£25 million cash backing for Wolverhampton safety improvements after Grenfell tragedy
More than £25 million is being lined up to help improve the safety of Wolverhampton’s high rise blocks in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Council bosses have agreed to hand over an extra £10.1 million for the refurbishment of blocks in Heath Town, while proposing another £15m to improve high-rise buildings across the city.
It takes the council’s budget for the transformation of Heath Town to £55.2 million.
The cash for the flats is to fulfil fire safety requirements in the buildings and renew cladding.
It comes after 72 people died following a blaze at the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block of flats in London, on June 14, 2017 with questions raised over the safety of the cladding on the building.
Councillor Peter Bilson, deputy leader and cabinet member for city assets and housing, said: “We are proposing to increase the budget for the refurbishment and regeneration works already at Heath Town by a further £10.1 million.
“Next, to approve a £15 million budget for high-rise mechanical and engineering infrastructure works across the city for all of our high-rise blocks.
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“Colleagues will be aware of the many different issues affecting high-rise blocks, especially after the Grenville incident of last year.
“This £15 million is to ensure we give our tenants the very best of service and to ensure that safety is paramount.”
A spokesman for Wolverhampton Council said: “We are currently working on nine deck-access blocks at Heath Town.
" All 20 deck-access blocks at Heath Town will be undergoing the same work. The blocks are located on Lincoln Street, Wednesfield Road, Hobgate Road and Chervil Rise.
“We manage a total of 36 tower blocks throughout Wolverhampton. Eight of these are located in Heath Town.”
The plans for Heath Town have been approved by cabinet and will now face a decision from the full council in a meeting on January 30.
Potentially dangerous cladding was last year replaced at blocks B and C at Liberty Heights student accommodation near Wednesfield Road, which is owned by Liberty Living.
Dozens of students were initially moved out while the work took place.
