Fast money required to handle London’s dangerous cladding crisis
More government money is demanded by the London Assembly to hasten the removal of dangerous cladding from thousands of London buildings. This is true of over half of the high-rise buildings in England with dangerous cladding situated in London.
Based on most recent statistics, just 27% of London’s high-risk buildings have been completely restored. Without more money, the Assembly has cautioned that the present rate of cladding removal could stretch to 2035, endangering thousands of residents.
Chair of the Assembly’s fire committee, Hina Bokhari underlined the need of quick resolution of fire safety concerns. She urged the government to provide the required money to enforce more stringent safety rules and guarantee complete application of lessons learned from the Grenfell tragedy.
The National Audit Office has also expressed concerns; up to 60% of buildings with dangerous cladding are still unknown. Given these buildings seriously increase fire risk, this emphasizes the urgency of the problem.
Andy Roe, Commissioner of London Fire Brigade, has underlined that tall building fire safety rules still need development. He supported a “College of Fire and Rescue” to guarantee that safety criteria are complied with generally and offer specific training.
Still, building this college and other safety enhancements would call for significant financial support. Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe repeated this, pointing out that efficient enhancement of safety depends on covering training and equipment costs.
Mayor Sadiq Khan responded by promising to cooperate with the government to get more money. Although the government recently committed £1 billion to remove dangerous cladding, supporters argue more funds are still required to speed the process and safeguard London’s citizens.
After a recent fire in Dagenham, the demand for more money comes from a roundtable discussion with Housing Secretary Angela Rayner. Officials wish the government would understand the need of acting fast to stop more tragedies.