cladding

Government boost funding for enforcement teams to quicken cladding repairs



The government has allocated over £8m for local council enforcement teams to pursue building owners refusing to begin or delaying cladding repairs.


The money from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will be split among 59 councils in England and prioritised for those with the highest number of unsafe buildings, particularly focused in London, Manchester and Birmingham.

Lee Rowley, minister for building safety, said: “Building owners must get essential cladding repairs done as quickly as possible and we will be relentless in pursuing those who do not.

“We are bolstering council enforcement operations, making them better equipped to make the most of the powers they have to hold freeholders to account and prevent them from dragging their heels.

“I look forward to working with councils to ensure we keep up the pressure on freeholders so they step up to the plate.”

Cllr Dora Dixon-Fyle, cabinet member for community safety at Southwark Council, added: “We’ve been taking enforcement action against private residential building owners who haven’t completed necessary cladding work for some years now, as part of our thorough fire safety measures that look to keep people safe.

“However, we have far more high-rise buildings than many other London boroughs, meaning that this funding will support a much-needed expansion of our work.”



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