Barnet’s Labour councillors have written a joint letter with private and housing association residents living in blocks that have cladding issues to the Chair of Barnet Council’s Housing & Growth Committee, Cllr Richard Cornelius, asking for his support to end the cladding scandal.

The councillors and residents are asking for the Chair of the Committee to:

1. Raise residents’ concerns in writing directly with the relevant housing associations and freeholders, particularly those companies which are responsible for many of those properties.
2. Arrange a special session of the Housing and Growth Committee in January with the heads of affected residents’ groups and the key local housing associations and freeholders – to help residents gain greater clarity and also access mental health support if needed.
3. Support End Our Cladding Scandal’s 10 pledges as many local councillors and MPs across the country have done already.

Barnet Labour’s spokesperson for Communities, Cllr Sara Conway raised the ongoing scandal of unresolved cladding at the recent Housing & Growth Committee (24 Nov). She agreed to write to the Chair setting out the action that was needed to help the residents affected.

A motion earlier in the year from Cllr Anne Clarke supporting the #EndOurCladdingScandal was rejected by Barnet’s Conservative councillors at a Full Council meeting.

Cllr Sara Conway said:

“Hundreds of local residents are in such a terrible situation with growing financial and mental health pressures. The Council should be helping them to receive better treatment from the large housing companies whose response so far has been dreadful, only adding to the unacceptable stress on residents.

“We are therefore urging the Council to step up to help and for the Conservative councillors to join us in signing the End Our Cladding Scandal 10 pledges.

“We are pleased the housing companies are being invited to a future Housing Committee meeting at our suggestion, but the next meeting is several months away and these residents need to be heard and helped now.”

Cllr Anne Clarke said:

“In Barnet, we have hundreds of residents trapped in the national cladding scandal. For co-owners and leaseholders, it means they are unable to move as their homes are unsaleable.

“Service charges are uncapped and increasing, and they have unexpected bills such as a waking watch to look for signs of fire. The stress of both financial and safety worry is often overwhelming.

“As Labour councillors, we have come together to show our support and advocate alongside these residents. We hope the rest of the borough will too. It is time for the government to get its act together and End Our Cladding Scandal.”

Notes:

1. A copy of the letter to Cllr Cornelius:

Dear Cllr Cornelius

As you will be aware we have been raising concerns about cladding and related issues on behalf of hundreds of residents across our Borough for some months now.

Please can you urgently:

1. Raise residents’ concerns in writing directly with the relevant housing associations and freeholders, particularly those companies which are responsible for many of those properties.
2. Arrange for January a special session of the Housing and Growth Committee with the heads of affected residents groups and the key local housing associations and freeholders – to help residents gain greater clarity and also access mental health support if needed.
3. Support End Our Cladding Scandal’s 10 pledges as many local councillors and MPs across the country have done already.

We hope that you will listen to the hundreds of local residents asking for your support and look forward to hearing from you soon.