Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

Recommendations:

1.    Approves the Housing Services Fire Safety Policy included at Appendix 1.

2.    Delegates authority to the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to alter the Policy to bring it into line with any future regulatory or legal requirements.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval of the Housing Services Fire Safety Policy which was attached at Appendix 1. The Policy outlined the Council’s approach to identifying, managing, and mitigating the risks associated with fire in council-owned residential and associated properties. It set out the roles and responsibilities of the Council in line with legislation and the Council’s responsibility as a landlord. The Policy had been developed to meet the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, The Fire Safety Act 2021, The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and The Building Safety Act 2022. The risk of fire presented a significant hazard to the safety of homes and their occupants, and it was imperative that there were robust management systems in place to manage fire risk appropriately.

The Council owned circa 19,963 homes including 1,196 blocks containing flats and one high-rise building, Beeversleigh House. These were held in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). The HRA also managed non-residential assets including neighbourhood centres, district heating boiler houses and bin storage areas. Whilst there were robust management systems and processes in place, as well as the corporate Health and Safety Policy, a specific housing services fire safety policy had been developed which outlined to residents and stakeholders how the Council managed Fire Safety in Council homes. The aims and underpinning principles of the Policy were set out in paragraph 2.2 of the report.

A programme of fire door replacements was underway. This was required following changes in legislation which meant that some fire doors that were installed prior to new statutory design requirements were no longer compliant. 1,801 properties were identified with non-compliant fire doors. 1,403 fire doors had been replaced to date, and 398 fire doors were scheduled to be completed. There had been 22 tenants who had refused access.

It was important that tenants provided access to replace their fire doors to ensure their safety in the event of a fire. Therefore, where a number of attempts had been made to engage with the tenant and they had failed to provide access, legal powers would be used as a last resort. On 13 December 2023, the Council put four properties before the Court under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and was successful in obtaining warrants to force entry in order to complete the fire door replacements. The remaining fire doors which required replacement would be progressed to Court.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1.    Approves the Housing Services Fire Safety Policy included at Appendix 1.

2.    Delegates authority to the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to alter the Policy to bring it into line with any future regulatory or legal requirements.