Scotland Yard has sent 20 files of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service over the Grenfell fire including documents which leave Kensington and Chelsea Council facing a corporate manslaughter charge.

Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council Elizabeth Campbell

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The local authority stressed that the CPS would now independently review the evidence to decide whether to bring charges.

Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said: “This is a significant moment for all bereaved family members, survivors, residents and all those affected by Grenfell.

“Our thoughts remain first and foremost with them and the 72 people who lost their lives. We hope that the legal process gives people the answers they seek.”

She added: “We have accepted the Council’s failings, and our commitment to candour, openness, and accountability has not changed.”

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner confirmed the department she now heads was notified in 2023 that it was under investigation.

A file relating to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has also been referred to the CPS in relation to a potential breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, she said.

Andy Burnham at Labour’s conference

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Earlier, Andy Burnham criticised the length of time being taken to deliver justice for the victims, their families, and survivors of the Grenfell blaze.

Speaking from Labour’s conference in Liverpool, he told 5 News: “Well, it has taken too long, but at least it has been submitted to be fair to the Metropolitan Police.

“It has been a complex and wide-ranging investigation and they've had to do it in a forensic way, dealing with multiple organisations.”

But he added: “I will work to support the Grenfell families and to ensure they get the justice and accountability that they deserve.”

More than 70 people were killed in the fire in west London

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On Wednesday morning, announcing the passing of the files to the CPS, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth said: “This is a milestone moment in the police investigation into this devastating tragedy which took the lives of 72 people.

“Our dedicated team of 220 investigators has worked incredibly hard to honour our commitment to the bereaved, survivors, residents and all those affected by the fire to meet this timescale.

“We appreciate, of course, it has taken nine years to get to this point.

“As we have said before, this is one of the most complex investigations ever undertaken by any UK law enforcement agency - the scale is truly enormous.”

The CPS has committed to making the charging decisions before the 10th anniversary of the fire in June 2027.

But trials are not expected to start before 2029, 12 years after the blaze.

An aerial picture shows the remains of the residential tower block Grenfell Tower, as work to demolish it continues

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Joe Delaney, of the Justice4Grenfell campaign, told The Standard: "Once again we have had a re-announcement of an announcement that we should have had nine years ago.

“Justice delayed is justice denied."

Investigators have looked at the role of more than 15,000 people and 700 organisations as part of the mammoth inquiry, and have submitted 12,600 pages of evidence to the CPS.

A total of 14,700 statements have been taken and more than 27,000 exhibits, including cladding, insulation, doors, windows and other parts of the building, down to screws, nuts and bolts, are stored in a secure warehouse.

Scale replica parts of the tower are being built at a cost of £2 million in anticipation of potential court proceedings.

Grenfell Inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick

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The public inquiry into the deadly blaze found that it had been preceded by “decades of failure” by governments and the building industry to act on the dangers of flammable materials on high-rise buildings.

It also found victims, the bereaved and survivors were “badly failed” through incompetence, dishonesty and greed.

The tower block was covered in combustible products because of the “systematic dishonesty” of firms which made and sold the cladding and insulation, inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick said in his final report in 2024.

He also condemned the “deliberate and sustained” manipulation of fire safety testing, misrepresentation of test data and misleading of the market.