800 families in Grenfell clad homes

A TOTAL of 800 Scots families are living in homes which have cladding similar to that blamed for the rapid spread of the Grenfell Tower blaze, a council has finally admitted.

Letters were hand delivered to residents living in 19 high-rise buildings in one city more than a week after it emerged officials had found combustible cladding in a number of properties.

Although residents have now been told they are living in flats which contain the aluminium composite material (ACM), council officials have not revealed the locations to the wider public.

Nine days ago Glasgow City Council revealed material similar to that blamed for the Grenfell Tower inferno had been found on 57 high-rise properties.

But further investigation has revealed that only 19 privately owned buildings with 800 homes are affected.

Around 80 people are believed to have been killed in the Grenfell Tower blaze in London in June which has led to widespread concerns about the use of potentially combustible cladding on buildings.

In Scotland, it has been found on hospital and university properties, but the admission from Glasgow City Council was the first time residential properties were found to have the material installed.

It emerged that Glasgow City Council was the last local authority to report back to government ministers on the issue – and that officials twice refused additional support in gathering the information.

Yesterday the report was finally published, and 800 families have been informed they are living in properties with cladding similar to that used on Grenfell Tower.

It also took council leader Susan Aitken more than a week to apologise ‘unreservedly’ for any alarm caused.

Glasgow City Council also failed to pass on information about the 57 buildings to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Last night, Mrs Aitken said: ‘I set officers the target last week of identifying and assessing all properties with ACM cladding and to begin informing residents.

‘I am pleased, now that we have that full picture, to communicate this to residents.

‘The fact that the number of buildings thought initially to be affected has reduced considerably vindicates the approach the city council was taking before this process became prematurely public.

‘I am also glad that our expectation that no buildings have been made dangerous as a result of ACM cladding has been confirmed.’

In the wake of the Grenfell blaze, the Scottish Government ordered councils to carry out checks to see whether ACM had been used on flats in their area.

Glasgow was the only authority to find ACM on properties, and was criticised for the ‘lack of detail’ in information given to the ministerial working group on building and fire safety.

Bill Dodds, the head of building standards at the Scottish Government, said they were seeking ‘clarity’ over the extent to which the cladding had been used.

Mr Dodds said: ‘In Grenfell the entire building was overclad with ACM – it was a complete enclosure of ACM material.

‘What we are trying to do is establish whether we have a Grenfell-type arrangement where the building is completely overclad in ACM product, or if it is in isolated areas.’

Staff from the Scottish Government were sent in to the council this week to help them uncover the necessary information.