After 50 days of evidence from contractors and consultants involved in the ill-fated refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, project client the Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation this week became the subject of questioning at the inquiry into 2017’s disastrous fire.

First up from the now disbanded arm’s-length management organisation was Paul Dunkerton, a project manager at the TMO, who was quizzed about the decision to drop original contractor Leadbitter from the tower block refurbishment project in 2013.

The inquiry heard that KCTMO’s cost consultant Artelia had cautioned against jettisoning Leadbitter from the project as savings of £2m were sought from the firm’s early-stage quotes for the work. Instead, a fundamental review of what KCTMO could get for its budget was proposed.

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