Wandsworth Council's leader has urged Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond to provide the borough's leaseholders financial support installing sprinklers in their homes.

The council says that sprinklers will be fitted in 99 high rise blocks within the borough which are ten storeys or above in around 6,400 homes.

More than £30 million has been set aside by the council to cover costs and council tenants will not need to contribute to the bill, but leaseholders who own their own homes will need to pay out their own pocket.

In his letter to Mr Hammond, Cllr Ravi Govindia said: “I am writing to you following today’s budget and your very welcome call to all local authorities and housing associations to identify and carry out safety improvements in high-rise buildings as quickly as possible.

“This is exactly what Wandsworth Council has been doing. The safety of all our tenants and leaseholders is of paramount importance and we have been getting on with the job, moving quickly to identify and set aside £30 million of council resources to pay for vital safety measures such as replacing cladding and installing sprinklers.

“We have also set up fire watch patrols while these improvements are carried out, adding an extra layer of safety for our tenants.

“Wandsworth has 99 blocks of ten storeys or more, more than any borough in London, and I am proud that we are leading the way in ensuring that our residents get the highest levels of protection, especially in the wake of the terrible tragedy and loss of life that occurred at Grenfell Tower.

“We want to be absolutely certain that every one of our residents who lives in a council block is safe and we will do everything to now make sure that nothing like Grenfell ever happens here.

“This funding we have provided covers the costs of protecting all tenanted properties but not leasehold properties. Wandsworth, having pioneered right to buy, has over 1,358 leaseholders who would have to contribute towards these safety measures and not all will be able to afford the cost.

“You have said that you will not allow financial constraints to get in the way of any essential fire safety work, and we would like to request Government support to cover the costs for leaseholders and help ease the financial burden for them.”

Authorities have confirmed the identities of at least 71 people who died as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire on June 14.