Frustrated by "Lack of Action" West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Takes Matters Into Its Own Hands

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is stepping up its efforts to address the dangerous combustible cladding issue. After years of inaction, WYFRS is threatening to prohibit buildings or parts of buildings unless owners can prove they are taking appropriate steps to resolve the situation.

The Ongoing Problem of Combustible Cladding

Following the construction-to-begin-under-1225m-government-contract--'>construction-to-begin-under-1225m-government-contract--'>Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, several blocks in Leeds, Bradford, and Huddersfield were found to have dangerous cladding. Despite reassurances from building owners, many of these buildings have yet to complete necessary remediation work. The latest government figures show that 318 of 436 buildings with construction-to-begin-under-1225m-government-contract--'>construction-to-begin-under-1225m-government-contract--'>Grenfell-style cladding have not yet undergone the required changes.

The Dangerous Current Situation

In addition to the buildings identified with construction-to-begin-under-1225m-government-contract--'>construction-to-begin-under-1225m-government-contract--'>Grenfell-style cladding, an unknown number of high and medium-rise buildings are suspected to have other forms of dangerous cladding. This problem may be far more widespread than initially thought, possibly affecting tens of thousands of buildings across the UK.

Labour Party's New Housing Manifesto on Cladding Removal

The Labour Party has responded by releasing a last-minute housing manifesto that promises stronger action on cladding removal. This includes naming and shaming building owners who have not yet removed dangerous cladding, and setting a deadline for remediation plans to be put in place.

Labour's Pledges for Cladding Remediation

In its updated stance on fire safety, Labour pledges to:

• Name and shame building owners who haven't acted.
• Pass emergency legislation to hold owners accountable and give councils the power to impose fines.
• Expand the testing regime to cover other dangerous forms of cladding.
• Set up a national task force involving residents to inspect buildings and prioritize fire safety work.
• Find additional funding to support the cladding removal process.

The Consequences of Inaction

While Labour's manifesto includes tough proposals for dealing with building owners who fail to take action, the specifics of how the state might take over non-compliant blocks are still unclear. Many argue that these dangerous cladding materials could have been banned much earlier, following incidents in countries like Germany and the USA where these products were prohibited after similar incidents.