Tower block evacuation report 'not answering questions'

Angry residents who were evacuated from a structurally unsafe tower block have slammed a review into the incident as "not for them".

The evacuation of more than 400 residents from Barton House in Bristol in November 2023 was "appropriate and justified" but caused "avoidable harm", the council-commissioned independent review, published on Tuesday, found.

Many residents, who returned to the building in February 2024, say they do not feel safe and it should be demolished. Campaigner Fadumo Farah said the review was "not answering the questions" needed about its future.

The council's housing chief Barry Parsons said a meeting to present the report had been "tough" and there was a lot of work to do.

The review made recommendations for how the council could better manage its social housing and improve its communication during major incidents.

It also said the authority should work with residents on the future of the building.

Altair, which carried out the independent review, said the "severe disruption" caused by the evacuation and handling of the situation had caused "long-lasting harm" to residents.

As a result, it said trust in the authority remained "significantly damaged" due to its "delayed and unclear" communication about the decision to evacuate.

The review comes after Medact, a health justice campaign group, published a report last year that said the evacuation was a "mass-traumatising event".

Former resident Farah, who was one of the residents to push for the report, said she was more angry than ever and it provided "no accountability".

"The report is not for us. I'm so upset because I've spent so much time campaigning for this report," she said.

"I hope it will help other people, but it's not answering the questions that we need answering."

She said lots of residents, especially children, were still suffering mental health impacts and did not feel safe in the building. She said people "don't trust the council".

"Today we came out feeling more angry and disappointed and I want to continue working with the council because I believe in fighting for Bristolians, but it was embarrassing," she said.

"I think it should be demolished. I think they need to rehouse everyone in the building."

Nuh Sharif, who also lived through the evacuation, said the report had "nothing to do with Barton House".

"The report doesn't say anything about the conclusion for what the Barton House residents want," he said.

"I don't think the building is safe and most of the residents don't feel like the building is safe."

He also thinks the building should be demolished and residents rehoused.

Jama Hussein, who heard about the evacuation on BBC Radio Bristol, said residents did not get the closure they were hoping for.

"It's more about Bristol City Council rather than the residents," he said of the report, but welcomed the recommendations.

He said a lot of people in the building thought it should be demolished.

"Hopefully Bristol City Council will talk to residents who are still there and decide what happens."

Parsons, of Bristol City Council, added: "We're determined to do right by the people of Barton House," he said.

"We've gone a long way in the last couple of years to try and change the culture of the council to make sure we're absolutely focused on the safety, health and wellbeing of the people in our homes," he said.

He explained the future of Barton House, including whether it should be demolished, needed to be decided with residents, adding "we have to have those voices in there, it's their home after all".

Parsons added he felt "grateful and humbled" that residents had relived the distressing experience to help with the report.

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