Council plans to proceed with works during lockdown

Major Works

Updated: 08/04/2020

The Council is proposing to proceed with works inside tenanted properties during the current COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. WERA advises all residents to refuse any appointments offered and ignore calls from contractors.

The Council is proposing to proceed with its current programme of major works on the estate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

WERA has not objected to works in communal areas, where safe distancing levels between residents and contractors can be maintained, but has objected in the strongest possible terms to works inside tenants’ homes where safe distancing levels cannot be maintained and the risk of contamination of households or cross-contamination between households is significant.

Given the risk of contagion during the COVID-19 pandemic WERA believes the Council is acting in a wholly reckless manner and putting the health and well-being of residents at risk.

None of the works proposed are urgent. They could all wait until after the current lockdown has ended and the Government has issued further guidance on how such works should be carried out in future.

The Council should not be sending workmen into anyone's home except in case of emergency, in line with current Government guidance. These works are not addressing any emergency. They should not be taking place.

WERA has objected to the works in the strongest possible way.

WERA has written to relevant Council officers including Doug Goldring, the Council's Director of Housing Management, and his immediate reports as well as Cllr. Kim Taylor-Smith, the Council's Lead Member for Housing. Despite promises to review the situation, both on World's End and the rest of the borough, this has yet to happen. The Council appears to be proceeding as originally planned.

If the Council does proceed as originally planned WERA believes it will be wilfully and knowingly endangering the health and well-being of residents. The Council's actions could result in the World's End Estate, and other properties where similar works are planned, becoming hotbeds of COVID-19 infections.

Take action to protect yourself and your family:

DO NOT agree to any appointment, DO NOT take calls from the contractor, DO NOT let them into your home.

Ignore the Council. They are once again demonstrating that they are incapable of acting in our best interests.

The Council's poor decisions led to the deaths of 72 people at Grenfell and they have clearly learnt nothing since. Should these works proceed and the worst happen we will be holding them all personally responsible.