Posted 14.07.21
Welsh Government: Further reading
The Welsh Government has announced it will fund fire safety surveys for multi-occupied buildings over 11 metres, to ensure the highest standard of safety for residents.
Minister for Climate Change Julie James confirmed the surveys will be funded by the Welsh Building Safety Fund and called on the UK Government to confirm when further consequential funding will come to Wales.
All buildings over 11 metres will be eligible to apply with high rise buildings (18 metres plus) prioritised initially.
The surveys will go beyond cladding issues, including assessing internal issues - such as ineffective compartmentation.
Steps have already been taken, including ensuring all identified buildings in Wales with ACM cladding have been remediated at no additional cost to leaseholders.
£10.5 million was also made available last year to remediate affected buildings in the social sector, which saw 12 buildings access this support.
The findings from the surveys will inform the creation of a 'Fire Safety Building Passport', which will be developed by those responsible for buildings and will set out what defects have been identified, what remedial action is required and when fire safety measures need to be implemented.
It will also outline how recommended works align with other works required for the building, including planned maintenance and potential decarbonisation measures.
The scheme will be open for applications this autumn.
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Posted 05.07.21
GOV.UK: Further reading
The Building Safety Bill has been published, with the aim of setting out a clear pathway for the future on how residential buildings should be constructed and maintained.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick introduced the Bill as an extensive overhaul to building safety legislation, giving residents more power to hold builders and developers to account and toughening sanctions against those who threaten their safety.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will set up the Building Safety Regulator to oversee the new regime.It will be responsible for ensuring that any building safety risks in new and existing high rise residential buildings of 18 metres and above are effectively managed and resolved, taking cost into account.
This will include implementing specific gateway points at design, construction and completion phases to ensure that safety is considered at each and every stage of a building's construction.
It will also ensure that safety risks are considered at the earliest stage of the planning process.??????
These changes will simplify the existing system, seeking to ensure high standards are continuously met, establishing clear obligations on owners and enabling swift action to be taken by the regulator when necessary.
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Updated 06.07.21
BBC News: Safety wardens must monitor a complex of 48 Gloucester flats at all times after fire safety defects were discovered
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