Mike Hedges asks for urgency when Welsh Government considers support for people affected by cladding on high rise buildings

Mike Hedges asks for urgency when Welsh Government considers support for people affected by cladding on high rise buildings

Speaking from The Senedd,  Local Swansea East Mike Hedges MS said…  ‘it is great to be back at the Senedd after the summer break. It gave me the chance to raise with the Minister and issue of immense concern to a lot of my constituents – that of the issue of potentially flammable cladding on high rise buildings.

Many people in Areas such as the SA1 part of my constituency have bought new properties, often at considerable expense and since the tragic events at Grenville Tower in 2017, they have discovered that their properties have unsafe cladding or other fire safety defects and that they may well face substantial costs to make the buildings safe.

I feel very strongly that these people should not have to bear the costs of making the safe. The costs should be borne by the developers who built the properties in the first place. These people have waited long enough already, I urge the Welsh Government to bring forward their statement at the earliest opportunity. ‘

Mike Hedges MS – Thank you, Presiding Officer. I wish you’d called me before Rhys ab Owen, because I was also going to raise the problem of problem high rises. I’ll still raise it because it is a serious concern to a number of my constituents living in SA1. I believe we are now in the autumn and, as such, how soon can we expect this statement, because it is really affecting a number of people? We talk about mental health issues. I can think of nothing that would have a greater effect on somebody’s mental health than the fact they own a property, which they paid £100,000 to £150,000 for, which they’re paying interest on their loan for it, and the building is now worthless. In fact, they would probably have to pay somebody to take it off their hands. So, it really is a matter of great urgency; I’ve got a lot of very unhappy constituents, as I’m sure other people in this room have. So, please, can we ask that we get this as soon as is practicable?

Lesley Griffiths – Thank you. I don’t disagree with what you said around the point of cladding and the issue that has just been raised with me. And when I gave my answer, I did think as I said the word ‘autumn’, I was thinking, ‘Well, that could be several months.’ And I agree with you, we are in the autumn now, but I know that the Minister is very hopeful to bring forward a statement at the earliest possibility.