The Grenfell Inquiry chair has announced he will appoint an expert in dealing with social housing resident complaints.
Cladding removal – progress:
Social landlords have started removing dangerous cladding from just a third of high rises identified to have issues, with only one in six fully removed.
Review of building regulations: interim findings
Communities secretary Sajid Javid told the House of Commons this afternoon that the current building regulations system is “complex and confusing – a situation that has developed over many years and under successive governments”.
Mr Javid told MPs that Dame Judith’s review, which was commissioned by the government, shows there is a need for “significant reform and I can confirm that the government has accepted all of Dame Judith’s recommendations”.
Dame Judith has not published any recommendations, she concluded that the current system of building regulations and guidance are not fit for purpose and the government needs to strengthen enforcement powers against organisations that fail to follow regulations, and to improve residents’ ability to raise concerns about safety.
This is helpful from Inside Housing:
“WHAT IS THE HACKITT REVIEW?
Following the Grenfell Fire in June, which killed 71 people, questions were raised about the part that building regulations played in the tragedy.
On 28 July, Amber Rudd, the home secretary, and Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, commissioned Dame Judith Hackitt to conduct a review into building regulations and fire safety.
The review, which is being carried out independently of government, has a particular focus on regulations as they apply to high-rise residential buildings.
The review’s interim findings were reported in December 2017.
Who is Dame Judith Hackitt?
Dame Judith is an engineer with extensive experience in the chemicals industry and former civil servant. She formerly chaired watchdog the Health and Safety Executive and is currently chair of manufacturing trade body EEF.
In 2006, she was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to health and safety and in 2016 was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)”.