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Ministers to introduce fire safety bill

Wednesday, 13 November 2024 14:01

By Chris Haines - ICNN Senedd reporter

Senedd.tv

Wales' housing secretary confirmed plans to bring forward a building safety bill in 2025, eight years after 72 people died in the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London.

Jayne Bryant told the Senedd that accountability will be at the heart of the bill, which will reform the regulation of safety risks in multi-occupied residential buildings.

Ms Bryant, who was appointed in July, said the new system will include all buildings containing two or more homes, with some exceptions, not only those of 18m or above.

The housing secretary described progress on fire safety in Wales as comparable to England, with Scotland and Northern Ireland both significantly behind.

Ms Bryant promised to emphasise the urgency of remediating fire safety issues during a meeting with developers this week.

'Unsafe'

The Conservatives' Janet Finch-Saunders said only 2% of buildings have completed the required safety work despite many promises by the Welsh Government.

The Aberconwy Senedd Member pointed out that ministers' plans to pass a building safety bill by 2026 will come more than eight years after the Grenfell Tower disaster.

She said those affected feel completely despondent: "Let's not forget, these people are living in unsafe, at-risk-of-fire properties, and they're unsellable – they are stuck in that situation."

Mark Isherwood, the Tory shadow housing secretary, warned delays and gaps persist despite claims progress is being made on building safety reforms.

Mr Isherwood, who chairs the Senedd's public accounts committee, said people's safety concerns should be prioritised rather than sidelined in bureaucracy.

'Uncertainty'

Siân Gwenllian, Plaid Cymru's shadow housing secretary, raised concerns about many tenants and residents living under clouds of uncertainty and risk for too long.

She said: "We need to ensure that developers keep to their commitments but also that the government has clear outcomes for any developers that fail to reach the standards."

Ms Gwenllian called for clarity on consequential funding for Wales after the UK Government budget, with investment in remediation set to rise to more than £1bn in 2025/26.

She stressed that funding will be central to success, saying: "We have to avoid any situation where financial deficit leaves some buildings unsafe."

She tentatively welcomed news that developer Watkin Jones has "at last" signed a deal to make properties safe at Victoria Dock in Caernarfon.

'Unacceptable'

Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats' leader in Wales, said it is unacceptable that addressing fire safety has taken so long following the Grenfell tragedy.

John Griffiths, who chairs the Senedd's housing committee, raised the disproportionate impact of the building safety crisis on disabled leaseholders.

Mr Griffiths also expressed concerns about remediation work at the nearby Celestia complex in Cardiff Bay being behind schedule and expected to take three years.

His Labour colleague Mike Hedges similarly raised constituents' concerns about delays to work at the Altamar building in Swansea.

Rhys ab Owen, an independent who represents South Wales Central, said accountability and transparency are chief among leaseholders' concerns.

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