the building has the same cladding as Grenfell Tower, it has emerged. The building is now being tested.

Meanwhile, Salford City Council has confirmed that nine of its tower blocks have cladding that is similar to the material used on Grenfell Tower.

Aluminium composite material is used on the recently refurbished buildings in Pendleton, with tests currently being carried out to check whether it is combustible.

Camden Council has already begun removing cladding from five towers of up to 23-storeys on its giant Chalcot Estate over fears they are potentially dangerous.

But residents in the 721 flats will not be moved and fire wardens will be put there 24 hours a day to reassure locals and help in the event of a blaze.

The north London council looks set to sue contractor Rydon, who also carried out the Grenfell work, claiming 'the panels that were fitted were not to the standard that we had commissioned'.

Councils across Britain race to test their tower cladding Burnham residential tower on the Chalcots Estate, Camden, where cladding is being removed The council is due to urgently remove cladding from five tower blocks on Chalcots Estate. The cladding was tested this week and, although different to that used in Grenfell, was found to be made up of 'aluminium panels with a polyethylene core'. The council has since said it will seek legal advice and accused contractors of fitting flammable materials below the commissioned standard. It also pledged round-the-clock fire safety patrols on the estate's corridors. Three high-rise tower blocks in Devon have been found to be clad in the same combustible material to the Grenfell Tower in London. Occupants of the 16-storey Lynher, Tamar and Tavy buildings in Plymouth were told of the potential fire risk to their buildings yesterday (Wed). Fire precautions at the buildings were checked urgently and the towers will now be monitored round the clock by security teams. Wythenshawe Community Housing Group said 78 panels were being removed from a small area of the Village 135 development. Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG) said: 'We can confirm following early fire safety actions taken we have been able to detect that our Village 135 scheme has been identified as having 78 feature panels which are located in a small area of the overall development, works to remove these panels will commence today.' Islington Council said cladding was to be removed from Braithwaite House, one of eight blocks tested, after it was found to have aluminium composite material. Test results from the other blocks, Harvist Estate and Brunswick Estate, are yet to be returned, a spokesman said. Councillor Diarmaid Ward said: 'Last night we received results of tests on cladding on the side of Braithwaite House, and they have confirmed the presence of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM). 'We're arranging to have the cladding, which is only on the sides of the building, removed as soon as we possibly can by a specialist contractor. Cladding at two high-rise buildings in Portsmouth - Horatia House and Leamington House - is being removed as a precaution after tests revealed a fire risk, Portsmouth City Council said. Letters were being sent to residents living in the two blocks explaining the measures being taken. The city council's deputy leader Luke Stubbs said no other blocks were affected. Cladding at a tower in Clements Court, Hounslow, failed the fire-safety test and will be removed 'as soon as possible', the borough's council said. Leader of Hounslow Council Steve Curran said in a statement: 'We were informed late last night by the DCLG that the sample of the outer 'Aluminium Composite Material' (ACM) cladding used on Clements Court tower has failed the Building Research Establishment combustion test. A fire watch patrol will be set up by the authority and safety tests will be carried out on homes, he added. Brent North MP Barry Gardiner has said that the local council's chief excutive has informed him that Elizabeth House in Wembley has 'failed' a fire safety test, according the Evening Standard Barnet Homes, the council-owned company which runs 24 high-rise blocks in the borough, is reviewing safety in 10 blocks. Three blocks - Granville Point, Harpenmead Point and Templemead point - were reclad in 2012 and have similar panels to Grenfell Tower. They were inspected on Monday and the insulation materials were found to be non-combustible. The other seven blocks have different cladding to Grenfell but are being inspected as a 'precautionary' measure, the council said. Tests are being carried out on the cladding at Durham House, in the city centre, to see if it is a fire risk. Following the Grenfell disaster, it is understood a review of 33 Housing Executive high rise buildings and 19 owned by housing associations, was carried out. One of those buildings, Durham House - which is made up of one and two bedroom flats - has been found to have similar cladding to that on Grenfell Tower. Tests on the cladding will determine if it is a security risk. Radius Housing Association, which owns Durham House said the safety and well being of their residents "is of paramount importance". Three of the borough's 88 tall buildings have so-called ACM cladding which could be a fire risk. The cladding on these three buildings