Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing introduced the first annual report on fire safety issues relating to the Council’s role as a corporate and residential landlord which also included proposals to introduce three new fire safety policies.

The Cabinet Member referred to the Fire Risk Assessment Report approved by Cabinet on 19 September 2017 (Minute 41) which gave an update on the fire safety systems and procedures already in place for the Council’s housing stock and the additional measures introduced in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.  The annual report gave an update on further progress made since that time, covering aspects such as the Council’s fire door replacement programme, fire suppression and sprinkler system installations, resident engagement and metal gates and grilles. 

A further issue covered in the annual report related to communal areas and, in that respect, the Cabinet Member advised on the development of three new policies relating to the overall management of communal areas, a permit scheme for works by external utilities companies and other contractors and the use and storage of mobility scooters.  The policies had been developed in response to concerns expressed by many local residents regarding the general ‘clutter’ within some communal areas which could cause an obstruction in the case of a fire.  An additional concern related to the storage and charging of mobility scooters in communal areas due to the associated risks of fire.

Cabinet Members spoke in support of the new policies and some of the initiatives that had taken place in their respective wards, such as the removal of unsafe cladding at Council-owned flatted accommodation and the installation of new sprinkler systems in sheltered accommodation.  The Leader also expressed his disappointment at the poor response of the private sector to making medium and high-rise accommodation within their ownership safe for tenants and suggested that if public money was to be used to carry out those works, those properties should be transferred to public sector ownership.

On the issue of mobility scooters, the Cabinet Member for Equalities and Diversity enquired as to the impact on those tenants and leaseholders who lived above ground-floor level.  The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing responded that he would expect those with recognised mobility issues to be housed at ground-floor level and the Council would assess all cases on an individual basis.  He also referred to the Council’s programme of new-build housing which would include specialist, single-storey properties for those with mobility issues.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Note the fire safety updates provided in the report;

(ii)  Agree the introduction of a ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy for the management of all Council low-rise, medium-rise and high-rise blocks communal areas and a ‘Managed Use’ policy for Extra Care and Part 2 Sheltered Accommodation schemes with communal lounges and kitchens, as detailed in section 3.2 of the report;

(iii)  Agree the introduction of a Permit to Work in LBBD Residential Buildings scheme for utilities companies and contractors, as detailed in section 3.3 and Appendix 3 to the report; and

(iv)  Agree the introduction of a Mobility Scooters in Shared Communal Areas Policy, as detailed in section 3.4 and Appendix 1 to the report.