Suffolk MP says he's determined to help people in homes with unsafe cladding
It's been seven years since 19 tower blocks in Ipswich were found to be affected by the cladding crisis
Ipswich MP Jack Abbott tells us supporting residents affected by unsafe cladding in Ipswich is one of his top priorities for 2025.
After the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, testing was carried out across the county.
Just in Ipswich, 19 blocks were identified to have the same unsafe flammable material as the London tower block.
Last year (2024), the Government announced funding for various properties in the town to pay for remedial works.
This came after Mr Abbott sent a letter urging the Government to take action and protect leaseholders.
However, residents tell us they're disappointed in the slow progress in fixing their homes, with some still facing huge financial stress, on top of the impact it's had on their mental health.
Many have said they appreciate the funding to fix the issues with the outside of their buildings, but that there are still a lot of internal fire safety issues which need addressing and currently, they are having to pay for any repairs.
This includes at Churchman's House.
Last year the Government said all buildings over 18 metres affected by the issue should have remediation works completed by 2029 - or their owners could face jail time.
We've spoken to Jack Abbott, who's been aware of these issues and has been campaigning with residents throughout.
He said: "I am hopeful we're finally turning the page on this difficult situation but there's still a lot of work ahead of us too...
"After years of distress and living in limbo and since being evacuated from their own homes, residents should be able to return this year."
Residents have previously told us that they continue to feel unsafe in their own homes, with many of them putting together plans on how to escape if their building catches fire, due to internal fire safety concerns.
Mr Abbott agreed the long wait that residents have had to endure is not good enough.
This year, he has pledged to meet with with the owners of affected buildings to see how they can fix any remaining issues:
"I'll be holding organisations' feet to the fire to make sure they're delivering this in a timely fashion.
"I'll work with them in good faith but I'll also be holding them to account.
"We've got to make sure that these residents who are not responsible for these defects found in these buildings can get on with their lives finally and put this horrible nightmare behind them.
"I am not blind to the amount of work we have to do, not least of all on The Mill, which is an incredibly complex building.
"I will be meeting with John Howard, the owner of The Mill in a couple of weeks time to discuss how we can collectively move forward and make sure we are giving those assurances to the residents."