Fire written answers October 2020
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (1)
Question No: 2020/3454
Andrew Dismore
The recent Parliamentary Accounts Committee report in cladding remediation highlighted the lack of remediation being undertaken in the private sector. In London 34 out 144 private sector buildings identified as being in need of remediation have had remediation work completed. How are you encouraging private sector building owners to undertake necessary work?
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
I recently sent a letter to over 40 London building owners to demand that they put the safety of their residents first and begin work to remove unsafe ACM cladding immediately and to take all the necessary steps to accelerate their plans.
My Building Safety Team is working closely with London boroughs, London Fire Brigade and the Government on potential enforcement for those building owners failing to progress at pace. I have also called on Government to put more resource into the joint inspection team.
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (2)
Question No: 2020/3455
Andrew Dismore
MHCLG have set a target of Dec 31st 2021 for the completion of all remedial work for dangerous cladding. Is this achievable in London?
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
The target date of 31 December 2021 for the remediation of unsafe cladding to be complete is unlikely to be met. London has a much higher proportion of private high-rise blocks compared to the rest of the country and private sector blocks tend to have more complicated ownership structures and less co-operative owners. My team has found that many private building owners lack capability and experience in carrying out a major refurbishment to their building. The COVID-19 pandemic is causing yet further delays in remediating unsafe cladding. Finally, there is a shortage of competent professionals who are able to undertake cladding-related works, and a growing number have exclusions in their Professional Indemnity Insurance for cladding related work. When this is added to the Goverment delays in committing the funding in the first place, the December 2021 deadline is unlikely to be realised.
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (3)
Question No: 2020/3456
Andrew Dismore
MHCLG have set a target of Dec 31st 2021 for the completion of all remedial work for dangerous cladding. What factors make this deadline challenging?
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
There are a range of factors which render the December 2021 deadline for cladding remediation unlikely to be met. First, the Building Safety Fund is likely to be insufficient to fund all affected buildings. Second, many private building owners lack capability and experience in carrying out a major refurbishment to their building. In addition, there’s a shortage of competent professionals and a large number who cannot access professional indemnity insurance for cladding-related work. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought additional challenges by delaying works and inspections and, in many cases, the capacity on site has been reduced to follow Public Health England guidance.
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (4)
Question No: 2020/3457
Andrew Dismore
How many high-rise private sector building owners in London have had access to the bespoke technical and financial support offered by MHCLG?
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) appointed Faithful and Gould (F&G), a project and programme management consultancy, to provide technical remediation advisors to increase the pace of remediation of ACM high-rise buildings. In London, F&G are supporting 42 of the 59 buildings within the Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund, as well a number of other buildings outside the scope of the fund.
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (5)
Question No: 2020/3458
Andrew Dismore
MHCLG have set a target of Dec 31st 2021 for the completion of all remedial work for dangerous cladding. What work have MHCLG completed in order to make this deadline achievable?
Private sector remediation of dangerous cladding (5)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has set up the Social and Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Funds (SSCRF, PSCRF) and Building Safety Fund (BSF) to help with the costs of removing and replacing unsafe cladding systems from high-rise residential buildings. In addition, MHCLG has appointed a project management consultancy to provide technical remediation advice and increase the pace of remediation of ACM high-rise buildings. The Government also funded the Joint Inspection Team to inspect private sector high rise blocks with unsafe aluminium composite material cladding and support enforcement actions from local authorities. While all these measures are welcome, they are unlikely to be sufficient to make this deadline achievable.
Social and Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund and the Building Safety Fund (1)
Question No: 2020/3459
Andrew Dismore
How many grants have been made from these funds to date? Please provide a breakdown since the funds began, showing the size of grant; social, private residential, student, hotel or public building; and date of grant award.
Social and Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund and the Building Safety Fund (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
The GLA administers the Social and Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Funds (SSCRF and PSCRF) and the Building Safety Fund on behalf of the Government. To date, grant payments to the value of £95,861,773 have been made across 60 projects in the SSCRF and £2,171,018 have been paid across 15 projects in the PSCRF. No grant payments have been made in the Building Safety Fund as yet.
These figures are accurate as of 7 October 2020.
