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P2-46

Revise London Gold arrangements guidance

Grenfell Tower Inquiry · Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report · Issued 4 September 2024 · Addressed to: London Authorities

Government responseUK Government: Accepted (Feb 2025)

DeliveryMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says in progress (Sep 2026)

Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry

●Inquiry recommendation

Events demonstrated, however, that there is a need for a clearer understanding of the nature of the London Gold arrangements, in particular in situations in which a single borough is affected. We therefore recommend that the guidance on the operation of those arrangements be revised and that existing and newly appointed chief executives be given regular training to ensure they are familiar with its principles. (113.70)

Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report · 4 Sep 2024 Source PDF →

Published evidence summary

AI-generated evidence summary

Reporting on progress by London authorities in September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stated that publication of an updated London Local Authority Concept of Operations had been delayed, with drafting underway for release by the end of that month following completed reviews of Gold operating procedures (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). The department previously reported in February 2026 that revised operating procedures had been circulated in September 2025, while a regional Gold training programme for chief executives and senior officers had been established and embedded into the annual regional schedule (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Feb 2026; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026).

AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026.

Government response

●UK Government · Accepted · 26 Feb 2025

Words of: HM Government, Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report: Government response (CP 1248), presented to Parliament by the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, 26 February 2025

The government supports this recommendation made towards London local authorities and the London Local Authorities Regional Resilience Board. London’s resilience structures are set out under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and its statutory guidance, Emergency Preparedness. These require one strategic pan-London multiagency partnership as well as separate ‘Borough Resilience Forum’ partnerships for each London borough and the City of London. The London Local Authorities Regional Resilience Board supports London local authorities in undertaking their resilience responsibilities under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. This includes ownership of the London Gold arrangements, which the Board has been working to reform since the Grenfell Tower tragedy. This has included updating London Gold operational procedures, publishing updated guidance for chief executives, proactive engagement from the Regional Resilience Board to local authorities on notification of an emergency incident, and development of a training programme for all London chief executives and other senior council officers on London Gold arrangements planned for delivery in 2025. A further review of London Gold procedures is planned this year to confirm they meet this Inquiry recommendation.

Extract from: Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report: Government response (HTML version)

Site note: This is the government's response to the Phase 2 report (CP 1248, published 26 February 2025). It prints each recommendation and then the response to it. Where the recommendation is addressed to a body outside government, the response prints that body's own acceptance (the Architects Registration Board and RIBA, HMICFRS, London Fire Brigade, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the British Standards Institution, the National Police Chiefs' Council), and the row is filed under that body.

Site note: This recommendation is addressed to London local authorities and the London Local Authorities Regional Resilience Board. The passage is the government's: it "supports" the recommendation, which is the government's position, not the authorities' own acceptance, and the row is filed under the UK Government. The site records no response from the authorities themselves.

Delivery

●Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says in progress · 10 Sep 2026

Timeline for delivery
2025
- First Regional Gold Training Course to be delivered in autumn 2025. – Complete
2026
- Regional Gold Training incorporated into Annual Training Programme for financial year 2026 to 2027 in spring 2026. – Complete
- Next iteration of the London Local Authority Concept of Operations published in spring 2026. – (Q3, Jul to Sep)

From: Progress report September 2026: implementation timeline for Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations (part of Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Progress Report: September 2026)

Site note: This is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's progress report of September 2026 on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, fire and rescue services, the British Standards Institution or the Cabinet Office, it is the Ministry's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry.

Earlier statements on delivery (0)

●Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · 10 Sep 2026

The publication of an updated London Local Authority Concept of Operations was delayed to allow reviews of specific workstreams referenced in the document to conclude.

These workstreams relate to key areas of London local authority activity and roles, including London Local Authority Gold Operating Procedures, Local Authority Liaison Officer training, Resilience Advisor guidance, and Emergency Centre Guidance. The review is now complete and we have begun drafting a full version.

The final version will then be published by the end of September 2026. The document will ensure that London local authorities continue to provide up-to-date information, in one place, about how they support communities and partner agencies in the response and recovery to emergencies.

From: Progress report September 2026: response and recovery (part of Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Progress Report: September 2026)

Site note: This is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's progress report of September 2026 on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, fire and rescue services, the British Standards Institution or the Cabinet Office, it is the Ministry's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry.

●Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · 25 Feb 2026

All relevant documentation supporting regional local authority response system have been reviewed by a Standardisation Board which reports to the Local Authority Regional Resilience Board. Additionally, briefings for new Chief Executives to London now include more emphasis on the need for early engagement with affected local authorities and their involvement in all Strategic Coordination Group meetings.

The final consultation on London Local Authority Gold Operating procedures has been completed by London local authorities. The updated version of the procedures was circulated to all London local authorities in September 2025.

The London Local Authority Concept of Operations, which includes all elements of the local and regional local authority response and recovery system is in the process of being reviewed and the next iteration will be published by the end of March 2026.

A new local authority specific regional gold training offer has been developed over the past year. This training is focused on chief executives, senior officers on the aspiring chief executives programme and officers on local gold rotas. To date, three courses have been delivered and a further course is scheduled to take place in February 2026. This course is now embedded into the annual London local authority regional training programme. From April 2026, the focus will be on delivering a minimum of four courses per year and developing a refresher training to complement the main course. The pilot refresher course is expected to take place towards the end of 2026.

From: Annual Report February 2026: response and recovery (part of Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Annual Report: February 2026)

Site note: This is the annex of the government's Phase 2 annual report (CP 1512, published 25 February 2026) as GOV.UK publishes it, one page per theme: the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's account. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, the British Standards Institution, the Health and Safety Executive or the Cabinet Office, it is the report's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry. The status is what the passage says: completed only where it says the recommendation is complete or closed.

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The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.