What the government proved with its efforts to get building owners to pay is that it can only succeed with the lowest hanging fruit, and even then usually only if a warranty provider or developer steps in. It also takes an unacceptably long time.
They have now made this job harder, by proving that they will provide funds rather than take punitive measures if the owner refuses to act, and that they are content for leaseholders to pay if push comes to shove. Where is the incentive for an owner to pay?
Pay up front, claim back from those responsible, levy developers. Anything else and this is a problem that never gets fixed.
I mean this is basically the problem in a nutshell. Everything the government has done for three years has indicated to these people that they will NOT pay a price...
- Claire Williams reduced to tears as she is shown email from morning of the fire
- Stopped public meetings because of resident complaints in Dec 2013
- Admits 'cursory' review of fire strategy document
On the first point, Ms Williams has been pressed repeatedly over a claim that Rydon provided an assurance that the cladding wouldn't burn. Rydon firmly deny this and there is no documentation of it, despite her claim that it was minuted.
Today, she was shown an email from the morning of the fire where she was asked to provide all the relevant documents for the refurbishment and made no reference at all to this assurance. But as questioning began, she was overcome by tears, necessitating a 30 minute break.
Grenfell Inquiry currently on hold because Claire Williams broke down in tears when shown an email she sent to TMO colleagues on the morning of the fire summarising some key documents relating to the refurbishment
Pertinence is that she is being pressed very hard over a claim that Rydon gave her assurances that the cladding they were installing was 'inert' and would not burn. She (along with one other TMO witness) say this was said at a meeting and minuted.
But her first witness statement didn't mention it at all and neither, we have just learned, did this email on the morning of the fire. Yesterday, inquiry counsel asked her if the reason was because it was "an attempt to reconstruct a conversation which did not happen".
Worth taking a moment to reflect that "it's the law" isn't a very good excuse for a minister in a party with an 80 seat majority, who was in fact being asked about plans for new legislation.
It's you guys that make the law, Stephen.
Also, judging by my Twitter and Whatsapp over the last 12 hours, this statement has marked a turning point in the way affected leaseholders view government.
The small remaining 'if only we can get them to listen' optimism has been replaced fairly unmitigated anger.
- TMO project manager destroyed notes and diaries about project a year after fire
- Unable to explain why she didn't query incomplete fire strategy in 2016
- Grilled about risk assessment raising concerns about cladding in Nov 14
The bombshell news from this morning at the inquiry was that Claire Williams "binned" her notes and records when she left the TMO in 2018, despite knowing the public inquiry was underway. We've covered in a story here: insidehousing.co.uk/news/kctmo-pro…
This revelation came from the further news that her colleague, Peter Maddison, had been keeping his diaries and record books at his home and only disclosed them to the inquiry on Friday night. There will be a delay this week so they can be read by all parties.
BREAKING: A 1,000-home estate of mostly student housing in west London is to be evacuated immediately due to a "multitude" of fire safety issues which mean resident safety can no longer be guaranteed insidehousing.co.uk/news/housing-a…
Paragon Estate (six towers, largest 17 storeys) have had known fire safety issues since December 2017 relating to cladding and fire breaks. But new intrusive inspections have now resulted in advice from consultants that they are not safe to occupy
These towers were built by Berkeley Group in 2006 using offsite (modular) construction and the largest tower was feted as the tallest modular building in the country on construction. They are currently owned and managed by Notting Hill Genesis.
Pretty astonishing start to the inquiry this morning, as it emerges Peter Maddison of the TMO has just disclosed his diaries and workbooks covering the refurbishment, having previously kept them at his house and not mentioned them to the inquiry or police
They run to more than 300 pages in length and cover the period January 2013 to May 2017. Mr Maddison will be asked why he didn't mention them until he disclosed them through his solicitor on Friday at 16.40. Will necessitate a break this week for other parties to read
😱😱😱
When Claire Williams from the TMO is asked about this, she reveals she "binned" her own note books relating to the refurbishment in May 2018 when she left the TMO. This is AFTER the fire and launch of inquiry + police investigation.