Speeding up remediation of buildings “absolutely critical”: Deputy Prime Minister

The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, and Building Safety Minister, Rushanara Ali, have set out expectations for regulators and partners to “increase the pace” of remediating unsafe buildings, following a fire at a block of flats in Dagenham.

At a roundtable attended by the West Midlands Mayor, the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Deputy Mayor of London yesterday (28 August), Rayner said the new government would “expect more” from regulators and partners to make sure action is being taken to make homes safe, and called for faster remediation of buildings and for regulators and partners to ensure that people are safe in buildings undergoing remediation. 

Building Safety Minister Rushanara Ali said: “I would like to thank the emergency services, council and wider community for all they have done following the fire in Dagenham.

“It is absolutely essential that central and local government, regulators, and partners come together, as we have today, to drive fast and effective change to get buildings fixed, made safe and make sure residents are protected.”

The roundtable meeting was also attended by key representatives from the London Fire Brigade, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the Local Government Association, the Building Safety Regulator, and other key partners.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “Speeding up the remediation of buildings is absolutely critical.

“Seven years on from Grenfell, action has been far too slow and the fire in Dagenham is a horrific reminder of the risk unsafe cladding still poses to far too many people.

“This government will expect more from regulators and partners to make sure action is being taken now to make homes safe, speed up remediation and ensure that buildings in the process of being remediated are managed safely for residents.”

Lottie Winson