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Government appears to have u-turned over placing the Grenfell refurbishment contractor on an ‘approved’ framework list for government contracts.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has confirmed that Rydon should no longer bid for projects for as long as it a focus for the Grenfell public inquiry.
Rydon was the main contractor on the tower’s £10m 2016 refurbishment which involved cladding the tower in panels which the public inquiry into the disaster concluded were the main cause of the fire spread.
The inquiry also found that the works breached building regulations.
Yesterday, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan issued a mayoral direction ordering the company’s suspension from works in the capital until the public inquiry “has reported on the extent to which any Rydon group companies or employee contributed to causing or exacerbating the Grenfell Tower fire”.
Rydon had qualified as one of 30 companies recommended for use by public bodies across the capital.
Grenfell campaigners were appalled to see Rydon was on a list of 12 firms recommended to public bodies for works on high-rise residential buildings.
The Cabinet Office claimed only companies charged with an offence could be excluded from bidding for work, and that EU procurement rules meant it could not legally preclude Rydon.
Responding on Twitter to a statement from Grenfell United, Jenrick said: “I understand why survivors and bereaved do not want to see public contracts awarded to the main contractor for the Grenfell Tower refurb until we have the full results of the inquiry. The contractor should not bid for further work until we know the truth.”
Rydon was the main contractor on the tower’s £10m 2016 refurbishment which involved cladding the tower in panels which the public inquiry into the disaster concluded were the main cause of the fire spread.
The inquiry also found that the works breached building regulations.
