Star date: 27th June 2017

BUILDING AND FIRE SAFETY EXPERTS TO MEET THIS WEEK TO PUT MEASURES IN PLACE

Today, as cladding was being stripped off Salford tower blocks, Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, announced a new independent expert advisory panel to advise on any immediate measures that can be put in place to make buildings safe following the Grenfell Tower fire. Its first meeting will take place this week.

Full details here...

Separate from the Public Inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy, the Government announced today that a new 'independent expert advisory panel' would begin meeting this week to advise on any immediate measures that can be put in place to make buildings safe.

The Panel will be chaired by Sir Ken Knight, former London Fire Commissioner and former Government Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, and other core members will be Dr Peter Bonfield, Chief Executive of the Building Research Establishment, Roy Wilsher, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council and Amanda Clack, EY partner and President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

The Government states that they will also draw in wider technical expertise as necessary to inform their advice to the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid...

"It's absolutely right that there will be an independent public inquiry to get to the truth about what happened and who was responsible for the Grenfell Tower tragedy" said Javid this afternoon ""However, I want to know if there are measures we can put in place now to keep people safe and I want them done immediately. I want the public to be confident everything possible is being done."

So far, Salford City Council and Salix Homes have concentrated on removing ACM cladding, following failed Government fire safety tests, but residents also want to know whether the insulation underneath that cladding is safe, whether a gas powered 'EcoPod system installed on the roofs of some blocks is safe...and whether proper fire safety exists within their flats.

Hopefully the Panel will be able to address some of these issues, and the Salford Star has been assured by the Department of Communities Local Government that it will "cover absolutely everything and will work out what the key priorities are..."

When asked for a timeline, we were told this is just an Advisory Panel but would be "very much operational...to direct an immediate policy response..."

Salford Council could certainly help residents to understand what issues are at stake by releasing details of the failed Government fire safety tests. So far the Council has declined to do this.

Update: 9:15pm Salix Homes to strip five more Salford tower blocks of unsafe cladding Magnolia, Mulberry, Sycamore, Newbank and Riverbank -click here

See also related Salford Star articles...

Salford Image Obsession and Cladding Unveiled – click here

Salix Homes to Strip Cladding From Salford Tower Blocks - click here

Salford residents being kept in dark over tower block danger – click here

Salford Tower Block Cladding Similar To London Fire materials – click here

Salford Tower Block Fire Risks Ignored For Five Years - click here

Main photo shows cladding being stripped today at Blackfriar Court