In a letter to local authorities Secretary of State Sajid Javid
has said that the government expects councils to fund measures
designed to make buildings fire safe and to draw on their existing
resources to do so.
In the letter the Secretary of State goes on to say that
where a local authority has concerns about funding essential fire
safety measures, they should approach the Department for
Communities & Local Government to discuss their position and
goes on to say that where works are necessary to ensure the fire
safety of a building, the Department will ensure that lack of
financial resources will not prevent them going ahead but makes it
clear that it would not include general improvements or
enhancements to buildings which go beyond this.
It is unclear what form of assistance would be made available
and whether this would be in the form of grant or the lifting of
Housing Revenue Account Debt Caps for individual authorities.
We would like to hear from any member council that is unable to
fund any necessary fire safety works arising as a result of the
Grenfell Tower fire and particularly so if any member council has
made an application to government for financial assistance - please
contact John Bibby (john.bibby@arch-housing.org.uk)
Read
the Secretary of State's letter.