You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Morning Briefing: Grenfell Inquiry accused of ‘absurd’ questioning of firefighter
Grenfell Inquiry criticised for its questioning of a junior firefighter, sluggish growth in house prices and developers nervous over government ground rent proposal
In the news
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s line of questioning directed at the first incident commander at the scene of the fire has been “absurd at times”, the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) has said.
The BBC reports the FBU’s comments that although they were “important and difficult” questions they should have been directed at Michael Dowden’s seniors.
You can read our take on yesterday’s inquiry hearing here.
House prices rose at their slowest annual rate in five years this month and look set to remain subdued due to modest economic growth and squeezed household budgets, mortgage lender Nationwide has said.
The Guardian reports that more private tower blocks than previously thought have combustible cladding, after the results of councils calling in testing.
A few weeks ago Inside Housing reported similar warnings from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
The paper reports that ministers are planning to launch a taskforce to help councils identify the type of cladding in use on private tower blocks higher than 18 metres (60ft) amid growing concern that, more than a year since the Grenfell Tower disaster, officials still do not know.
England’s mainly Conservative-run county councils have warned ministers that the “worst is yet come” over cuts to services and that several authorities risk going bust unless steps are taken to shore up budgets, The Guardian reports.
The Independent reports that Theresa May has hinted she will force private tower block owners to pay to remove dangerous cladding. She said she will “not rule anything out”. However, this just in fact echoes the line ministers have been giving in response to this question for several months.
The Evening Standard reports on the impact the government’s proposal to set ground rents to zero on new long leases is having on major developers.
Somerset Live reports that Taunton Deane Council has delivered fewer than half the affordable homes which it promised in the last 12 months.
Taunton Deane Borough Council committed in 2012 to deliver 4,000 affordable homes for the borough up to 2028, with 200 delivered each year.
In 2017/18, only 92 such homes were delivered, with delays on six sites identified – including one in Wellington owned by the authority.
READ MORE
On social media
Average housing costs for low-income families with children have risen four times faster than costs for middle-income families over the last 15 years #HousingCrisis #ukhousing @jrf_uk t.co/tvlwwoGDwC
— Nigel Howlett (@NH_CHSGroup)Average housing costs for low-income families with children have risen four times faster than costs for middle-income families over the last 15 years #HousingCrisis #ukhousing @jrf_uk https://t.co/tvlwwoGDwC
— Nigel Howlett (@NH_CHSGroup) June 28, 2018
What’s on
It’s the final day of Housing 2018, with a speech expected from housing minister Dominic Raab.
The Grenfell Inquiry hearings continue into their twelfth day, moving on to question firefighters who were inside the building.
