Daily News: 29/12/2025
An analysis has found that companies linked to the Grenfell Tower disaster are still receiving multimillion-pound public contracts, prompting survivors and campaigners to urgently call on the government to stop awarding work to these firms, arguing it severely undermines accountability and justice. The Guardian
Vulnerable people in England continue to live in unsafe supported housing two years after legislation was passed, with charities and MP Bob Blackman urging the government to enforce the law to tackle the scandal of ‘exempt’ accommodation. Delays have contributed to deaths and caused severe harm to communities. In Birmingham, the issue is especially acute, with around 30,000 unregulated units housing people with mental health and other challenges, leaving many “set up to fail”. The Guardian, The Guardian
A leading construction industry figure has warned that major fires could remain a risk under what has been called a “spineless” new safety law, criticising government plans to turn post-Grenfell fire safety guidance into legislation as insufficiently robust. Meanwhile, Tower Blocks UK, the UK’s leading tower block safety group, has backed calls for a Scottish inquiry into high-rise safety after a Sunday Mail investigation suggested hundreds in Scotland may be living in potentially unsafe homes, describing the findings as “unconscionable.” BBC, Daily Record
Derby City Council is set to consider an ambitious plan to reverse the decline in housing stock and deliver more city homes, with the Cabinet asked to approve an updated Housing Revenue Account Business Plan, committing to around 100 new homes annually while maintaining existing council properties to the highest standards. Derby City Council
Key figures behind the creation of Milton Keynes have criticised the government’s proposed new towns programme, warning it lacks ambition and a strong commitment to social housing and may fail to support those most in need. At the same time, rural councils have expressed concern that proposed changes to local government funding will not adequately address severe financial pressures, potentially threatening services and long-term sustainability. The Guardian, BBC
Plans for 1,800 homes east of the A3 and 950 more between Normandy and Flexford could bring significant change to the region. Additional details have emerged for a 345-home development on Haverhill’s edge, while concerned Kent residents are campaigning against 170 homes on farmland under a “crops not concrete” banner. Meanwhile, in the Northeast, Stockton Council is considering an application for 138 new homes in Yarm, adding to a growing number of housing proposals in the area. BBC, East Anglian Daily Times, BBC, and Teesside Live