The Government’s cladding remediation funds only cover residential buildings in the social sector or where there are private leaseholders. Student housing, hotels and non-residential blocks are not eligible for funding.
Social and Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund and the Building Safety Fund (2)
Question No: 2020/3460
Andrew Dismore
What guidance has been provided by MHCLG to assess those buildings where residents are most at risk or where there is greatest need of remediation?
Social and Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund and the Building Safety Fund (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
The Government issued its consolidated advice note on building safety in January 2020. It can be accessed at the follow link:
Following the guidance of the Expert Panel, the Government has clearly stated that aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding poses the greatest risk to life and must be removed with urgency. Under the ACM funding programmes, there is a commitment to fully fund all eligible buildings that require Government funds to protect leaseholders from costs. However, the £1bn Building Safety Fund is unlikely to be sufficient to cover all eligible buildings. I have long called for a risk-based approach to be adopted for the Building Safety Fund, rather than the Government’s preferred ‘first-come-first-served’ approach to allocations.
Social and Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund and the Building Safety Fund (3)
Question No: 2020/3461
Andrew Dismore
How are you ensuring that funding is provided where there is currently greatest need of remediation?
Social and Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund and the Building Safety Fund (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
All decisions regarding the scope and design of the Government’s cladding remediation funds, and decisions on applications are carried out by the Government. Under the ACM funding programmes, there is a commitment to fully fund all eligible buildings that require Government funds to protect leaseholders from costs. However, the £1bn Building Safety Fund is unlikely to be sufficient to cover all eligible buildings. I have long called for a risk-based approach to be adopted for the Building Safety Fund, rather than The Government’s preferred ‘first-come-first-served’ approach to allocations.
The Building Safety Fund and Leaseholders
Question No: 2020/3462
Andrew Dismore
MHCLG accepts that the Building Safety Fund is not enough to cover the costs of all remediation. What safeguards does the fund put in place to stop leaseholders from being billed tens of thousands of pounds for the rest of the costs?
The Building Safety Fund and Leaseholders
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
I have repeatedly called on Government to provide the necessary funding and to expand the scope of the Building Safety Fund (BSF) to cover the cost of all unsafe buildings, and to ensure the BSF also covers the costs of waking watch and other interim fire safety measures so that leaseholders are not burdened with them.
Leaseholders of buildings with dangerous cladding
Question No: 2020/3463
Andrew Dismore
Leaseholders face rising insurance costs and becoming mortgage prisoners as a result of dangerous cladding on their buildings. What support are you offering to leaseholders in this position?
Leaseholders of buildings with dangerous cladding
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
I am extremely concerned about the issues many leaseholders face when insuring, selling, buying or re-mortgaging their homes.
In September 2020, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government raising my concerns about the External Wall Review process (ESW1) and outlining urgent actions the Government should to take to stop the devasting effects the EWS1 crisis is having. The letter can be found here:
Low-rise buildings with dangerous cladding (1)
Question No: 2020/3464
Andrew Dismore
What dangers do you believe that buildings under 18m with dangerous cladding pose to residents?
Low-rise buildings with dangerous cladding (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
Several recent damaging fires in buildings below 18 metres have demonstrated the danger that unsafe cladding presents to residents. I have always been clear that fire risk does not adhere to strict height thresholds.
While I welcomed the Government’s decision to review the ban on the use of combustible materials within external wall systems, with a view to lower the threshold to 11m in height, I have long called for this ban to apply to all new buildings, irrespective of height or use. The consultation on this review closed on 25 May 2020 and we are still awaiting the Government’s response.
I have already implemented tougher fire safety requirements in the London Development Panel 2 (LDP2). As such, all new contracts for housing development on publicly owned land, commissioned via LDP2, require sprinklers in blocks of flats and higher-risk buildings, and extends the combustible cladding ban to residential buildings of any height.
Low-rise buildings with dangerous cladding (2)
Question No: 2020/3465
Andrew Dismore
How many buildings are there under 18m with dangerous cladding in London?
Low-rise buildings with dangerous cladding (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
The GLA does not hold this information. The current data collection exercise on external wall systems, commissioned by MHCLG and carried out by local authorities, is only undertaken for buildings of 18m or above in height.
