COUNCIL SIGNS OFF ON CONTINUATION OF FLAMMABLE CLADDING REMOVAL

On Tuesday 26 May a decision was made at Cabinet by the Deputy City Mayor so cladding works in Salford could continue. 

The council has approved amendments to the original PFI project to allow Pendleton Together Operating Limited (PTOL) to provide funding to allow important fire safety works at nine blocks of flats in Pendleton to continue.

Work had already started to remove cladding on the nine blocks and the decision was made to ensure the removal can continue without delay, along with council funding for the installation of sprinklers as part of the works.

Councillor John Merry, Deputy City Mayor at Salford City Council said: 

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“First of all our thoughts are with residents who have had to wait for a full solution. They have been very patient and we would like to thank them for their cooperation during this unsettling time.

“Unfortunately the government has thrown many challenges in our way which has hampered the speed at which the cladding could be replaced. It has been incredibly frustrating.

“In August 2017, a full council meeting was held and the council agreed that to borrow £25m to get the works done. The government then blocked this decision saying we could not loan the money to a PFI project. The government then released £400m of funding nationally and told us we were not eligible for the money.

“So at Salford City Council we have had to work through a complex legal routes to get funding secured with our partners at PTOL. Thankfully we have now achieved this so PTOL can speed up the process to get the cladding replaced for our residents.”

 

The decision by Salford City Council is still subject to government sign off.