Issue - meetings

1.    That the updated Fire Safety Policy be approved.

2.    That, subject to obtaining any necessary building regulation and listed building consent, fire safety works recommended with the Fire Safety policy be implemented which includes the fitting of fire rated front doors.

3.    That it be noted that provision has been made within the HRA budget for £2m for expenditure on capital fire related works (£1m 2019/20and £1m 2020/21).

4.    That delegated authority be given to the Corporate Head of Housing to make minor amendments to the Policy in consultation with Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management.   

Councillor Learney introduced the report and thanked all those involved in preparing the new Fire Safety policy, including TACT, officers and the Fire Safety Project Group.  She emphasised that most of the Council’s housing stock consisted of three story buildings or lower and that no buildings had the type of cladding used in the Grenfell tragedy.  An additional £1m had been included in the 2020/21 budget for fire safety works.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillor Horrill addressed Cabinet as summarised briefly below.

Welcomed the proposals and thanked all those involved for their work.  Believed that the door replacement policy should be actioned more quickly than the proposed four years. Queries around how the policy would be applied to leaseholders and whether improved technology was required for the Property Services team to undertake monitoring.  Aside from the fire door programme, asked what other works would be carried out as a result of the new Policy.

Councillor Learney, the Housing Policy and Projects Manager and the Property Services Manager responded to comments made.  Members were advised that a new legal requirement regarding leaseholders and duty to cooperate was being brought in.  With regard to new fire rated front doors, it was not considered that any of the existing doors were high risk, but the work programme would be scheduled to prioritise replacing doors within the first year where there were any doubts regarding performance.

Cabinet agreed the following for the reasons set out above and outlined in the report.

RESOLVED:

1.           That the updated Fire Safety Policy be approved.

2.           That, subject to obtaining any necessary building regulation and listed building consent, fire safety works recommended with the Fire Safety policy be implemented which includes the fitting of fire rated front doors.

3.           That it be noted that provision has been made within the HRA budget for £2m for expenditure on capital fire related works (£1m 2019/20and £1m 2020/21).

4.           That delegated authority be given to the Corporate Head of Housing to make minor amendments to the Policy in consultation with Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management.