Joint Statement from Pendleton Together and Salford City Council

Following damage to a pipe that resulted in a serious leak, a decision was made last Friday (2 January) to evacuate Salix Court in Pendleton to ensure the safety of residents.

Pendleton Together and Salford City Council staff worked directly with residents to ensure everyone had alternative accommodation best suited to their needs. Staff have continued to support residents to retrieve belongings and to make arrangements for accessing work and school. Our staff have also visited hotels where some residents have been staying to provide updates and reassurance.

The leak and associated safety issues have now been addressed and staff are supporting residents to return to their properties. In some cases, the leak has caused damage to homes and we are working on a case-by-case basis to assess damage and take appropriate measures to rectify the situation as quickly as possible. Residents in unaffected flats have begun returning today and we expect all residents to be back by the end of Wednesday (7 January).

Pendleton Together, who manage Salix Court on behalf of Salford City Council, recognise that this has had an impact on residents at a time when many are returning to work and school after Christmas and we are sorry for any inconvenience caused. Our priority has been to ensure resident safety and facilitate residents returning home as soon as possible.  While one lift remains out of action and there will be ongoing work to repair damage caused by the leak, the building is now safe and we are supporting residents to return in phases. We have made attempts to speak  to every resident affected, offered our full support and have done our best to keep residents up-to-date. Where residents have incurred costs related to food an accommodation, they should contact us to see what support we can offer. We would stress that residents should work with us to return home and do not return without confirming with Pendleton Together staff first, so we can ensure their needs are addressed. Any residents with questions should contact us immediately on 0300 555 5567. 

We can confirm that the damage to the pipe was not related to the recent programme of fire safety works and the incident has been reported to Greater Manchester Police. While that investigation is ongoing we cannot comment further, however a review of security is underway.

The Mayor of Salford, Paul Dennett, added: 

“This incident happened over the new year holiday period, yet despite this teams from the council, Pendleton Together and Greater Manchester v Fire and Rescue Service moved very quickly to support all tenants, assessing the damage, standing up evacuation procedures in a calm and an organised way, and sourcing and securing alternative accommodation swiftly to give as much support as possible at was has been a deeply unsettling time for residents. Work has happened round the clock, including out of hours, to make this happen.

“The community has pulled together and supported each other alongside local councillors and Salford Council officers. I’d particularly like to thank our Lead Member for Housing, Councillor Tracy Kelly, who has been on the ground supporting residents directly for several days now. 

“Salford City Council has made funds available from its hardship fund to support residents in replacing food and is putting on an additional bin collection to ensure any waste is disposed of safely. I’m pleased that the leak is now resolved, the building has been made safe, and residents are now returning home. I will be continuing to speak to Pendleton Together while the cause of the leak is investigated.”