The
British Woodworking Federation welcomed the release of
the interim Hackitt Review into building regulations created following the
Grenfell Tower fire.
The
Federation's members manufacture approaching three million fire doors in the UK
each year and it supports the recommendations on the regulatory structure.
However,
the BWF cautioned that the regulatory framework is only part of the jigsaw. The
elephant in the room is still who is going to pay for these essential
works.
Iain McIlwee, CEO of
the BWF, said: "Dame Judith urges building owners not to wait until the
review is complete. However, as it stands vitally important work is being
delayed due to financial
considerations.
"We are calling
for the Treasury to make an allocation for long term and potentially
life-critical works by creating a Building Safety Fund (similar to the Pension
Protection Fund). This will offer a solution to the current predicament of
Housing Associations and Local Authorities, providing them with a scheme to
apply to for compensation to support replacement and repair cost.
"The Fund would
alleviate concerns from building managers and most importantly, tenants, while
helping consolidate legal matters through a centrally controlled
process. Although the cost of this may need to be born through insurance
premiums, when we consider the true cost of Grenfell, it is not one that we can
responsibly ignore.
"Dame
Hackitt has, through this report, made a phenomenal start in pulling all of the
complex interrelations together and by defining the roles and responsibilities
of duty holders, and competence of individuals, is ensuring people look beyond
“their bit” and instead focus on how we deliver successful projects together.
"We
very much look forward to supporting Dame Judith and her team in the next
stages and hope that in the meantime, the Chancellor will recognise that we
need Treasury to act too to help clear the log jam.”
