3 minutes reading time
(610 words)
Cladding Matters: Is Greenwich Facing Its Hillsborough Moment?
The proposed Hillsborough Law has once again put the spotlight on one of the most important principles in public life: candour.
At its heart, the proposed legislation is straightforward. Public authorities should tell the truth, disclose the evidence they hold, and assist investigations openly and honestly. For many families affected by public tragedy, that sounds less like legal reform and more like common sense.
This week on Cladding Matters, we're asking whether that principle has relevance far beyond Hillsborough itself.
Joining Gareth Wax, Steve Day and Hamish McLay, we'll be discussing the ongoing concerns surrounding Royal Artillery Quays in Greenwich, where residents have spent years seeking answers about the construction of eight residential blocks and the fire safety issues affecting around 1,000 people.
One of the most controversial aspects of this story has been the continuing disagreement over the existence of evidence.
Residents and campaigners, including Steve Day, have submitted technical reports, expert opinions and other documentation which they say demonstrate unlawful construction and significant breaches of the Building Regulations in force when the buildings were constructed.
For more than a year, however, the Royal Borough of Greenwich maintained that there was "no evidence" that the original construction breached the Building Regulations applicable at the time.
That statement has itself become part of the wider debate.
Grenfell Inquiry counsel Stephanie Barwise KC publicly challenged the council's position, describing the statement as "demonstrably not true" and referring to reports that had already been provided to the authority. The discussion is therefore no longer simply between residents and the council. It has become a wider question about how public authorities respond when evidence is presented to them.
The council has since explained that its wording related to whether it believed there was sufficient evidence to pursue enforcement action under the Building Act, rather than suggesting that no information existed about the construction itself. Even so, many residents remain unconvinced, arguing that the public statement did not reflect the amount of material already submitted.
That distinction matters.
The proposed Hillsborough Law seeks to introduce a statutory duty of candour, requiring public authorities and officials to act openly and honestly during investigations and other proceedings. If enacted in its current form, intentional or reckless failures to comply could carry criminal penalties.
Whether or not the legislation ultimately passes in its present form, it raises an important question.
What should residents reasonably expect when they present evidence to a public authority?
Should evidence simply be acknowledged, or should there also be a clear explanation of how it has been assessed and why particular conclusions have been reached?
Public confidence is built as much on transparency as it is on technical expertise.
For residents living in buildings requiring major remediation, trust becomes just as important as surveys, scaffolding and construction work. When confidence is lost, every statement is scrutinised and every unanswered question adds to uncertainty.
Is Royal Artillery Quays an example of why a statutory duty of candour is needed? Or does it show how differences in legal interpretation can undermine public confidence?
These are important questions, and they deserve careful discussion.
Join Gareth Wax, Steve Day and Hamish McLay as we examine the facts, consider what the proposed Hillsborough Law could mean for public authorities across the country, and discuss whether openness, accountability and trust are becoming just as important as the technical work of making buildings safe.
Join us live on Friday at 1pm on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SpillingTheProper-Tea
For content enquiries:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For podcast/media info:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
At its heart, the proposed legislation is straightforward. Public authorities should tell the truth, disclose the evidence they hold, and assist investigations openly and honestly. For many families affected by public tragedy, that sounds less like legal reform and more like common sense.
This week on Cladding Matters, we're asking whether that principle has relevance far beyond Hillsborough itself.
Joining Gareth Wax, Steve Day and Hamish McLay, we'll be discussing the ongoing concerns surrounding Royal Artillery Quays in Greenwich, where residents have spent years seeking answers about the construction of eight residential blocks and the fire safety issues affecting around 1,000 people.
One of the most controversial aspects of this story has been the continuing disagreement over the existence of evidence.
Residents and campaigners, including Steve Day, have submitted technical reports, expert opinions and other documentation which they say demonstrate unlawful construction and significant breaches of the Building Regulations in force when the buildings were constructed.
For more than a year, however, the Royal Borough of Greenwich maintained that there was "no evidence" that the original construction breached the Building Regulations applicable at the time.
That statement has itself become part of the wider debate.
Grenfell Inquiry counsel Stephanie Barwise KC publicly challenged the council's position, describing the statement as "demonstrably not true" and referring to reports that had already been provided to the authority. The discussion is therefore no longer simply between residents and the council. It has become a wider question about how public authorities respond when evidence is presented to them.
The council has since explained that its wording related to whether it believed there was sufficient evidence to pursue enforcement action under the Building Act, rather than suggesting that no information existed about the construction itself. Even so, many residents remain unconvinced, arguing that the public statement did not reflect the amount of material already submitted.
That distinction matters.
The proposed Hillsborough Law seeks to introduce a statutory duty of candour, requiring public authorities and officials to act openly and honestly during investigations and other proceedings. If enacted in its current form, intentional or reckless failures to comply could carry criminal penalties.
Whether or not the legislation ultimately passes in its present form, it raises an important question.
What should residents reasonably expect when they present evidence to a public authority?
Should evidence simply be acknowledged, or should there also be a clear explanation of how it has been assessed and why particular conclusions have been reached?
Public confidence is built as much on transparency as it is on technical expertise.
For residents living in buildings requiring major remediation, trust becomes just as important as surveys, scaffolding and construction work. When confidence is lost, every statement is scrutinised and every unanswered question adds to uncertainty.
Is Royal Artillery Quays an example of why a statutory duty of candour is needed? Or does it show how differences in legal interpretation can undermine public confidence?
These are important questions, and they deserve careful discussion.
Join Gareth Wax, Steve Day and Hamish McLay as we examine the facts, consider what the proposed Hillsborough Law could mean for public authorities across the country, and discuss whether openness, accountability and trust are becoming just as important as the technical work of making buildings safe.
Join us live on Friday at 1pm on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SpillingTheProper-Tea
For content enquiries:
For podcast/media info:
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