Sadiq Khan appoints new London fire commissioner
London has a new fire commissioner, after Dany Cotton was forced to step down last week in the face of criticism for her role in the Grenfell fire.
Her deputy Andy Roe will step up to the top job and lead “transformational change”, according to mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Read more: London fire commissioner Dany Cotton to leave four months early
Khan said Roe was appointed to enact recommendations from the recent inquiry into the 2017 Grenfell fire.
The phase one inquiry into the tragedy found that the London Fire Brigade’s (LFB) advice for residents to stay in their homes may have cost lives.
It also found that LFB firefighters were not trained well enough to adequately deal with the disaster.
The mayor seemed to take a parting shot at Cotton’s leadership as he announced Roe’s appointment today.
“The Grenfell Tower inquiry report made it clear there were institutional failures that meant, while firefighters performed with great courage and bravery, the overall response to the disaster was not good enough, and there are significant lessons for London Fire Brigade,” he said.
“I look forward to working with Andy Roe to deliver on the inquiry’s recommendations and to ensure the transformation of the brigade is carried out as effectively and swiftly as possible.”
Roe will be responsible in helping Sir Martin Moore-Bick in phase two of his enquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire.
The inquiry will focus on factors that lead to the fire, including the use of flammable cladding in the building.
Roe said: “We have some real challenges ahead, but I’ll be working tirelessly with the Brigade, the Mayor and London’s communities to ensure we deliver on the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report.
“I’m looking forward to leading the Brigade through a period of transformation and delivering a workforce that truly reflects the diverse city we serve.”
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Roe is a former British Army Officer and has worked at the LFB since 2002.
He was made assistant commissioner in 2017, before being appointed deputy commissioner for operations just last month.