Greater Manchester leaders urge the Government to act now to protect high rise residents
They've written a letter asking for urgent funding to complete fire safety work.
Last updated 8th Mar 2018
Leaders in Greater Manchester are urging the Government to provide immediate funding to carry out urgent fire safety work on high rise buildings following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid, the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham calls for help to cover the cost of the work - including the removal and replacement of dangerous cla
It echoes repeated calls from Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor and Chair of the Greater Manchester High Rise Taskforce, for ministers to provide local areas with the necessary funding to ensure the safety of high rise residents as quickly as possible.
Paul Dennett said: “I believe the government has yet to take full responsibility for this serious national issue. While we have taken swift action to reassure thousands of local residents living in high rise accommodation across the city-region, we cannot ignore the impacts of government austerity and cuts to local authority budgets and the lack of additional funding and resources from central government to address this issue of public safety.
“Local authorities and housing providers are already faced with significant and unanticipated costs to address fire safety concerns, and this crisis continues to unfold. Local people living in private accommodation, many of whom are first-time buyers, are now faced with significant hikes in service charges to ensure their homes are safe. The Government must act now and demonstrate that they are committed to the safety of high rise residents.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “This is an issue of increasing concern and one which the government must take urgent action to resolve. Government has already failed to provide local authorities and social landlords with additional funds to carry out fire safety works and now hard-pressed residents are faced with increases in service charge bills.
“While the safety of residents living in affected buildings is rightly our priority, it is clear to me that Greater Manchester residents should not be faced with this financial burden, which is putting many at risk of hardship with flats which are in effect now worth nothing.”
Greater Manchester is fully participating in the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and has already called for radical changes to legislation and regulatory guidance to put fire safety at the centre of building planning, design and construction.