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Grenfell, three years on: a message from the Leader of Barnet Council

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Cllr Dan Thomas, Leader of Barnet Council, has issued a statement to mark the third anniversary of the Grenfell disaster.

Barnet Council Leader, Councillor Dan Thomas

Barnet Council Leader, Councillor Dan Thomas

Cllr Thomas said: “Three years on and the Grenfell Tower fire remains a tragedy that casts a long shadow. We remember those who sadly perished, and our thoughts and wishes are with their families and friends on this difficult day.

“We are doing everything in our power to prevent a similar tragedy ever happening in our borough. Barnet, like many other local authorities, has done a great amount of work in the past three years, ensuring additional fire safety measures are in place to try and ensure we never encounter an incident of this scale and devastation ever again.

“Following Grenfell, we immediately commissioned a full programme of fire safety works across our council housing including the installation of sprinklers and alarm systems. We have also removed ACM cladding from three of the borough’s high-rise tower blocks. We will continue to deliver this programme of works to ensure the safety and peace of mind of our residents.”

Since the Grenfell Fire in 2017, Barnet Homes has been working to ensure the safety of its residents through its fire safety works programme.

Barnet Council has invested £52m in fire safety improvement works across council housing stock, including installing sprinklers and alarm systems in tower blocks, sheltered housing schemes and hostels. £19.5m of this has already been spent, with a total of £34.5m due to be spent by the end of 2020-21.

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, ACM cladding was removed from three tower blocks at Granville Road and replaced with an A1 rated system, ahead of time and under budget. Work to install sprinkler systems at Granville Road is beginning in July 2020.

Barnet Homes Fire Safety Team is also making significant progress in its five-year programme of works, which includes the installation of new fire doors, sprinklers, and heating systems in its largest estates.

For more information visit: barnethomes.org