Skip to main content

Cladding Crisis - Welsh Gov Must Protect People First & Pursue Developers Later

Ahead of today’s Senedd debate on a cladding safety Bill, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their calls that the Welsh Government must protect people first and pursue developers later when it comes to tackling the cladding crisis.



 

Under current plans, the Welsh Government is pursuing developers to force them to pay for the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding, but the Welsh Liberal Democrats have argued that citizens cannot continue to live in unsafe accommodation or front up the bill while the Welsh Government wrangles in legal loopholes with developers.

 

The Party is calling on the Welsh Government to front the cost of the changes as soon as possible and pursue the developers for costs at a later date in order to ensure no one is living in unsafe accommodation.

 

Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:

“The cladding scandal has been a long and drawn-out nightmare for leaseholders. I cannot imagine what it feels like to have a waking watch being what’s keeping you and your neighbours safe, to watch costs skyrocketing, the price of your property plummeting – all while many of the property developers continue to make a profit.

 

“I have now heard countless stories of the terrible reality of the situation people are facing. In South Quay, Swansea, leaseholders are facing service charge increases of up to £4000 in this year alone.

 

“Similarly, leaseholders in Cardiff face costs of up to £8,000 per year – with that figure set to rise.

 

 

“People feeling like they are falling through the cracks, waiting for action as costs rise, feeling that their lives are on hold, becoming unwell and needing counselling.

 

“It's appalling that the burden of responsibility has been placed on these innocent leaseholders, rather than the building owners and developers who cut the corners in the first place.

 

“Cladding is just the tip of the iceberg. As they’ve found recently in Australia – the internal alterations required are substantial, disruptive, and costly.

 

“Rather than taking a begging bowl to developers asking them to do the right thing, this Government needs to protect people first and recoups costs later.

 

“There deserves a tremendous amount of recognition for those people across Wales who have had no choice but to become campaigners rallying people together to press for action – all the while dealing with the potential of financial ruin experiencing huge personal strain.

 

“This issue must be solved once and for all.”


Labels:
Location: Wales, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jane Dodds - Aberpergwm Coal Mine Expansion Must be Stopped

  he Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their opposition to the expansion of Aberpergwm Coal Mine in Neath Port Talbot Council. Addressing a protest in front of the Senedd Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds stated that if we are to stand any hope of tackling climate change before it’s too late, the coal must be left in the ground.   The protest in front of the Senedd in Cardiff saw multiple Welsh climate groups attend.   The expansion of Aberpergwm Coal Mine has been at the centre of a row between the UK and Welsh Governments, with the Welsh Government claiming it does not have the legal authority to block the mine’s expansion, while the UK Coal Authority has insisted that the Welsh Government could in fact stop the development.   The new license, which was approved by the Coal Authority in January will allow Aberpergwm Mine to extract another forty million tonnes of coal. The development could release up to 1.17 million tonnes of very strong greenhouse gases, in
Post a Comment
Read more

,Lib Dems demand Cardiff Council removes Russian investments

Lib Dems demand Cardiff Council removes Russian investments Following the horrific news of Russia invading Ukraine, Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Rhys Taylor has written to Cardiff Council to ask that it’s pension fund sell any shares it may hold in companies that have invested in Russia. “Like so many other local people, I am sickened by what is happening on the streets of Ukraine and our own pension fund should make its feelings clear by divesting any assets it holds in companies with Russian investments. “I believe our council’s pension fund should also take a stand, and if it does hold any shares in Russian companies – or those who have invested in Russia - to divest without delay. “Others have taken action – the Church of England is divesting its £20 million in shareholdings in Russian companies and BP is selling its 19.75% stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft, and Shell is divesting from Gazprom. I encourage local government pension schemes to divest any shares they hol
Post a Comment
Read more

New Zealand Trade Deal Will Damage Rural Communities

Responding to the news that the UK Government has concluded the signing of a trade deal with New Zealand, removing trade barriers between the two countries, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have said the deal will cause damage to rural communities and the Welsh agricultural industry. Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader and Senedd Member for Mid & West Wales Jane Dodds said: "The UK Government has negotiated a trade agreement that will actively damage Welsh farming communities and will bring next to no tangible benefits to our local economies.   "The Conservatives have proven that they are utterly unable to negotiate trade deals that boost the UK economy and unfortunately this agreement is no exception. The economic benefits are a drop in the ocean, and they will do nothing to mitigate the damage from the red tape and paperwork caused by Boris Johnson's shambolic EU trade deal. "Instead of delivering Global Britain, this Government is selling Welsh farmers
Post a Comment
Read more