Cumberland’s general manager Hamish McNulty confirmed that the council has identified “a number of buildings that may contain combustible cladding”.
He said the council was complying with the processes and timeframes outlined by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment and is obtaining “expert certification” to confirm if the cladding identified is, in fact, combustible.
“The council continues to work in partnership with the Cladding Support Unit and Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW),” he said.
During October 16 and November 20 meetings, the council approved confidential requests from FRNSW for a ‘Fire Safety Audit’ on two separate buildings which were not identified publicly, however Mr McNulty said neither report related to combustable cladding.
Last week Local Government NSW (LGNSW) president Linda Scott again called for the release of details “of the 400-plus buildings already identified” around the State as high-risks.
She said two years on from the London Grenfell Tower disaster, NSW residents and investors still didn’t know if their building could be highly flammable.
During a Parliamentary inquiry into building regulations, Cr Scott said councils welcomed September’s establishment of a Cladding Support Unit, but she warned that it must be adequately funded.
“Crucially, councils face an uphill battle because even with the establishment of the cladding unit, they must obtain highly technical fire engineering reports and expert advice, then develop specific notices and orders to fix high-risk buildings,” she said.
“It is the job of Government to provide legislation that not only supports the building industry but also protects the people who want to be able to invest in the Australian dream of owning their own property without fear of living in unsafe buildings.”