LFB Transformation and COVID-9
Question No: 2020/3466
Andrew Dismore
How have budget changes due to COVID-19 impacted the LFB Transformation?
Answer for LFB Transformation and COVID-9
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
LFB Property Transformation Update
Question No: 2020/3467
Andrew Dismore
Please provide an update on the LFB’s Property Transformation project.
Answer for LFB Property Transformation Update
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Question No: 2020/3468
Andrew Dismore
The recent LFB Budget monitoring report suggests that there is a significant overspend due to overtime as a result of vacancies not being filled. What measures have been put in place to address this and improve recruitment?
Answer for Recruitment of LFB staff
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Fire Safety Inspecting Officers (1)
Question No: 2020/3469
Andrew Dismore
How many fire safety inspecting officers does LFB currently employ and how many does it predict it will need to deal with future demand?
Answer for Fire Safety Inspecting Officers (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Fire Safety Inspecting Officers (2)
Question No: 2020/3470
Andrew Dismore
What are the challenges to recruiting Fire Safety Inspecting Officers?
Answer for Fire Safety Inspecting Officers (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Fire Safety Inspecting Officers (3)
Question No: 2020/3471
Andrew Dismore
How is LFB changing its approach to the recruitment of Fire Safety Inspecting Officers in order to fill vacancies more quickly?
Answer for Fire Safety Inspecting Officers (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Dangerous cladding and care homes
Question No: 2020/3472
Andrew Dismore
The recent Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee report ‘Progress in Remediating Dangerous Cladding’ found that there is no current data on low-rise care homes, sheltered homes or hospitals in need of remediation due to dangerous cladding. Will you commit to providing data on such buildings in London?
Dangerous cladding and care homes
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
The GLA does not hold this information. The data collection exercise on external wall systems, commissioned by the Government and carried out by local authorities, was undertaken for buildings of 18 metres in height or above only. There is currently no such data for buildings below 18 metres.
Training and cladding remediation work (1)
Question No: 2020/3473
Andrew Dismore
The National Audit Office found that there is a shortage of the skills and personnel needed to complete remediation work. How are you mitigating against this in London?
Training and cladding remediation work (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
I wrote recently to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on behalf of London’s leaseholders, to outline my grave concerns with the External Wall Review (EWS) process.
I called for urgent and sustained action to deal with the matter, including that the government should set up a training and accreditation programme – which involves higher level learning and therefore is outside the remit of the adult education budget for which City Hall has responsibility – to vastly increase the number of competent professionals that can carry out safety inspections of external walls. Whilst this may take some time to establish, it will be essential in making the new building safety regime a success in the future. In the short-term, this programme should focus on upskilling existing professionals in the sector to specialise in the safety of external wall systems.
Training and cladding remediation work (2)
Question No: 2020/3474
Andrew Dismore
How is Skills for Londoners being used to address the shortage of skilled personnel in cladding remediation work?
Training and cladding remediation work (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
Skills for Londoners supports the Mayor’s Construction Academy (MCA) which aims to increase the number of Londoners able to work in the construction sector. Whilst there is no targeted support for cladding remediation work, the MCA Hubs provide a connecting point between those helping develop the workforce, whether employers or training providers, or the people that want to be part of that workforce. Part of that role is to promote career opportunities and progression to higher level professional occupations in the sector, such as surveying, site management and Building Information Modelling (BIM).
Question No: 2020/3475
Andrew Dismore
How does the recent £7.6milliion contract announced with Interserve1 represent good value for money to LFB?
1 This week in FM ‘£7.6m London Fire Brigade contract awarded to Interserve’ [Date accessed 17.09.20]
Answer for Interserve and LFB
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Encouraging Diversity and LFB (1)
Question No: 2020/3476
Andrew Dismore
The 2018/19 HMICFRS report found that not all stations provided suitable privacy and facilities for women. How is this being addressed and improvements made?
Answer for Encouraging Diversity and LFB (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Encouraging Diversity and LFB (2)
Question No: 2020/3477
Andrew Dismore
Following the HMICFRS report of 2018/19 what have been identified as being the barriers to LFB having a more diverse workforce? How are these barriers being addressed?
