Grenfell Tower council apologises for putting profits before people in borough

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea leader says sorry for series of property deals made before 2017 fire

The flagship Conservative council that owned Grenfell Tower has said sorry for putting profits before people in a series of deals, struck before the 2017 fire, that leased out public property for commercial gain.

The apology, issued by Elizabeth Campbell, the leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), related to the sale of leases on a public library, a teacher training centre used by council staff working in family, children and educational services, and a building housing a Citizens Advice bureau, to private school operators including Notting Hill preparatory school, which charges 21,000 a year per pupil.