Star date: 2nd June 2020

AFTER ALMOST THREE YEARS DANGEROUS CLADDING IS REMOVED

Almost three years after the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy, similar dangerous cladding is finally being removed from Spruce Court and Thorn Court in Pendleton.

Tenants are being told to keep windows shut in up to 30 degrees of heat, and one resident told the Salford Star that people in the blocks are "upset and concerned about the quality of care and support they are being given during this work".

Full details here...

Almost three years after the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, similar dangerous cladding is finally being removed from Thorn Court and Spruce Court in Pendleton. However, some residents are complaining about an edict sent out by Pendleton Together, which manages the blocks under a PFI agreement with Salford City Council.

Windows in the blocks, states Pendleton Together, are not allowed to be opened or 'placed on tilt' between the hours of 8am and 5pm during the working week. If residents refuse to close windows the company is threatening 'enforcement action'.

A number of tenants have contacted the Salford Star complaining about the window curfew... "Many have recorded 30+ degrees Celsius, while there are also many people who suffer from breathing issues and other health problems but there has not been advice, guidance or support to any of those" states one resident.

Another, who states the situation is 'torture', adds: "We're currently in lockdown in the middle of a very hot spell of weather. Experts tell us we should have windows and curtains open to circulate air and allow as much sunlight in as possible to impact the half-life of any viruses. Closing the windows is not healthy during a time when some of us aren't allowed to leave our homes.

"The workmen completed removing the cladding on my floor last week" they add "Neither they nor I were injured when my window was slightly opened. They will now be working below my window level."

Apparently, once the cladding is removed from one block, workers will be moving onto other blocks and it could be months before the replacement cladding is installed -  but, states a tenant, "we are unable to get any confirmation or ratification from Pendleton Together on exactly what the score is."

Meanwhile, tenants have had problems with windows that can only be sorted once the cladding is removed but, they insist, Pendleton Together has no plans to resolve these issues.

"Overall, much of the block is upset and concerned about the quality of care and support they are being given during this work" they add.

While Pendleton Together Operating Ltd (PTOL) is paying for the cladding removal, last week Salford Council agreed to install sprinklers in the blocks at a cost of up to £4million, with further fire safety works including alarm upgrades and compartmentation works to individual flats and communal areas.

These 'further works' are expected to take 150 weeks, or almost three years, states the Council report on the subject... "Any delay will also have a detrimental impact on the programme resulting in blocks remaining unclad for longer periods..."

The Council is also compromising with a series of waivers and losses during the work... "Rent loss of up to £25k pa through the provision of council properties to support decants, where required, during the Further Works Period"; "The council taking responsibility for the risk on rent loss for the first 12 weeks period following any large scale decant of blocks for issues such as enforcement/prohibition notices"; "Continued support for suspending the letting of garages and associated loss of rent, following a recommendation from GMFRS to empty these as a precautionary safety measure post-Grenfell"...

..."The waiver of pending KPI deductions and rent loss incurred during 2017/18 and 2018/19 due to the impact of the fire safety works"; "Authorisation to the Head of Housing & Strategy to approve performance related waiver up to the value of £50,000 for each occasion in line with the principles contained within the Letter of Comfort during the Further Works Period; and "Authorisation for the Strategic Director Place to approve performance related waivers between the value of £50,001 and £250,000 for each occasion".

The risk, according to the Council report, is High, and a legal note adds that "Overall, whilst there are concessions being made by the council in agreeing to this approach. It represents the most effective and efficient solution to get these remediation works underway and delivered..."

No mention is made in the report of any legal case by either PTOL or Salford Council against Keepmoat to recover any of the estimated £32.5million costs of replacing cladding and carrying out further safety works.*

* For more details on this figure see previous Salford Star article – click here

Update: 3rd June: The Salford Star has now been made aware of falling pieces of masonry which actually hit one tenant, while bits of masonry and metal are scattered around the perimeter of the scaffolding.

Photos by Louise Garman