Agenda item

Matt Hillman, Assistant Director of Housing and Investment, on behalf of Andrew McNeil, Assistant Director Housing, Investment and Strategy, presented Performance Scrutiny:

a)    with an update on the Councils actions/progress on fire safety in light of the Hackitt review following the tragic events at Grenfell Tower

b)    explained that the report covered the background to the consultations instigated following the Grenfell Tower fire (June 2017), it covered the main elements of the consultation process, some key finding/recommendations and the Councils current position relating to fire safety. This included clear improvements to the fire safety process and procedure across the city with:

·         Clearer timetable for fire risk assessment (FRA) implementation

·         Improved safety checks and tests

·         Improved auditing of those tests and checks

·         Fire compartmentation improvements

·         Fire alarm upgrades (sheltered schemes)

·         Correlation of all recommended actions (FRA’s)

·         Timelines for remedial actions with on-going commentary of current position for improving training

·         Improved physical testing and checking of all sites (including low risk)

·         Recording of all required tests and checks (logbooks and tick sheets)

·         Collaboration with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service

c)    highlighted that there was no combustible cladding on any of our building and that the Council was in a safe and organised position at this point, with a clear vision of possible future directions relating to the wider implications of the building and fire regulation changes. The Council were proactive in terms of fire safety with a blue print to continue the drive to delivering a portfolio that was the safest it could possibly be.

d)    explained that within the Hackitt report a recommendation was made that all new build and major refurbishment projects relating to HRRB’s, complex and high risk buildings should be subject to a set of “Gateway” points which, unless fully satisfied would preclude a developer of new property from moving to the next, in brief they were:

·         Gateway point 1 – initial plans relating to fire safety and access for emergency services

·         Gateway point 2 – full plans submitted and the start of the “golden thread” (complete digital record of the building and its infrastructure to include life safety elements), the golden thread would then be required throughout the full lifecycle of the building with any changes/improvements made to be recorded as a matter of law

·         Gateway point 3 – Occupation, at this stage the regulator would need to see the handover of all required H&S and life safety information (through the digital platform – possibly “building information modelling” BIM) before occupation could occur

e)    listed the following actions and improvements that had been completed by the City of Lincoln Council:

·         Instructed and carried out (competent fire risk assessment contractors) new fire risk assessments (FRA’s) to all 12 higher risk sites

·         These sites consisted of 3 HRRB’S, 7 sheltered schemes, 1 community hub and Hamilton House

·         Overall action log spreadsheet created  which included all recommendations from the completed FRA’s for all sites. The actions were categorised in order of risk red, amber and green. The action log had comments of the progress  along with completion dates of all required actions

·         Carried out a number of compartmentation works to seal breaches in fire compartments

·         Carrying out fire alarm improvements and upgrades to voice connectivity within sheltered schemes, if the fire alarm activated within a flat the resident was connected directly and instantly to the control centre who would check if it was a false alarm or a real fire.

·         A revision of all sites fire safety checks implemented with new fire safety log books introduced covering daily, weekly and monthly tests and checks within the buildings which were then recorded with any actions required noted and notified

·         Implemented a monthly auditing regime (carried out by the Safety Assurance Team – SAT), site log books were inspected to ensure checks were being performed as required and where any remedial works were required that they had been completed. These audits were recorded and discussed at quarterly SAT team meetings

·         Process to carry out annual full FRA (was performed by external competent contractor) to all 12 higher risk buildings implemented with the next assessments being carried out in July 2020

·         Low risk low rise housing stock (approximately 800 buildings) had a full FRA conducted every five years (starting early 2020) along with monthly on-going inspections carried out by RO and ROSS’s  on a monthly basis at all other times

·         New on-line training modules created  relating to the required checks mentioned above with training scheduled for January 2020

·         New building checklists created ready for implementation in line with the training provided

·         New guidance “procedures for the control of fire incidents at City of Lincoln Council properties” completed and implemented

·         Case studies and research conducted into the possibility of adding sprinkler systems to the 3 HRRB’s had taken place with indicative costs produced and discussed. The financial impact on the HRA had been assessed

·         Liaison with the  Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service, regarding the sheltered schemes and HRRB’s had taken place

·         A strategic meeting held with the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service had taken place to discuss emergency evacuation planning for a major incident within a HRRB/complex building and the possible pitfalls/outcomes

·         Continued collaboration surrounding processes was ongoing with a possible desk top scenario to test plans and planning

f)     invited members’ comments and questions.

Question: Members asked if there was a plan to replace all fire doors in Jarvis House? Members commented that they were nervous putting an intermediate step in when a fire alarm was sounded by initially contacting the control centre to check whether it was a false alarm or not and asked whether there was any way that if the fire alarm was sounded the flat doors would open?

Response: There had been issues with the contractor for the fire doors which had led to delays. This had been recognised early and precautions were put in place to prevent this from continuing further. Work on intercom systems and access in and out of the building was being looked at. Installation at Shuttleworth House and St Botolphs Court had been completed, the rest of the fire doors were being picked up over the next few years.

Question: Members asked for residents to have a timeline of when fire doors were replaced as there was an expectation?

Response: Residents would receive a timeline. Operators have been trained to make them more knowledgeable.

Question: Members asked whether the fire doors on privately owned properties would be replaced and the resident billed?

Response: The fire doors in privately owned flats should be replaced but would be looked at from a legal point of view as we could not force this upon privately owned properties.

Question: Members asked for this report to be a yearly item so progress would be monitored?

Response: This was added to the work programme on a yearly basis.

RESOLVED that:

1.    the Fire Safety Update be added to the work programme on an annual basis

2.    the progress the council had made on addressing issues and proposals from the Hackitt review be noted.