is now being tested. A spokesman for the council said: 'Once the results are known, we will take whatever action is necessary to ensure our residents are safe. Rivers Apartments in Tottenham, north London, where a review is being carried out of the cladding 'We have already written to tenants and leaseholders in the three blocks explaining what is going on and will keep them informed of all developments.' The London Borough of Haringey owns 54 blocks over six storeys high. None of our blocks have the Reynobond aluminium cladding system that was used on Grenfell Tower. Rivers Apartments, a 22-storey block owned by a Housing Association, is being tested over fears it has the same cladding as Grenfell Tower. The council has eight blocks in its borough - the highest of which is 16 storeys - and has pledged to undergo a 'comprehensive review of fire safety'. Two blocks have cladding but using different materials than what was used in Grenfell. Harley Facades, who refurbished Grenfell Tower, supplied the over-cladding at six tower blocks on the Little Venice estate, but the type of cladding used is different, with non-flammable insulation. As a precaution, urgent checks are being carried out on the cladding system and the way it was installed. The local authority has visited all 41 of its tower blocks to review their fire evacuation plans. The council has no tower blocks which are higher than 14 storeys. Inspections are being carried out on the other blocks they have in the borough. The council says nine of its tower blocks have cladding that is similar to the material used on Grenfell Tower. Tests are being carried out to check whether it is combustible. Harold Lambert Court in the Park Hill area of the city is being checked by the management firm, Together Housing, with cladding samples sent off for analysis. Three blocks in Lower Mixenden, a village outside Halifax, are being checked by independent contractors. Together Housing, which manages the properties, Jumples Court, Mixenden Court and Wheatley Court, say they are submitting samples of the cladding but an initial visual inspection suggests it is not the same type as that used on the Grenfell Tower. There are four blocks in the borough which have cladding, but the council said it is not the same type as used on Grenfell Tower. 16 cladded blocks have been found not to have been clad with the same materials as Grenfell Tower. However, they are being tested as a precaution. The council said that none of the 105 high-rise buildings in Greenwich are clad in the same way as Grenfell Tower. Grenfell's fire has led to councils across the UK testing if their cladding is dangerous The council owns three tower blocks which have cladding, but the materials used are different to Grenfell Tower. The council has two 15-storey blocks which have both been recently over-clad with fire resistant cladding. There are three blocks in the borough with cladding. The council is carrying out tests but officers are confident they are safe. Cladding different but 'capping' under windowsills is the same, so they are being checked and tests urgently taken. Statement from St Leger Homes: 'The cladding system we have used in Doncaster is an External Wall Insulation (EWI) Render System which is not the same as was used at Grenfell Tower. The core cladding system we have used is different to that used in Grenfell Tower. 'However, we are aware that a small capping detail under the windows of Silverwood House is similar to that used on Grenfell Tower. Whilst this minor capping work (not the window frames or external cladding) is a different make and supplier to that used in London, we are seeking expert advice and ensuring that extensive further testing is urgently undertaken.' Your Homes Newcastle, which manages 38 high rise blocks on behalf of the Newcastle City Council, has reassured tenants that the type of cladding used on the Grenfell Tower has not been used on any of its buildings. The council said it is still reviewing building regulation records for existing high rise residential buildings over 18m in height. They said the priority was 'to identify buildings which have been retrofitted with external cladding and to check if the cladding specified is 'aluminium composite material'.' The council said there are 22 blocks with cladding but none are made from flammable material They have 13 blocks, none of which use aluminium cladding Council said it is still investigating whether privately owned properties have the cladding – the council does not have any housing stock itself There is only one block, but it has no external cladding There is only one council block, owned by social housing provide 13. Investigations are taking place to see what the situation is with the cladding None of the 2 high rise blocks – managed by company WDH - are clad with the aluminium panels. Statement said: 'Only five have had external wall insulation, which is not a cosmetic treatment and is fixed directly to the super structure, rendered with no air gap, is non-combustible and we have the relevant manufacturer's guarantees confirming the safety of all products used.'
England announces that the Ministry of Housing will manage Grenfell Tower in London once the investigation into the fire that gutted the building and killed 72 people is complete.