Agenda item

To consider the attached report.

The Housing Assets Manager, H Thorpe presented a report to the Select Committee he advised that in January 2018, the Select Committee considered a report on Fire Safety in Council-owned Accommodation. The outcome of that meeting led to the following recommendations:

• that a feasibility study be undertaken into retro-fitting sprinklers into the Council’s Sheltered Housing sites, Norway House and Hemnall House;
• that a change in approach would be adopted whereby the Council would promote a “Stay Safe” Policy to replace the previous “Stay Put” Policy;
• that Leaseholders continued to be offered a 75% towards the cost of a replacement fire protected front entrance door; and
• that a detailed Fire Safety Policy for Council owned residential accommodation be prepared and brought back for further consideration.

Hemnall House would significantly benefit from the retrofitting of sprinklers, as it had both a mix of vulnerable residents, and was an old building that presented significant compartmentation issues which were unlikely to be easily or cost-effectively addressed due to the age of the building and nature of the construction.

Norway House had a mix of vulnerable residents but had a significantly more robust level of compartmentation. However, this property had been subject to a number of small fires and therefore the retrofitting of sprinklers should be considered based on life safety risk.

Highwood Lane and Hilltop Court were both general needs and were reliant on effective compartmentation. Residents were also assumed to be more mobile, but the likelihood of accidental fires could be higher than compared to other premises. Therefore, the retrofitting of sprinkler systems would present a benefit in terms of life safety. However, statistical evidence to date from EFDC, the Hackitt Review and NFCC definitions would suggest that these premises do not fall within the High-Risk category.

Sheltered Schemes all contained the most vulnerable residents. These schemes all have the benefit of high standards of both active and passive fire protection and 24/7 monitoring. The retrofitting of sprinkler systems into these schemes would present a benefit in terms of life safety, although with high levels of existing active and passive fire protection coupled with increased compartmentation and 24/7 monitoring, benefits may not be as evident as with the other schemes.

Based on the risk assessments within the report, and working with the Essex Fire and Rescue Service, the Housing Assets Manager had obtained an estimate for the installation of a retro-fitted sprinkler system at Norway House, which would protect the communal areas as well as individual rooms, of around £145,000 (excluding the chalets) and £40,000 at Hemnall House. Using this information, the Select Committee was asked to consider the benefits of installing a sprinkler system into its “High Risk” accommodation, taking account of cost and benefit, and made a recommendation to the Cabinet as necessary.

“Stay Put” or “Stay Safe”

The report to the Select Committee in January 2018 concluded that the Council would seek to adopt a “Stay Safe” policy for all of the Council’s flat blocks, with the exception of the Sheltered Housing sites, where an evacuation Policy would remain in place.

However, since that decision was reached, further discussions had taken place with the Essex Fire and Rescue Service, who firmly advocate the “Stay Put” policy following the release of the Hackitt review into the Grenfell Tower fire. Whilst the Essex Fire and Rescue Service would not make a recommendation one way or the other, they urged the Council to refer to their website, which continued to advise residents to “Stay Put”.

Therefore based on the advice contained on the Essex Fire and Rescue Service website, it was recommended that the Council reverts to its policy of advising residents to “Stay Put” in the event of a fire.

Fire Safety Policy

Attached to the Agenda at appendix 2 was a copy of a draft Fire Safety Policy, which the Select Committee was asked to consider in detail and recommend its endorsement to the Cabinet. This took account of a “Stay Put” policy in general needs flat blocks and HMPO’s, with an evacuation policy for all Sheltered Housing sites.

Councillor K Chana expressed concern regarding the compartmentation in the buildings and how it would stop the fire from spreading upwards

H Thorpe advised that it would depend on the construction, Norway House was predominantly a brick and block built construction whereas Hemnall House was an older property with wooden floors between the two stories and plasterboard walls and it was felt that Hemnall House was the highest risk temporary accommodation block.

Councillor K Chana asked if the fire resistance could be increased between the two floors.

H Thorpe replied that the fire resistance could be increased but this was a very expensive procedure but the retro-fitted sprinkler system would negate that.

Councillor A Patel asked what was the cost comparison between the retro-fitted sprinkler system that the Council were proposing to install and what Councillor K Chana had suggested.

H Thorpe advised that the cost for the retro-fitted sprinkler system in Hemnall House was estimated to be around £40,000 and Norway House was estimated at £145,000 (excluding the chalets). There was also the possibility of funding from Essex Fire and Rescue Service of £20,000 towards the installation of the retro-fitted sprinkler system in Hemnall House and £50,000 towards Norway House if the recommendation was agreed. As for compartmentation in Hemnall House it was difficult to provide any figures without carrying out intrusive surveys into the block to determine the construction of the floors and ceilings.

The Chairman, Councillor H Whitbread asked when the funding from Essex Fire and Rescue service would be available.

H Thorpe advised as soon as the recommendation was agreed by Cabinet an application would be submitted to Essex Fire and Rescue Service, the funding they have is limited and it would be dependent upon them approving the scheme that was recommended.

Councillor J H Whitehouse expressed concerns regarding Hemnall House and the recommendation of the ‘Stay Put’ Policy, apart from 3 flats the others are on the ground floor therefore surely it would be safer to get out.

P Pledger advised that the ‘Stay Put’ or ‘Stay Safe’ policy was discussed at length with the Essex Fire and Rescue Service and we brought this to the Select Committee previously but the Hackett report on the Grenfell Tower fire was not published at that time therefore we could not give a recommendation either way. The Hackett Report had now been published and it made no changes to the recommendation of ‘Stay Put’. The Essex Fire and Rescue Service advised that the Council could recommend the ‘Stay Safe’ policy but if a fire occurred and the investigation proved the Council’s policy was at fault the Essex Fire and Rescue Service would prosecute the Council.

Therefore the Council recommends ‘Stay Put’ but it would be up to the individual if they decided to stay or leave the premises.

            RESOLVED:

(1)   That the Select Committee considered the benefits of installing a sprinkler system into its “High Risk” accommodation, taking account of cost and benefit and life safety risk and a recommendation be made to the Cabinet as necessary;

(2)   That the Council reverts to a “Stay Put” policy in all its general needs flat blocks, at Norway House and at Hemnall House, whilst maintaining its advice to residents in each of its Sheltered Housing sites to evacuate in the event of a fire; and

(3)   That the Select Committee considers the Fire Safety Policy set out in Appendix 2, and recommends its endorsement to the Cabinet.