Seven years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in which 72 people lost their lives there is no end in sight to the controversy over who is to blame and who is to pay. The longer this goes on, the more damage is being done to the reputation of an entire industry, in the eyes of the public.
A report from the National Audit Office (NAO) in November highlighted that there hasn’t yet been any deadline given by the government for when works to eradicate dangerous cladding should be completed. Developers of the affected buildings are dragging their feet about stumping up for remediation costs and disputes are causing delays, says the NAO.
The NAO says up to 60% of buildings of over 11 metres with dangerous cladding – estimated to total between 9,000 and 12,000 – have not even been fully identified, and says progress of remediation for buildings within the government’s portfolio of some 4,771 buildings needing remediation as slow.
Remediation work has yet to start on over half of buildings in the portfolio, and is in progress for a fifth, with around one third complete. Of all 9,000-12,000 potentially in scope, work is complete for only 12-16%.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has predicted that completing cladding remediation will take until 2035. Total estimated remediation costs currently stands at £16.6 billion.
The damage done to the reputation of the construction industry has been severe, and the foot dragging by some companies and organisations over admitting culpability only makes that worse. The House of Lords has joined in the industry bashing, with a debate on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 in November.
In his opening address to the House, Lord Khan of Burnley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, confirmed that the Cabinet Office has written to companies singled out in the inquiry report, warning them that they will not be awarded government contracts in future. He said: “In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, and again after the inquiry published its findings, we have seen a disappointing lack of remorse, apology or accountability from the organisations and individuals who failed in their duties.
“I know that many noble Lords have raised this important issue, and they are right to do so. Many of those who manufactured, sold and used inappropriate products, and many of the owners and developers who are dragging their heels in now making their buildings safe, have not taken responsibility.
“This Government will make sure that they do. I can confirm that the Cabinet Office has sent preliminary letters to companies named in the inquiry. For those found by the inquiry to have been part of these horrific failings, this is the first step in stopping them being awarded government contracts.”
Baroness Sanderson of Welton quoted the section of the inquiry report that said the corporates that supplied the materials – Celotex, Kingspan and Arconic – were “systematically dishonest” and “engaged in deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing processes, misrepresent test data and mislead the market”.
The Grenfell report was published in September and the government has promised to respond to it within six months. The intervening period provides a chance for those named in the Grenfell report to accept their responsibilities to the families devastated by their failings. An industry’s reputation depends on it.
Nick Barrett
Editor