Questions to the Mayor of London – answered at on 19 March 2021.
The Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning (FREP) Committee has highlighted repeatedly the challenges of London’s built environment post-Grenfell. The truth is that we don’t know the extent of the danger, but most recent estimates from MHCLG suggest there are 62,000 buildings in London that pose a high risk of fire. How does your budget support the work by LFB which monitors fire safety issues in London’s built environment in order to protect those whose buildings have been identified as having some form of dangerous cladding?
Within London, MHCLG have identified in excess of 62,000 premises that they consider may fall within ‘higher risk’ categories and fall within the scope of the new building safety regulator. That includes care homes, sheltered housing blocks, and hospitals where the vulnerability of the residents is a crucial factor. Last year, London Fire Brigade was allocated £5.5 million from the Protection Board. This supports the Building Risk Review Programme (£2.3m), whereby all high-rise residential premises are being checked and inspected, and Protection Programme (£3.2m) which is being used to bolster other protection activities. The resourcing consequence of what the Brigade now knows about the built environment remains a challenge and they would like to see the current protection grant continue and for the funding requirements to be consolidated for the longer term. I will continue to do all that I can to ensure that London Fire Brigade is properly funded to keep Londoners safe.