Former EKH Property Director Mark Anderson to appear before Grenfell Inquiry tomorrow

Mark Anderson (pictured) will appear before the Grenfell Tower Inquiry  tomorrow, 13th Oct between 10am  – 16:30.

Mark Anderson – the previous Director of Property Services at East Kent Housing – who was dismissed on June 17th, 2019 –  was the Executive Director of Assets and Regeneration at the Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) who let the Grenfell Tower Contract to Studio E.

In Mark’s time at KCTMO it emerged that Studio-E (see page17) was effectively working for free and at risk towards the end of 2012 to early 2013 having billed all its invoices to the £174,000 ‘OJEU threshold’ by October.  This was sanctioned, in part, by Mark  Anderson to save time, as going out to tender would have delayed the re-cladding of the tower.

• Circle Housing – Oct 2013 – Apr 2015

• East Kent Housing – July 2016 – June 2019

There have been significant issues, be they fire safety, gas safety, repairs or tenant health & safety

While at Circle, the Regulator of Social Housing handed down a regulator judgement in Feb 2015 which stated:

• the regulator’s inquiries demonstrated that there were chronic and long standing difficulties in the delivery of the repairs service to tenants in the London area covering 13,000 homes (Circle 33 and Old Ford Housing Association). In relation to Circle 33’s 8,000 homes over a period of three months, CA report that less than 20% of urgent and emergency repairs were completed on time and elsewhere less than 50%.

The Regulator went onto say in Feb 2015:

• Taking all these matters into account, the regulator has concluded that there has been a breach of the Home Standard which has or may cause a serious detriment to tenants.

Mark was the man responsible for statutory compliance at Circle. As such, Mark was the man responsible for repairs, fire safety, gas safety, tenant health & safety; and two months later was ushered out of the door.

In Sept 2019, the Regulator of Social Housing handed four judgments to all the previous owners of East Kent Housing

• Canterbury

• Dover

• Folkestone & Hythe

• Thanet

In their judgement to each council it stated:

• taking into account the seriousness of the issues, and the duration for which tenants were potentially exposed to risk, and the number of tenants potentially affected, the regulator has concluded that it is proportionate to find that Thanet DC has breached the Home standard and that there was a risk of serious detriment to tenants during this period.

Again, Mark Anderson was the man responsible for statutory compliance at EKH. He was responsible for fire safety, gas safety and tenants health and safety.

On the 4th July 2018, a meeting with Mark Anderson, Deborah Upton and Matt Gough, , the three directors of East Kent Housing, took place in Dover.  Three EKH tenants and our public face attended. In the meeting, Mr Anderson was arrogant beyond belief stating there were no issues with repairs, nor was there any overcharging by P & R on their gas maintenance contract.

Less than a year later Mr Anderson was sent packing due to the extensive overcharging and lack of repairs, all discovered and highlighted by the Shepway Vox Team.

We hope all the issues raised above can be highlighted at the Grenfell Inquiry tomorrow.

Our hearts go out to all those who lost one of the 72 who perished in the fire. Each family, each person who lost a loved one needs not just closure, but justice.

Mark Anderson’s involvement which led to the tragedy – and the murder in our honest opinion of the 72-  is well documented.  Let’s hope he faces justice, not just from the inquiry report, but by having his collar felt for his perpetual failings which has placed so many lives at unnecessary risk for his incompetence.

The Shepway Vox Team

Dissent is NOT a Crime