Answer for Encouraging Diversity and LFB (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Encouraging Diversity and LFB (3)
Question No: 2020/3478
Andrew Dismore
Have improvements been seen in the diversity of the LFB workforce since the HMICFRS report?
Answer for Encouraging Diversity and LFB (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Question No: 2020/3479
Andrew Dismore
Are you concerned that survivors and bereaved from the Grenfell Fire Inquiry are being limited in how many can attend the ongoing inquiry; and if so what will you do about it?
Grenfell Fire Inquiry
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
The Grenfell Inquiry is holding limited attendance hearings and has been doing so since the hearings resumed on 6 July 2020. The Inquiry has made this decision based on risks of Covid-19 and the size of the venue, which limits numbers of attendees who can be safely present. This does, unfortunately, prohibit any bereaved or survivors attending the Inquiry, but I support the Inquiry’s decision to prioritise safety. The Inquiry had recently been considering making changes to these rules and allowing a limited number of bereaved, residents and survivors to attend the Inquiry but this has been postponed due to the Covid-19 alert level rising to level 4.
In the meantime, the bereaved, residents and survivors can continue to follow the hearings in real time online, and measures have been put in place for the Inquiry lawyers in the venue to be contactable.
London Building Safety Summit follow up
Question No: 2020/3480
Andrew Dismore
What actions will you be taking forward following the London building safety summit?
London Building Safety Summit follow up
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
At the London Cladding Action Summit it was agreed that London boroughs, MHCLG and the GLA would work together using case conferencing meetings to deal with buildings at a borough level. Officers from the GLA’s Building Safety team have been attending these meetings. The second Summit is scheduled for 15 October 2020.
Recommendations from the report ‘Progress in remediating dangerous cladding’
Question No: 2020/3481
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree with the recommendations in the Public Accounts Committee report ‘Progress in remediating dangerous cladding’ and what more will you do to ensure remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding is expedited in London?
Recommendations from the report ‘Progress in remediating dangerous cladding’
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
I agree with many of the recommendations in the Public Accounts Committee report and I welcome the Committee’s scrutiny of the Government’s handling of the building safety crisis since the fire at Grenfell Tower.
My team will continue to work closely with the Government and building owners applying to the cladding remediation funds to ensure applications for funding are moving forward as quickly as possible. Getting grant approved is vital on those buildings where funding is a barrier to remediation.
5 key steps to address the EWS crisis (1)
Question No: 2020/3482
Andrew Dismore
In a recent Inside Housing article you revealed that you had written to the Government with 5 key steps to address the EWS crisis1. Please publish the letter sent including the 5 steps recommended.
1 Inside Housing, ‘Sadiq Khan urges Government to take ‘urgent action’ to fix EWS crisis with 5 key steps’ [Date accessed 24.09.20]
5 key steps to address the EWS crisis (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
My letter to the Government with five key steps to address the EWS1 crisis is already available on London.gov where all my responses and correspondence on building safety can be found. More details on my most recent letter can be found in the following link:
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/rt_hon_robert_jenrick_mp_21_09_20.pdf
5 key steps to address the EWS crisis (2)
Question No: 2020/3483
Andrew Dismore
Please provide details of any response you have had from Government to your letter with 5 key steps to address the EWS crisis.
5 key steps to address the EWS crisis (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 19 October, 2020
As of 8 October 2020, I had received no response from the Government to my recent letter addressing the EWS1 crisis.
Grenfell inquiry representation
Question No: 2020/3484
Andrew Dismore
Will you lobby the Government to ask for a representative of the local community to sit as the third panellist on the Grenfell Inquiry?
Grenfell inquiry representation
The Mayor
Last updated: 20 October, 2020
It is unacceptable that eight months have passed since the resignation of Benita Mehra and the search for a replacement third panel member is still ongoing. I have raised this issue with Government on 29 January 2020, 12 June 2020 and again on the 29 July 2020.
Not only is a diverse panel essential for the full trust of the Grenfell community, it will also serve to ensure that the Inquiry can comply with its legal duties including those under the Equality Act 2010. It is key that an independent panel member is appointed as soon as possible to avoid undermining the Inquiry process.
