Title

HOUSING

Government 'appears complacent' over tackling cladding crisis

The Government ‘appears complacent’ about the fact that there is insufficient capacity and skills across local government to address the dangerous cladding crisis, MPs have warned.

Re-cladding work on a block of flats in east London, England © Fred Duval/Shutterstock.com

Re-cladding work on a block of flats in east London, England © Fred Duval/Shutterstock.com

The Government ‘appears complacent' about the fact that there is insufficient capacity and skills across local government to address the dangerous cladding crisis, MPs have warned.

In a report published today, the Public Accounts Commission (PAC) said the Government still did not know how many buildings have dangerous cladding eight years after the Grenfell fire, how much full remediation will cost or how long it will take.

Last month the Government published its response to the Grenfell inquiry, promising a ‘sweeping transformation to enhance building and fire safety standards'.

However, campaigners told the PAC the plan was ‘insufficiently ambitious' and ‘at risk of not delivering what is promised'.

According to the PAC report, there are potentially 7,000 unsafe buildings that have yet to be identified and the Government has yet to find a way to secure financial contributions from manufacturers of dangerous cladding. 

Housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association, Adam Hug, said the cladding crisis was a major issue that ‘requires significant funding and resource to address properly'.

A Government spokesperson said: ‘This Government has been taking tough and decisive action after years of dither and delay, going further than ever before to speed up the unacceptably slow pace of remediation and provide an end in sight for residents who have suffered for too long.

‘We continue to work closely with industry, local authorities and residents to accelerate remediation efforts while ensuring those responsible for unsafe buildings cover the costs, with new penalties and criminal sanctions on building owners that refuse to take action.'

 

HOUSING

Flags, free speech and duty of care

By Pam Parkes | 21 October 2025

Pam Parkes says that in a polarised climate, issues of identity and belonging will continue to surface, including flags. The challenge for councils is to fac...

HOUSING

Building teams with the complementary leadership strengths to tackle devolution

By Elle Robinson | 20 October 2025

Elle Robinson explains how Hanover’s Leadership Code and its archetypes can support councils to manage the complexities of devolution.

HOUSING

LGR could be what adult social care needs

By Cllr Daniel Cowan | 20 October 2025

Cllr Daniel Cowan says reorganisation offers an opportunity to reimagine adult social care, and a five-unitary model for Essex would reduce reliance on the h...

HOUSING

Navigating the new procurement landscape

By Jonathan Werran | 16 October 2025

A Localis study puts forward a series of recommendations on how councils can make the most of the new procurement landscape. Jonathan Werran says local autho...

Popular articles by William Eichler