Paul Blomfield Former MP for Sheffield Central
I have been pushing the Government to sort out the crisis facing people who have bought homes in high-rise buildings with cladding and building safety problems – and to honour their promise that these leaseholders will have no costs to pay in making their homes safe.
Today Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick announced a package of measures for people who have bought flats in unsafe buildings across the country. He claimed it is a generous package, but it will be a huge disappointment to so many people who have been affected by the building safety scandal.
I wasn’t called to respond to the Secretary of State’s statement today so I wrote to him (see below), highlighting the challenges faced by residents of the Metis and Wicker Riverside buildings to illustrate the wider problem across my constituency and the country – and pressing for further action.
The money made available today only funds the removal of cladding, not the many other safety problems, and only for buildings above 18 metres. It leaves hundreds of thousands of people living in dangerous homes facing massive bills, or at best being eligible for a loan scheme, to fix problems not of their causing.
There is real cross-party concern about the issue, and I will continue to work with MPs and members of the Sheffield Cladding Action Group to ensure that homes are made safe and owners do not face bankruptcy.