THE Welsh Conservative spokesperson for housing and MS for Aberconwy, Janet Finch-Saunders MS, has welcomed action from the UK Government on the post-Grenfell fire safety crisis.

The Secretary of State for levelling up, housing and communities, Michael Gove MP, is set to announce measures aimed at forcing developers to pay for cladding removal from lower-height buildings.

In a statement to the House of Commons this afternoon, Mr Gove is expected to say that taxpayers should not be forced spend money to pay for building defects like the removal of cladding, and will look to create a roundtable with developers to generate solutions.

At the close of last year, Mrs Finch-Saunders lent her support to a Member’s Legislative Proposal in the Senedd to ensure that the cost burden of correcting the issue does not fall on leaseholders.

She said: “I welcome today’s UK Government announcement that the Secretary of State will establish a working roundtable with developers to underline the need for them to take responsibility and pay for urgent cladding removal works from lower-height buildings.

“As I made clear at the close of last year, it is most concerning that the Welsh Government does not know the extent of the difficulties in approximately 148 high rise residential buildings.

“That such ambiguity can persist over four years since the Grenfell catastrophe is unacceptable and raises questions as to the speed of the response in Wales.

“It is wholly unacceptable that so many leaseholders continue to face financial hardship and are suffering from anxiety because cladding and other fire safety issues are not being addressed by the Welsh Government.

“This becomes all the more alarming considering that so many have been stuck inside their homes throughout the pandemic, scared that their residence was a literal tinderbox.

“I remain clear that Welsh homeowners should not be left paying the price for the shortcomings of developers.

“It is the job of Ministers in Cardiff Bay to step in to rectify this injustice, review the proactive solutions being outlined by the UK Government today and push forward on a devolved level where appropriate.”