The Auditor General for Wales has raised concerns over the devolved government’s implementation of the building safety legislation that was created in response to the Grenfell Tower disaster.
Auditor General Adrain Compton said: ‘The absence of robust plans, clear decision-making, and adequate resources raises real fears that the new legislation will not be delivered and the problems it is seeking to address will remain.’
Following the Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017, the Government-commissioned Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety found that the current system was ‘not fit for purpose’.
The review’s findings led to the Building Safety Act 2022, which received royal assent in April that year and is set to be fully implemented in October 2023.
Mr Compton has published a report, which looks at how the Welsh government, local authorities and their key partners are implementing the requirements of the Act.
The report, titled ‘Cracks in the Foundations’, concludes that ‘responsible bodies – particularly local authorities and fire and rescue – are unable to effectively discharge their responsibilities and ensure buildings in Wales are safe’.
It finds that the Welsh and UK governments are diverging in key policy areas, with uncertainty remaining over how the Act will be implemented in Wales and key decisions yet to be made.
Most local authorities with new responsibilities are yet to develop comprehensive plans setting out how they will deliver them, the report states.
It also raises concerns over the financial management of building control, concluding that some authorities’ current practices are potentially unlawful.
If this article was of interest, then check out our feature, 'Balancing safety and innovation after Grenfell'.
