Funding for Local Remediation Acceleration Plan

Work towards a Local Remediation Acceleration Plan (LRAP) is set to take a step forward on 18 July.

Following a £550,000 one-year funding grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, which will be used to accelerate the removal of unsafe cladding on high-rise buildings, the next joint meeting of the new Mayor and council leaders will be updated on ongoing work ahead of the publication of an LRAP, alongside a business case for further investment, in the autumn.

This £550,000 funding is the highest amount for any combined authority outside of London, with £109,000 of the £550,000 set to be allocated to Avon Fire & Rescue Service. Helen Godwin, the new Mayor, has already met with Matt Cook, the new Chief Fire Officer, as part of a collaborative new chapter for the West.

In December, the Deputy Prime Minister’s department published their National Remediation Acceleration Plan and commissioned mayors across England to set out how their authorities will collaborate to accelerate work on residential buildings taller than eleven metres (approximately four stories).

The government set out new national targets for buildings taller than eighteen metres with unsafe cladding, or defects defined under the Building Safety Act, to have been addressed by the end of 2029. By that time, every building taller than eleven metres with unsafe cladding should either have been remediated, have a date for remediation to be completed, or face enforcement action and severe penalties.
The Mayoral Combined Authority does not have a formal role in this process, or statutory responsibility for building safety or regulation, but are working on bringing together organisations and supporting work to secure investment – led by the authority’s new Director of Homes and Regeneration, John Wilkinson.

Working with Avon Fire & Rescue Service and local councils, proposals for the funding would see regional authority and fire service staff support this agenda through a Regional Joint Remediation Team. The Mayoral Combined Authority is working alongside Homes England to establish a comprehensive and live portal of residential tall building data for the region, including social housing as well as privately owned buildings, to help enable landlords to deliver remediation.

Helen Godwin, the new Mayor of the West of England, said:

“Eight years on, none of us will ever forget the Grenfell Tower fire. It should never have happened. That disaster demands both answers and action because, simply, everyone deserves a safe place to live.

“The new government was right to apologise on behalf of the British state and to introduce significant changes. They were also right to set hard deadlines for buildings to be fixed, with enforcement action and penalties where they are not.

“With the fire service, local councils, and other partners, we will be working to accelerate remediation – with investment from government where necessary to deliver those repairs. I have already met with our new Chief Fire Officer, Matt Cook, and know that we will work well together.”

Chief Fire Officer Matt Cook, Avon Fire & Rescue Service, added:

“The tragic events at Grenfell remain a stark reminder of why this work is so critical. Through this funding, we will be able to directly support the Local Remediation Acceleration Plan by allocating resources to dedicate their time and focus on this work and prioritise joint working and remediation of unsuitable wall systems. These roles will provide the capacity needed to work closely with local councils, housing providers and partners to help identify and accelerate the remediation of unsafe cladding across our region.

“By coming together through a Regional Joint Remediation Team and supported by better building safety data, we can make a real difference. We can help people feel safer and more secure in their homes, which is what truly matters.”

Councillor Kevin Guy, the Leader of Bath & North East Somerset and new Deputy Mayor of the West of England, said:

“We’re proud to fully support this vital regional initiative, which reflects the strength of our collective commitment to tackling this issue. The £550,000 in additional government funding is a testament to the leadership shown by the Combined Authority in uniting partners and driving progress. Our collaboration with Avon Fire & Rescue, local councils, and Homes England is central to accelerating improvements and I look forward to residents seeing real impacts from this work across our area.”

Councillor Tony Dyer, the Leader of Bristol City Council, said:

“It is a national shame that eight years on from the Grenfell Tower Tragedy there are still many residential buildings with unsafe cladding and other significant defects where residents face higher bills, and live not knowing whether their home is safe.

“We have firsthand experience in Bristol of the challenges that exist when seeking to remove and replace cladding systems that don’t meet modern safety standards. Despite the difficulties to doing this work at pace, we are just over a quarter of the way through our programme of removing cladding from council owned blocks. We are also ramping up our activity to meet a new government target of completing these works by the end of the decade.

“Through this plan and enhanced partnership working with the Mayoral Combined Authority, government and the fire service, we will address the barriers to removing unsafe cladding and addressing other safety issues quickly, and ensure every resident in the West of England has a safe place to call home.”

Councillor Maggie Tyrrell, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, and Councillor Ian Boulton, Co-leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said:

“Unlike the constituent councils the Mayoral Combined Authority does not have any formal role in building remediation but has a key role in acting as convenors to secure regional investment and coordinate collaborative working.

“We are confident that South Gloucestershire has a limited number of tall buildings requiring remediation, but we fully support the development of the Remediation Acceleration Plan and strongly advocate for the establishment of a joint regional team to build local evidence, strengthen expertise, and drive coordinated regional action.”