The government’s new plan for the removal of unsafe cladding has left residents saying they feel ‘betrayed’.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced £3.5bn of extra funding in the House of Commons on Wednesday (February 10), calling it the “largest ever government investment in building safety”.
The minister said that grants will be available to people living in high-rises in England over 18 metres tall, or above six storeys. Loans will also be offered to leaseholders in shorter buildings.
But the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign, which represents residents of flats with unfit cladding, said the government had broken its promise.
“We were hoping for a solution to stop the sleepless nights and for millions living in buildings less than 18m there has been none,” the organisation stated.
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“Many people living in buildings under 18m will still have to bear the cost – for many above £30,000 – saddled with debt around their necks for thirty years.
“Where is the money for missing fire breaks, alarms or for cladding on buildings under 18m? Leaseholders are the victims of this crisis and have done nothing wrong to deserve this.”
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Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham also criticised the funding plan, claiming the campaign for a solution to the crisis “will go on.”
The Mayor asked: “How on earth can the Government justify this unfair and divisive move?”.
“The Cube in Bolton was below 18m but it burnt as quickly as Grenfell. 1000s of people in Greater Manchester will now face a choice of unaffordable loans or living with unsafe cladding.”
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How on earth can the Government justify this unfair and divisive move?
The Cube in Bolton was below 18m but it burnt as quickly as Grenfell.
1000s of people in Greater Manchester will now face a choice of unaffordable loans or living with unsafe cladding.
New safety legislation was introduced in the wake of the 2017 Grenfell fire – which killed 72 people – to remove all combustible cladding on tower blocks nationwide.
But flat owners have been charged for the necessary safety repairs to their buildings – leaving thousands of people with “life-changing” bills.
According to Inside Housing, one in six leaseholders involved in the cladding crisis are actively exploring bankruptcy options, with 62% facing costs greater than £30k.
In September, survivors of Grenfell campaigned for the government to do more on cladding – warning them the crisis “could happen again at any time“.
The government announced a £1.6bn building safety fund last year which failed to cover the total cost of repairs – with 700,000 people left living in debt in dangerous high rises.
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Last week it was revealed that Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) would take charge of distributing a £30 million Waking Watch relief fund – covering the installation of fire alarm systems – to local leaseholders.
But for some residents the fund “came too late”, with many having already paid thousands of pounds for Waking Watch measures (which involve security guards patrolling buildings with air horns).
Leaseholders living at Albion Works building in Ancoats reportedly had to pay £400k for seven months of Waking Watch measures, before having a new fire alarm added which was then deemed unsuitable – leading to the reintroduction of Waking Watch patrols in February.
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Extremely rare ‘dancing lemur’ that’s only the size of a tennis ball born at Chester Zoo
Emily Sergeant
An extremely rare ‘dancing lemur’ that weighs 100 grams and is only the size of a tennis ball has been born at Chester Zoo.
Primate conservationists at the UK’s largest charity zoo are celebrating the birth of the critically-endangered Coquerel’s sifaka – also known as a ‘dancing lemur’ – with the tiny baby arriving to parents Beatrice (12) and Elliot (12), and bringing an end to a five-month pregnancy.
The first images released by Chester Zoo show mum Beatrice carefully cradling her new baby, who was born with thick fuzzy white fur, as it clings to her belly.
Chester is the only zoo in the UK, and one of just three in Europe, to care for Coquerel’s sifakas.
Unlike other species of lemur, sifakas stand perfectly upright and use their powerful legs to spring side to side along the forest floor, hence them being affectionately nicknamed the ‘dancing lemur’.
ChDuke Lemur Centre in America to establish a conservation breeding programme across the continent that’s working to prevent the rare primates from becoming extinct.
The unique primates are found in only one place on Earth, the northwestern forests of Madagascar, where its wild population has declined by 80% in the last 30 years due to widespread deforestation, and as a result, the species has sadly been listed as the highest conservation priority there is – critically endangered.
Currently just nine sifaka reside in the whole of Europe, with four now found in Chester.
An extremely rare ‘dancing lemur’ that’s only the size of a tennis ball has been born at Chester Zoo / Credit: Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo has worked with the Duke Lemur Centre over in America to establish a conservation breeding programme across the continent that’s working to prevent the rare primates from becoming completely extinct.
Primate experts at the zoo say the new baby will begin to branch out and explore on its own at around six months old, and it’s at this point they’ll determine whether it’s a male or female.
“Every Coquerel’s sifaka birth is a huge cause for celebration,” commented Dr Nick Davis, who is the Mammals General Manager at Chester Zoo.
“There are very few remaining globally and every addition within the European conservation breeding programme is vital to the work we’re doing to safeguard the future of this species.
“The new baby has spent the first vital few weeks of life quietly bonding with mum, Beatrice, and we’re very happy to report that they’re both doing great so far. We’re seeing positive signs – they’ve been inseparable so far.”
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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Police continue searches and issue public appeal to find missing Wigan man ‘known to many in the area’
Emily Sergeant
Officers are continuing searches to find missing Wigan man Darren Orme who’s said to be ‘known to many in the area’.
A public appeal for information has now been issued.
According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Darren was last seen shortly before 9pm last Wednesday (5 March) at the junction of Woodhouse Lane and Scot Lane Beech Hill Lane in Wigan, and officers have been searching several locations since he was reported missing the following day.
Darren is 54 years old, around 6ft 3in tall, and of slim build with short red/ginger hair.
He was last seen wearing blue jeans, blue trainers, a navy-blue Wigan Athletic jumper, and a three-quarter length blue Wigan Athletic jacket, police explained in their appeal.
Since Darren’s family reported him as missing, a large GMP response has been underway – including specialist search advisors, an underwater search team, and police dogs, alongside officers from Wigan Police Station.
If you have any information on Darren’s whereabouts, or you have any footage which may show Darren since he was reported missing, please call us on 101 quoting log 2423 of 06/03/2025. pic.twitter.com/5UCKtUYlmL
Darren’s family said in their own heartbreaking plea for him to return home that they ‘implore’ anyone who has any information to contact the police immediately and ‘help return Darren to us’.
Their direct appeal to Darren continues: “Darren, you’re not in any trouble. We just want you home. We need you to know that we love you and we’re here for you. Even though it may feel you have the world on your shoulders and you’re under a lot of stress, you’re not alone and the people of Wigan are right behind you.
“We will do anything we can to take this weight from you. We just want you safe, please come home to us.”
Detective Inspector Lee Shaw added: “Specialist officers from across the force are continuing to search for Darren… and we remain hopeful of finding [him] and want to retrace his last known movements.
“The number of people who have shared our appeals and are out looking for Darren shows how loved he is by the local community, and I would like to urge the public in continuing to share our appeals and information which may assist us.
“We know Darren is known to many in the area, and we appreciate all the help from people who have joined the search over the past few days.”
Anyone with any information on Darren’s potential whereabouts, or any footage which may have shown him since he was reported missing, are urged to call police on 101 quoting log 2423 of 06/03/2025.
The Manc -
10th February 2021 
