Following a 72-second silence in memory of the Grenfell Tower fire's victims, for the first time Kensington and Chelsea residents took over the floor at one of their council's meeting.

Council leader Cllr Elizabeth Campbell last night (Wednesday, June 20) fulfilled her promise to allow residents to speak on local matters at every full council meeting.

On Wednesday (June 20), that promised hour stretched into nearly two, as seven speakers addressed their elected leaders directly, followed by a spirited debate between councillors and with questions coming from the public gallery too.

Most seized the opportunity to question - and to reprimand - its leaders over their handling of the Grenfell tragedy's aftermath.

72 people lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire

Six residents spoke about Grenfell, and many addressed their questions directly to the leader herself, each speaking in impassioned five-minute slots.

Among them was Kerdesan Gallardo, who wore a Green for Grenfell T-shirt, and lives near the tower. She told the chamber she had addressed the councillors before on the pain afflicting North Kensington.

She said: "We have been traumatised. We are all traumatised”

She wanted to know what policy changes had been made in the 12 months since the tragedy.

She asked: “Is there any point in a resident speaking out when we don’t see nothing, when we don’t see change?”

Another resident, Bill Ajiboye, a construction worker, told the councillors of his fear that asbestos from Grenfell's eventual demolition could affect the children in the area.

He told councillors his daughter attended Kensington Aldridge Academy, known as KAA1, which was closed after the fire due to its proximity to the tower. Its pupils have since been moved to a temporary new campus, KAA2.

The children have been suffering from the memory of the fire and he wanted to know if the council would ensure their health and safety when they were eventually moved back to KAA1.

He said: “They’re kids. You lost 18 children. You want to lose more? It might take 20 years to find out asbestosis … this isn’t about us, this is about the next generation that's going to be walking around North Kensington.”

Another resident, Claire Simmons, who lives 300 yards from the tower, called for the council to stop compounding the trauma in North Kensington. She said there appeared to be a policy of exclusion of residents and ward councillors from the Grenfell recovery.

Family, children and schools lead Emma Will told Mr Ajiboye, legally, as an academy school, KAA's governors had full control, and the council could only encourage it to consult parents.

“They are children of your borough, their health and safety is surely down to the borough they live in,” he responded.

Labour opposition leader Cllr Robert Atkinson told Mr Ajiboye the council could not overrule the school, and blamed the academy model's powers on Conservative Governments of the past.

“This is just but one example where schools are encouraged to think only of themselves, not the local community,” Cllr Atkinson said.

Many of the residents who spoke on Wednesday night complained of bureaucratic red tape, and of feeling ward councillors and council staff in North Kensington had their hands tied.

“I have begged throughout the last year to be engaged with this council and there has been constant refusals," Notting Dale councillor Judith Blakeman replied, addressing the Conservative-majority.

"Why didn't you answer my pleas earlier, why didn't you answer the community's pleas earlier? ... This is a traumatised community and you should be ashamed of yourselves.”

Cllr Atkinson questioned why only lead members could answer questions, and his suggestion backbenchers and ward councillors be allowed to ask supplementary questions was applauded by the public gallery.

A woman lights a candle at the memorial outside Grenfell Tower in memory of those who lost their lives in the fire
A woman lights a candle at the memorial outside Grenfell Tower in memory of those who lost their lives in the fire

The session was monitored by an Open Democracy representative, who clarified that answers to questions posed by residents in future sessions would be displayed on the council's website.

Cllr Campbell described the public hour as an "experiment," adding that the style of the proceedings could be consulted on with the public and councillors after at least two more meetings.

She thanked the residents who spoke, acknowledging the council had to rebuild trust in the community.

“We must challenge, question and improve, we must truly represent our constituents,” she said.