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Welcome to our Building Safety newsletter - designed to keep you regularly informed on the progress of the Building Safety Programme and fire safety matters affecting the people of Wales.
You can also follow us on X / Twitter using @WGCommunities
 2025 has been a busy year in Building Safety. From the publication of the Grenfell Tower Phase 2 report and the launch of the Leaseholder and Resident Forum in the spring, to the introduction of the Building Safety (Wales) Bill in the summer.
I would like to acknowledge all the work that has taken place across the sector this year to address fire safety defects in our medium and high-rise buildings. Resident safety is a priority and we’re working hard to ensure the new regulatory regime is straightforward, effective and focussed on protecting those at greatest risk. As we develop implementation plans for the Building Safety (Wales) Bill, I am committed to ensuring the pace of the remediation is accelerated and all barriers to progress are removed.
For now, I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and I look forward to continuing our work together towards even greater progress in 2026.
The Building Safety (Wales) Bill has now completed the first stage of scrutiny. A debate took place on the General Principles of the Bill on 9 December. You can view the debate or read the transcript here.
An important aspect of the Bill is the creation of Building Safety Authorities to oversee elements of the new regime. These functions will be taken on by local authorities. Earlier this year, we commissioned Local Partnerships to support local authorities and other stakeholders to develop a delivery model to enable the successful implementation of the Bill.
The Cabinet Secretary has recently agreed with the recommendation that local authorities should work together as Building Safety Authorities. These will be aligned with the three fire and rescue authority areas, with one lead authority per area. Local Partnerships will now support local authorities in the development of a “critical path” setting out the necessary steps towards working together in this way.
The Bill and accompanying Explanatory Memorandum are available on the Senedd website. We have also published a new webpage providing an overview of the Building Safety Programme and useful links to associated topics.
Joint Inspection Team (JIT)
The Joint Inspection Team (JIT) continues to inspect buildings across Wales, with a programme of inspections agreed until the end of March. In 2026, the JIT will move to phase 2 of their inspection programme, focusing on buildings between 11-18 metres in height. Work is currently underway with local authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities to identify priority buildings for inspection.
Further information on the JIT can be found at www.jit.wales or by emailing info@jit.wales.
Remediation Programme Data
In the September edition of our newsletter, we launched the new Building Remediation Progress Dashboard.
The Dashboard is updated monthly and allows users to explore data in a variety of ways e.g. geographical location and building height. The dashboard is designed to improve the transparency of the programme.
We will continue to introduce additional functionality to the dashboard over the coming months. This month new filters have been introduced to support clearer presentation of the data, along with a new tab showing progress being made in social sector buildings.
The Dashboard can be accessed using the link below:
Building Remediation progress statistics | GOV.WALES
The team welcomes feedback on the Dashboard. Comments and suggestions can be emailed to: BuildingSafety@gov.wales
Remediation Guidance Document
We are pleased to announce new guidance has been published to support Responsible Entities in understanding the Developer Remediation contract. The guidance is available to view on our webpage.
The 3rd All-Wales Leaseholder and Resident Forum took place on 9 December. The forum provides an opportunity for leaseholders and residents to network with others impacted by fire safety issues in their buildings and to share experiences. The next forum will take place on 10 March. Booking details will be shared in the leaseholder newsletter in the New Year.
The Welsh Government’s response to the consultation on ‘New Building Control Regime for Higher-risk Buildings and Wider Changes to the Building Regulations in Wales’ has been published. It can be found here: New building control regime for higher-risk buildings and wider changes to the building regulations in Wales | GOV.WALES
Thank you to all who responded, your feedback has been invaluable and has shaped the continued reform of building control in Wales. New regulations to implement the proposals in the consultation will be made shortly.
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