Agenda item

The amendment in the name of Councillor Anne Clarke was put to the vote.

The votes were recorded as follows:

*Cllr Zinkin did not take part in the vote as he declared a pecuniary interest in the item.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Anne Clarke was declared LOST.

The substantive motion in the name of Councillor Sarah Wardle was put to the vote

The votes were recorded as follows:

*Cllr Zinkin did not take part in the vote as he declared a pecuniary interest in the item.

RESOVLED that:

Council notes:

1.    There is a national issue whereby some buildings were clad with materials that are dangerous and have now been banned, including several within Barnet.

2.    Dangerous cladding has led to catastrophes in the UK, such as the fire in Grenfell Tower of 2017.

3.    In light of the Grenfell fire, the Council set aside £30million to improve fire safety measures across its housing stock. The Council swiftly assessed our Council-owned blocks and took the necessary action to support residents, with £7million being spent to replace cladding on three local tower blocks.

4.    Hendon MP Matthew Offord has launched a petition urging urges the Government to take immediate action to complete necessary remedial cladding work at no cost to leaseholders.

5.    Inside Housing published “10 steps to End Our Cladding Scandal”, based on the recommendations of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee.

Council believes that:

1.    People should feel safe in their own homes, and it is unacceptable for any people to live in homes that are dangerously clad.

2.    Residents who bought new-build flats should not have to pay for remedial works to address cladding safety.

Council resolves to:

Support Inside Housing’s 10 steps that must be taken to End Our Cladding Scandal:

a)    The government must lead an urgent national effort to remove all dangerous cladding from buildings by June 2022.

b)   The Building Safety Fund must cover all buildings, regardless of height, and a range of internal and external fire safety defects, not just cladding.

c)    The government should provide the money up front and then seek to recover it from any responsible parties or via a temporary levy on development.

d)   Social housing providers must have full and equal access to the fund. The government must compel building owners or managers to be honest with residents about fire safety defects.

e)    The government should cover the cost of interim safety measures. The government should act as an insurer of last resort and underwrite insurance where premiums have soared.

f)     A fairer, faster process is needed to replace the EWS form and funding is necessary to ensure all buildings requiring a form are surveyed within 12 months.

Mental health support must be offered to affected residents. j. Protecting residents from historic and future costs must be a key commitment of new building safety legislation.