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| Local councils are still failing to carry out emergency tower block inspections | Local councils are still failing to carry out emergency tower block inspections |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Despite assurances from cabinet ministers that “teams of people” are urgently inspecting tower blocks across the UK, some councils have so far taken little action, the Observer has established. | Despite assurances from cabinet ministers that “teams of people” are urgently inspecting tower blocks across the UK, some councils have so far taken little action, the Observer has established. |
| Of 10 local authorities with significant numbers of tower blocks that were contacted, only three could confirm they had conducted any on-site inspections since Wednesday. Damian Green, the prime minister’s deputy, and Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, have claimed that councils have been inspecting the estimated 4,000 high-rise blocks across the country. | Of 10 local authorities with significant numbers of tower blocks that were contacted, only three could confirm they had conducted any on-site inspections since Wednesday. Damian Green, the prime minister’s deputy, and Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, have claimed that councils have been inspecting the estimated 4,000 high-rise blocks across the country. |
| Authorities in Aberdeen, Sheffield and Haringey, north London have inspected their tower blocks to some degree, with more planned next week. But in Bristol, officials say they are “currently assessing what inspections, if any, we need to carry out”. In Harlow, Essex, council officers “will be hand-delivering letters to all tower block residents next week”. And in Barnet, London, officials could only say that there would be a “further urgent review” of cladding systems installed on their tower blocks. | Authorities in Aberdeen, Sheffield and Haringey, north London have inspected their tower blocks to some degree, with more planned next week. But in Bristol, officials say they are “currently assessing what inspections, if any, we need to carry out”. In Harlow, Essex, council officers “will be hand-delivering letters to all tower block residents next week”. And in Barnet, London, officials could only say that there would be a “further urgent review” of cladding systems installed on their tower blocks. |
| Councils in Coventry, Sandwell, and the London boroughs of Newham and Brent were unable to say if they had carried out any inspections or even how many tower blocks they had. | Councils in Coventry, Sandwell, and the London boroughs of Newham and Brent were unable to say if they had carried out any inspections or even how many tower blocks they had. |
| The government, local councils and housing associations have been under growing pressure from residents to confirm that their tower blocks are not at risk of the sort of blaze that destroyed Grenfell Tower and claimed many dozens of lives. In Bristol, a resident has applied for a court order via Duncan Lewis solicitors to stop a £66m refurbishment programme which involves re-facing 45 blocks of flats. | The government, local councils and housing associations have been under growing pressure from residents to confirm that their tower blocks are not at risk of the sort of blaze that destroyed Grenfell Tower and claimed many dozens of lives. In Bristol, a resident has applied for a court order via Duncan Lewis solicitors to stop a £66m refurbishment programme which involves re-facing 45 blocks of flats. |
| Residents in London have also demanded answers. At Chalcot estate in Swiss Cottage and Adair Tower in Kensington, residents say they are worried that cladding attached to their buildings might also help a fire spread. | Residents in London have also demanded answers. At Chalcot estate in Swiss Cottage and Adair Tower in Kensington, residents say they are worried that cladding attached to their buildings might also help a fire spread. |
| “There are a lot of nervous people around,” said David Sibert, the Fire Brigades Union’s fire safety adviser. “I’m sure people have moved out of their flats to stay with friends because this has happened. We need to be able to reassure people that they are safe.” | “There are a lot of nervous people around,” said David Sibert, the Fire Brigades Union’s fire safety adviser. “I’m sure people have moved out of their flats to stay with friends because this has happened. We need to be able to reassure people that they are safe.” |
| He said standard fire safety inspections should be carried out, to ensure each flat could contain a fire. “Things like holes in walls, doors hanging off their hinges, PVC front doors that burn through very quickly – these are all important,” he said. Councils should also consider hiring a security guard to keep an eye on buildings at night, he added. | He said standard fire safety inspections should be carried out, to ensure each flat could contain a fire. “Things like holes in walls, doors hanging off their hinges, PVC front doors that burn through very quickly – these are all important,” he said. Councils should also consider hiring a security guard to keep an eye on buildings at night, he added. |
| “We can’t wait months for an inquiry. We’ve got to put measures in place as soon as possible. If we find a building clad in exactly the same stuff, we should lock the doors, find somewhere for the residents to live for a while, and rip off all the cladding. How could you do anything else?” | “We can’t wait months for an inquiry. We’ve got to put measures in place as soon as possible. If we find a building clad in exactly the same stuff, we should lock the doors, find somewhere for the residents to live for a while, and rip off all the cladding. How could you do anything else?” |
| The problem facing the government is that it does not know exactly how many tower blocks there are in the UK, nor how many have cladding. | The problem facing the government is that it does not know exactly how many tower blocks there are in the UK, nor how many have cladding. |
| On Friday, Javid’s Department for Communities and Local Government began what it called an emergency fire safety review – an audit of information held by councils and housing associations. It asked them to identify how many of their tower blocks had more than six storeys, give details of on any external cladding or refurbishments that had taken place in the past 15 years. When asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday if there were teams of people examining buildings, Javid said: “That work has already begun. There will be emergency inspections of all similar buildings across the country. The work is starting now.” | On Friday, Javid’s Department for Communities and Local Government began what it called an emergency fire safety review – an audit of information held by councils and housing associations. It asked them to identify how many of their tower blocks had more than six storeys, give details of on any external cladding or refurbishments that had taken place in the past 15 years. When asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday if there were teams of people examining buildings, Javid said: “That work has already begun. There will be emergency inspections of all similar buildings across the country. The work is starting now.” |
