Cladding campaigners furious with the Senedd

Ted Peskett Local Democracy Reporter

Cladding campaigners are outraged after the Senedd Commission refused their request to light up the Senedd building in Cardiff green to mark the anniversary of the Grenfell disaster.

Welsh Cladiators, who are a group of campaigners fighting for more rights and protections for leaseholders in Wales, said they’d held a remembrance of the Grenfell disaster every year for the last three years at the Senedd.

The Grenfell fire, which broke out at a block of flats in North Kensington, West London, on June 14, 2017 led to the deaths of 72 people.

A spokesperson for the Senedd Commission told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the Senedd building was illuminated to commemorate the tragedy on the first year after it happened.

When we asked them for a reason why they refused the most recent request, the Senedd Commission said: “It is not possible for us to accommodate this request annually.”

“Insensitive”

A Welsh Cladiators spokesperson said: “We find this decision to be extremely insensitive and one that many Welsh citizens will find difficult to comprehend. Our first concerns are for the ongoing feelings of the Grenfell families and we have no wish to add further to their distress.

“However, we do strongly believe that this decision does not reflect well on the administration of our Senedd or the image of Wales. We would expect that the vast majority of citizens would want to see the Wales Parliament pay its respects to one of the greatest public tragedies in recent times.

“It a thoroughly regrettable and ill-judged decision that should be reversed with real urgency.”

The campaigners said that they requested the Senedd building to be illuminated green for the eighth anniversary of the Grenfell disaster through some of their political representatives.

On Wednesday, March 5, they received notification via independent South Wales Central MS, Rhys ab Owen, that their request could not be accommodated.

“Worthy” cause

A spokesperson for the Senedd Commission said: “The Senedd was lit to commemorate the first year following the Grenfell tragedy.

“Whilst recognising how worthy a cause this is, as with many similar requests from campaigns and charities, unfortunately it is not possible for us to accommodate this request annually.

“This decision is consistent with those made via requests in previous years.”

The Senedd building has been illuminated a number of times over the years to commemorate different events.

More recently, it was lit up to mark the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.