On last week's Cladding Matters, Steve Day announced that he had written to every elected councillor at the Royal Borough of Greenwich. His email asked each councillor to consider what he describes as evidence of unlawful defects at Royal Artillery Quays and to make their position clear.
The request was straightforward. Do they agree with the evidence presented, or do they disagree? If they agree, are they prepared to take action? Steve gave every councillor until 1pm this Friday to respond.
That deadline coincides with this week's Cladding Matters.
This is no longer simply a conversation about technical reports, legislation or building regulations. It is about accountability. When elected representatives are presented with information that residents believe raises serious questions about building safety, what responsibility do those representatives have to respond?
The evidence presented by Steve is, in his view and in the view of many residents, now so extensive and compelling that they believe it leaves little room for disagreement. From their perspective, the time for uncertainty has passed. That is why this deadline matters. Residents are now looking for councillors to make their position clear and, where they accept the evidence presented, to explain what action they believe should follow.
For many people at Royal Artillery Quays, this has never been just about walls, cladding or construction defects. It has been about trust. Trust that concerns will be listened to. Trust that evidence will be considered fairly. Trust that those elected to represent the community will engage with residents, even when the conversations are uncomfortable.
Over recent months we have discussed remediation, delays, regulation, enforcement and the wider building safety crisis affecting thousands of leaseholders across the country. Throughout those discussions one theme has appeared again and again: communication.
Residents repeatedly tell us that being ignored is often as frustrating as the problems themselves. A clear answer, even where opinions differ, is usually easier to accept than no answer at all.
Steve has also made it clear that, following today's deadline, he intends to make public which councillors responded, which did not, and the positions taken by those who chose to reply. That is his decision, and it reflects his view that public representatives should be open about where they stand on matters of public interest.
Whether people agree with that approach or not, it raises an important question. Should elected representatives publicly explain their position when serious concerns are brought before them by the people they represent?
This discussion reaches beyond Royal Artillery Quays. Around the country there are residents living in buildings affected by fire safety concerns, remediation works and long-running disputes. Many will recognise the feeling that progress is measured not only by repairs on site, but also by whether decision-makers are prepared to engage openly and honestly.
Perhaps that is why today's deadline matters.
It is an opportunity for transparency. It is an opportunity for councillors to demonstrate leadership, whether they support Steve's position or not. Most importantly, it is an opportunity for residents to see where their elected representatives stand.
This week's Cladding Matters is not about demanding that everyone reaches the same conclusion. It is about asking whether accountability begins with answering the question and whether elected representatives can simply remain silent when presented with evidence that many residents believe is compelling.
Join Gareth Wax, Steve Day and Hamish McLay as we discuss Deadline Day: Accountability Starts Today. We'll look at what responses have been received, what they could mean for Royal Artillery Quays and ask whether this marks the moment when accountability finally begins.
Watch live on Friday at 1pm on our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@SpillingTheProper-Tea
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