蜜芽传媒

A Labour councillor for the Kensington and Chelsea ward where Grenfell tower is located has said the council "has been repeatedly criticised for the size of its reserves".

Robert Atkinson, who is also the only Labour member on the Council's audit and transparency committee, told 蜜芽传媒 Radio 4's World at One that while it was right to have reserves, they should be there for a purpose.

He said the way the council builds its reserves is to "deliberately underspend on its running budget".

Police say they believe 79 people are either dead, or missing presumed dead after a huge fire engulfed a west London tower block in the early hours of Wednesday 14 June but warn that that figure is likely to rise.

(Photo: Firefighter next to debris from the fire at the entrance to Grenfell Tower. Credit: London Metropolitan Police/ Getty Images)