News

Developers told to pay for £4 billion scheme to remove dangerous cladding from buildings

Housing Minister Michael Gove has pledged to fix a "broken system".

The Manc The Manc - 10th January 2022

Developers are being told they will need to pay for a new £4 billion government scheme to fix unsafe cladding on buildings in England.

Housing Minister Michael Gove has warned housebuilders they will need to fund the repairs or face laws forcing them to act.

Gove said that the reforms would help to protect leaseholders and fix a “broken system”.

Plans include more money for fire alarms, a review of the scale of the work required, and an extension of the time in which leaseholders can sue builders for defective flats (widening the window from six years to 30 years after construction).

Further details of the scheme are set to be unveiled later on Monday (January 10) as Gove meets with leaseholders of affected buildings and campaign groups.

Leaseholders across Britain have been facing financial ruin due to the cladding scandal – with many left trapped in unsafe and unsellable homes.

An investigation following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 revealed that hundreds of blocks of flats in England were at risk, with owners initially told to pay for the essential fire safety repairs.

A significant protest has been underway ever since as leaseholders campaign for government support.

£5 billion has been committed to removing cladding from taller buildings so far.

Representatives at the End Our Cladding Scandal group expressed cautious optimism ahead of the meeting with the Housing Minister, but also declared the need for more action.

“This may be a step in the right direction, but the devil’s in the detail,” the group stated on Twitter.

“Leaseholders need protection in law [and] more urgent action on the ground.”

Featured image: Chatham House / Flickr

News

Bob Vylan dropped from Manchester music festival following Glastonbury controversy

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester music festival drops Bob Vylan after Glastonbury chants

English punk rap duo Bob Vylan have been dropped from an upcoming music festival in Manchester following the recent controversy surrounding their set at Glastonbury 2025.

The media storm surrounding their much-talked-about and heavily televised Glasto appearance has seen them reportedly dropped by their agency and their US Visas cancelled, along with multiple concerts – one of those being right here in Greater Manchester.

Bob Vylan were scheduled to play RADAR Fest at Victoria Warehouse in Stretford this weekend, but now the organisers have informed gig-goers that the artists will not be performing in their planned slot on Saturday.

The alternative music event did provide any additional details, posting nothing but this image:

radar festival cancels bob vylan set
Credit: RADAR Festival

For anyone unaware, Vylan were heavily criticised for the pro-Palestine chants, which Glastonbury itself has deemed as having “crossed a line”, labelling the chants against the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as antisemitic.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also commented on the situation.

In addition to RADAR, Vylan were also due to appear at Kave Fest in France the following Sunday, 6 July, but the music event has also decided not to host them.

The BBC also opted not to broadcast Northern Irish band Kneecap as part of their coverage this year, as the Belfast rap trio have also been outspoken on the issue, among many other musicians of late.

Responding to the decision on social media not long after the news broke, the act simply shared the post on their Instagram story along with the caption: “Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester, we will be back.”

The pair have said that they are being “targeted for speaking up.”

At present, an official police investigation has been launched into both Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s performances, with footage from both shows to be reviewed in order to decide whether their respective comments amounted to a criminal offence.

A statement added: “This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our enquiries are at an early stage.”

You can see the rest of the remaining RADAR Festival 2025 lineup down below.

RADAR Festival returns to Manchester with huge lineup this summer and you can still get tickets
It gets underway on Friday, 4 July.

Read more:

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Featured Images — NMK Photography (via Flickr)

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Trafford Centre launches school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A school uniform drive has been launched at the Trafford Centre to support local families ahead of the new school year.

With schools across Greater Manchester soon set to be out for the summer holidays, many parents, guardians, and carers in the region may be looking ahead to the new school year in September, concerned about how they may be able to provide their children with the necessary uniform items needed.

According to a 2020 survey by The Children’s Society, 23% of parents reported that the cost of school uniforms led to their children wearing ‘ill-fitting, unclean, or incorrect’ items.

It’s these statistic that highlight the ongoing pressure faced by families.

This is why the Trafford Centre has partnered with both Manchester South Central Foodbank and local charity, Bridging the Gap, to launch a school uniform donation drive aimed at supporting more than 700 children across Manchester this summer.

The Trafford Centre launches a school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families / Credit: Trafford Centre

From now up until the 15 August, anyone heading to the region’s largest shopping centre is encouraged to donate new or pre-loved school uniforms.

“The cost of living crisis has deeply impacted our community, with more and more families unable to afford the essentials,” commented Emily Jeremy, who is the Assistant Project Manager at Manchester South Central Foodbank.

“As an anti-poverty charity, we recognised the need for school uniform support years ago. Though costs vary between schools, a full set of branded secondary school uniform can total around £150, which is a significant burden for many households.”

Trafford Centre Guest Services
Trafford Centre
All items can be donated at the shopping centre’s Guest Services point / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography | Trafford Centre (Supplied)

Simon Layton, Centre Director at the Trafford Centre, added: “We’re proud to be working alongside Bridging the Gap and Manchester South Central Foodbank to support local families during these challenging times.

“School uniforms shouldn’t be a barrier to education, and we hope this initiative will ease some of the pressure many parents face as the new school year approaches.”

The school uniform donation drive is running up until 15 August.

Read more:

All items can be taken to the Trafford Centre’s Guest Services Lounge, which is located on Lower Regent Crescent next to M&S, and they must be clean and free from stains or damage.

Find out more here.

Featured Image – gov.uk

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