A Grenfell Tower fire survivors’ group campaigner says the appointment of a former cabinet member to lead Kensington and Chelsea Council is “completely unacceptable”.
Justice 4 Grenfell co-ordinator Sue Caro said she had no confidence in the leadership of the council and called for it to be dissolved.
She was speaking after Elizabeth Campbell became de facto leader of the beleaguered local authority after she was chosen as the new leader of the Kensington and Chelsea Conservative group.
In her first public statement, Mrs Campbell said she was “truly sorry” and pledged to “heal the wounds” in the community.
Ms Caro told the Press Association: “I know that she has a track record that’s not considered to be particularly good.
“I know that she was a cabinet member already - it’s completely unacceptable. It’s like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
“They have shown they are not fit to run a council or deliver the services that are needed and I don’t really think it matters who is the leader.”
Mrs Campbell is expected to be confirmed as the leader of the council at a full council meeting currently planned for July 19 .
After her election as Tory leader, she said: “The first thing I want to do is I want to apologise. This is our community and we have failed it when people needed us the most.
“So, no buts, no ifs, no excuses - I am truly sorry.”
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She continued: “As new leader, I will appoint a new cabinet tomorrow and things are going to change.
“The first thing I’m going to do is to reach out to our community so we can begin to heal the wounds, and the second thing I am going to do is to phone up Sajid Javid, as Secretary of State (for Communities and Local Government), and ask for more help.
“I don’t know at this stage what that help will be like, what the plan will be, but I know that the thing we need is a plan for the community in North Kensington and that is what I’m going to do.”
Justice 4 Grenfell is a community led coalition established to obtain Justice for all the residents of Grenfell Tower.
It organised a silent march in the days after the disaster, which was followed by speeches beneath the Westway flyover, and close to the remains of the building.
Nick Paget-Brown announced he was stepping down as leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council following criticism of the administration's handling of the Grenfell Tower disaster.
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