Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy is shocked by the complete lack of pace that Welsh Government remediation work for fire safety on private buildings is moving at.
Following a response from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing And Local Government, out of 238 private tenure buildings earmarked for crucial fire safety work, only 3 have been fully completed.
The programme, which was initiated in response to widespread fire safety concerns following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, was intended to address dangerous cladding and other safety issues in high-rise buildings across Wales.
However, the revelation that fewer than 2% of these buildings have seen work completed raises significant questions about the government's commitment to ensuring the safety of residents.
Commenting on the news Janet said:
“This is simply unacceptable. We are now over 7 years on from the tragedy of Grenfell, and indeed only recently we saw the horrors of the risks still present for many across Wales at the Dagenham blaze in London.
“Every day, from Conwy to Cardiff, residents are living in a state of constant fear. The recent tragic event in London has only heightened the anxiety for thousands who worry that a similar disaster could strike their own homes.
“It was only at the beginning of September that I drew attention to the fact that there are 53 buildings remaining to be identified for any remediation needs. However, now it seems that is the least of our problems with only 2% of private buildings having work fully completed.
“The Welsh Government has a duty of care here and they are clearly not living up to the standards expected of them.
“Are we to wait for another tragedy to strike before the Welsh Government treat this with the seriousness that it so clearly warrants?
“While the Welsh Government has stated that efforts are ongoing to speed up the process, this lack of substantial progress is unacceptable. Immediate steps must be taken to prioritise and expedite the work necessary to safeguard those living in affected buildings.
“Therefore, I will be raising this with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing as soon as possible, for I cannot simply stand by knowing that more needs to be done.”
ENDS
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy, wedi’i syfrdanu bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn llusgo ei sodlau i sicrhau bod gwaith adfer yn cael ei wneud ar ddiogelwch tân mewn adeiladau preifat.
Yn dilyn ymateb gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol a Thai, o’r 238 o adeiladau daliadaeth breifat sydd wedi'u clustnodi ar gyfer gwaith diogelwch tân hanfodol, dim ond 3 sydd wedi'u cwblhau'n llawn.
Nod y rhaglen, a lansiwyd mewn ymateb i bryderon eang am ddiogelwch tân yn dilyn trasiedi Tŵr Grenfell, oedd mynd i'r afael â chladin peryglus a materion diogelwch eraill mewn adeiladau uchel ledled Cymru.
Fodd bynnag, mae'r datgeliad bod y gwaith hwn wedi’i gwblhau ar lai na 2% o'r adeiladau hyn yn codi cwestiynau pwysig am ymrwymiad y llywodraeth i sicrhau diogelwch preswylwyr.
Wrth sôn am y newyddion dywedodd Janet:
"Mae hyn yn gwbl yn annerbyniol. Mae yna 7 mlynedd wedi pasio bellach ers trychineb Grenfell, a gwelsom yn ddiweddar iawn erchyllterau'r risgiau sy’n dal i fod yn bresennol i lawer ledled Cymru yn sgil y tân yn Dagenham, Llundain.
"Bob dydd, o Gonwy i Gaerdydd, mae trigolion yn byw mewn ofn cyson. Mae'r digwyddiad trasig diweddar yn Llundain ond wedi dwysáu'r pryder i filoedd sy'n poeni y gallai trychineb debyg daro eu cartref nhw.
"Dim ond ddechrau mis Medi oedd hi pan dynnais sylw at y ffaith fod 53 adeilad yn dal i aros am adroddiad ar eu hanghenion adfer. Fodd bynnag, erbyn hyn mae'n ymddangos mai dyma'r lleiaf o'n problemau gyda’r gwaith ddim ond wedi’i gyflawni ar 2% o adeiladau preifat.
"Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru ddyletswydd gofal yma ac mae'n amlwg nad ydyn nhw'n cyrraedd y safonau disgwyliedig.
"Ydyn ni’n aros am drasiedi arall cyn i Lywodraeth Cymru fynd i’r afael â’r mater o ddifri?
"Er bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dweud bod ymdrechion ar y gweill i gyflymu'r broses, mae'r diffyg cynnydd sylweddol hwn yn annerbyniol. Rhaid cymryd camau ar unwaith i flaenoriaethu a hwyluso'r gwaith sy'n angenrheidiol i ddiogelu'r rhai sy'n byw mewn adeiladau sydd wedi’u heffeithio.
"Felly, byddaf yn codi hyn gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol a Thai cyn gynted â phosibl, oherwydd alla’i ddim llaesu dwylo yn gwybod bod angen gwneud mwy."
DIWEDD