| The results were due to be shared with ministers on Saturday afternoon, according to Green, the first secretary of state. “Councils around the country have spent the last couple of days inspecting those blocks very hard,” he said on Saturday. “I know there’s a lot of speculation about the cladding but we don’t know whether it was the cladding. I know that councils are doing wider inspections to make sure that similar blocks are safe.” | The results were due to be shared with ministers on Saturday afternoon, according to Green, the first secretary of state. “Councils around the country have spent the last couple of days inspecting those blocks very hard,” he said on Saturday. “I know there’s a lot of speculation about the cladding but we don’t know whether it was the cladding. I know that councils are doing wider inspections to make sure that similar blocks are safe.” |
| Bristol city council, which has 59 tower blocks, said: “We are currently assessing what inspections, if any, we need to carry out. All our blocks have up-to-date fire risk assessments.” The assessments are checked annually, Bristol said. | Bristol city council, which has 59 tower blocks, said: “We are currently assessing what inspections, if any, we need to carry out. All our blocks have up-to-date fire risk assessments.” The assessments are checked annually, Bristol said. |
| Barnet Homes, which runs 24 blocks for Barnet council, said 10 of its blocks had cladding and that it “will be undertaking a further urgent review of any cladding system installed on its housing blocks”. “A comprehensive set of fire risk assessments are in place, and we will be reviewing these in line with London Fire Brigade recommendations.” Barnet council was unable to say if inspections had taken place. | Barnet Homes, which runs 24 blocks for Barnet council, said 10 of its blocks had cladding and that it “will be undertaking a further urgent review of any cladding system installed on its housing blocks”. “A comprehensive set of fire risk assessments are in place, and we will be reviewing these in line with London Fire Brigade recommendations.” Barnet council was unable to say if inspections had taken place. |
| Harlow has 14 tower blocks, but only one has cladding, made from “solid, ‘non-combustible’ materials”, a spokesman said. “To provide extra reassurance council housing officers will be hand-delivering letters to all tower block residents next week.”In contrast, Aberdeen city council, which has 11 cladded buildings and seven more being over-clad, said it had carried out inspections, including “checks on the installation and maintenance of all fire alarms”.“We have worked closely with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and have already fully reviewed all of our over-cladded buildings,” a spokeswoman said. | Harlow has 14 tower blocks, but only one has cladding, made from “solid, ‘non-combustible’ materials”, a spokesman said. “To provide extra reassurance council housing officers will be hand-delivering letters to all tower block residents next week.”In contrast, Aberdeen city council, which has 11 cladded buildings and seven more being over-clad, said it had carried out inspections, including “checks on the installation and maintenance of all fire alarms”.“We have worked closely with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and have already fully reviewed all of our over-cladded buildings,” a spokeswoman said. |
| Homes for Haringey, which has 54 blocks of which 12 have cladding, said its staff “have visited every high-rise block and inspected the communal areas and access routes to ensure they are clear. During the next week our fire risk assessors will be visiting every high-rise block to review the fire risk assessments and speak to residents.” | Homes for Haringey, which has 54 blocks of which 12 have cladding, said its staff “have visited every high-rise block and inspected the communal areas and access routes to ensure they are clear. During the next week our fire risk assessors will be visiting every high-rise block to review the fire risk assessments and speak to residents.” |
| Sheffield has 24 tower blocks, and 21 have metal cladding. A spokeswoman for Sheffield city council said: “Checks will be carried out from Monday by South Yorkshire fire and rescue officers, who already assess the buildings on a regular basis. This is in addition to the daily checks carried out in all buildings by housing staff.” | Sheffield has 24 tower blocks, and 21 have metal cladding. A spokeswoman for Sheffield city council said: “Checks will be carried out from Monday by South Yorkshire fire and rescue officers, who already assess the buildings on a regular basis. This is in addition to the daily checks carried out in all buildings by housing staff.” |
| The FBU said that the government’s approach of auditing council information was a sensible step. “We need to create a database,” Sibert said. “We don’t know what happened, we do know that the unique factor was the cladding. But we don’t what it was about the cladding yet. So we need a database of blocks of flats around the country so that when we do find out what the problem was at Grenfell Tower, we know if other blocks are at risk. | The FBU said that the government’s approach of auditing council information was a sensible step. “We need to create a database,” Sibert said. “We don’t know what happened, we do know that the unique factor was the cladding. But we don’t what it was about the cladding yet. So we need a database of blocks of flats around the country so that when we do find out what the problem was at Grenfell Tower, we know if other blocks are at risk. |
| “It may well be that we need to develop a new test, an ad hoc test that simulates fires in real environments.” At the moment, substances are fire tested either through a surface flame test or a small-scale combustion test. “Both those are small-scale tests – we might need a medium-scale test if we discover that the cladding at Grenfell Tower would have passed those tests.” | “It may well be that we need to develop a new test, an ad hoc test that simulates fires in real environments.” At the moment, substances are fire tested either through a surface flame test or a small-scale combustion test. “Both those are small-scale tests – we might need a medium-scale test if we discover that the cladding at Grenfell Tower would have passed those tests.” |
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