RBKC to create personal evacuation plans for vulnerable residents in new draft housing strategy

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has said it will give vulnerable residents personal evacuation plans in its draft housing strategy for 2025-2030.

Ensuring that council homes are safe is one of three key priorities set out in the strategy, the first published by the council since the 2017 fire at Grenfell Tower, which killed 72 people.

RBKC said it will implement a ”new protocol for sharing information between departments about vulnerable residents so they can be given personal risk assessments and evacuation plans, and assisted properly in an emergency”.

It also said it wants to ”lead the way” on the response to the Grenfell Inquiry. This will involve improving the ”culture within services and interact with residents in a way that meets their individual needs and concerns” by speaking to vulnerable tenants directly about their experience of housing safety.

According to the plan, the council now has data on whether 72% of its tenants have vulnerabilities, compared to less than 9% at the end of 2017/18.

So far, it has completed 800 person-centred fire risk assessments and developed over 400 personal emergency evacuation plans.

The other two priorities laid out in the draft housing strategy, which was opened for consultation on 19 March, are to provide a “diverse” housing supply, including specialised accommodation for older people and those with dementia, as well as to deliver ”exemplary” housing and landlord services, such as improving the quality and condition of council homes through its ongoing £750m capital works programme.

>> See also: The government’s response to the Grenfell Inquiry: Key proposals at a glance

>> See also: Grenfell insulation firm to challenge Kensington and Chelsea ban in court

Sof McVeigh, lead member for housing, said: “The demand for homes has never been higher, so we will be looking at new forms of housing, particularly to help residents escape the misery of homelessness and temporary accommodation. We’re also investing £700 million over ten years to make our residents’ homes warmer and safer.

“The learnings from Grenfell underpin and inspire everything we want to achieve and I want to thank all of the bereaved, survivors and residents for their invaluable feedback. We will use what you have told us to develop an excellent housing service that is a fitting legacy to the tragedy.”

RBKC’s housing target, set through the London Plan 2021, is to deliver 4,480 new homes in the borough over 10 years to 2028/29. The draft housing strategy 2025-2030 will close to feedback on 13 May.