EALING Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq hosted a virtual round table with people worried about the crisis around cladding on high-rise buildings. 

Almost 50 Ealing and Acton leaseholders dialled in to listen from panellists who included Sebastian O’Kelly, of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, and Sarah Jones MP, Labour’s Shadow Fire Service Minister.

Spokespeople from housing associations, including A2 Dominion, Catalyst, Notting Hill Genesis and Shepherds Bush Housing Group, provided input. 

Ms Huq, who also serves as chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on London Housing and Planning, said: “Unsafe cladding has been an incredibly active issue in the inbox lately, so I invited every constituent who has written in on the topic to take part in this discussion.

“Four years after the tragedy of Grenfell - after everyone vowed ‘never again’ -millions are still affected by the scandal, trapped in an impossible bind taking a devastating toll on their mental health and forking out for pricey safety measures.” 

Sarah Jones said “Buildings must be made safe and residents must be protected. I am committed to doing all I can in Parliament to resolving the cladding crisis once and for all.”

The Government says it will pay for the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding on buildings over 18 metres.

In buildings of 11-18 metres, with a lower risk to safety, leaseholders will gain new protection from the cost of cladding removal through a scheme in which they will not pay more than £50 a month.