Agenda item

(Director of Housing) To consider the attached report.

The Panel received a report from the Assistant Director of Housing (Property) regarding Fire Safety in Common Parts of Flat Blocks.

Following consultation with the Housing Scrutiny Standing Panel, in January 2011, the Housing Portfolio Holder agreed a policy on fire safety in flat blocks. Personal belongings, fitted or loose long carpets, mats and other items stored in common parts of flats were prohibited and removed with the exception of certain concessions agreed with the Workplace Fire Safety Officer of the Essex Fire and Rescue Service.

Letters were sent to all tenants and leaseholders in the blocks advising them of these changes. However a small number of residents requested that a further review should be undertaken as they felt the policy was too risk adverse and prevented the common parts of flat blocks becoming more homely. In response in January 2011 the Housing Portfolio Holder temporarily suspended the policy relating to carpets in the common parts only, until a further feasibility was carried out.

The former Portfolio Holder wrote to the Housing Minister in March 2011 expressing concerns about the lack of clarity and guidance for local authorities when assessing fire safety in flat blocks. A response from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State was received in July 2011 which made reference to the Local Government Improvement and Development (LGID). It was a clearer document helping local authorities inform their risk assessments.

Fire Safety Guidance

The fire safety guidance issued by the Local Government Group advised that few deaths occurred as a result of fire in a neighbour’s flat or in common parts, most deaths occurred in the flat where the fire started. The most dangerous fires were those within the common parts as these were the areas which facilitated escape. There should be a clear policy on whether common parts must remain completely sterile or subjected to managed use.

Officers advised that they had received guidance from Essex Fire and Rescue which suggested that the previously agreed policy should be implemented. However Councillor J Knapman commented that he had received a letter from Essex fire and Rescue service that suggested that carpets could be allowed within communal areas of blocks for flats if managed properly. Councillor J Knapman offered to provide a copy of the letter to the Housing Portfolio Holder for her to consider.

Under the circumstances, it was agreed that this part of the report should be deferred for further consideration at a future meeting of the Panel, to enable officers and the Housing Portfolio Holder to consider the contents of the letter and provide further guidance to the Panel.

Feasibility Study – Smoke Alarms

In line with a request from the decision of the previous Housing Portfolio Holder in January 2011, a feasibility study had been carried out into the cost of providing mains wired smoke detectors in individual flats, maisonettes and common parts of flat blocks. The feasibility study revealed the following options and costs:

Option 1 – Smoke alarms in individual flats and maisonettes only.

The Council was currently installing smoke detectors within individual dwellings as part of the on-going decent homes works which must comply with the Building Regulations. Only 500 properties had benefitted from this improvement, with a further 427 sheltered accommodation homes for older people that were linked to Careline, which were already benefitting from mains smoke detectors. The following was noted:

·         The cost of providing mains operated smoke detectors in each flat and maisonette was around £1,046,825.

·         The cost of providing mains operated smoke detectors in all Council properties, excluding those that had mains operated smoke detectors was around £1,810,900.

·         There would be an ongoing cost to test these smoke alarms, which equated to around £92,600 per annum.

Option 2 – Smoke alarms in individual flats and maisonettes, linked to alarms in the common parts.

This option was broken down into two separate costs due to requirements of the relevant British Standards. Blocks of flats 2-storeys or less did not require a hard wired link between the detectors. However blocks of 3-storeys or more did.

·         The total cost of providing smoke alarms in individual flats and maisonettes, linked to smoke alarms in the common parts for all blocks, would be around £3,409,950

·         There would also be an on-going cost to the Council for testing smoke alarms, which equated to around £185,000 per annum

Installing mains-operated smoke detectors was clearly an improvement that would save many lives and therefore should be considered as part of any future improvements. It was therefore recommended that the Council considered undertaking a programme of installing smoke detectors in all properties, funded from any resources arising from HRA Self Financing, along with other funding priorities, which would be considered by the Housing Portfolio Holder at a later date.

Shared Services

An opportunity had arisen to work in conjunction with Harlow District Council whereby the role of undertaking Fire Risk Assessments could be undertaken collectively, saving resources as a result. A preliminary meeting had taken place, and subject to the existing staffing resources at Harlow District Council being able to cope with the additional number of fire risk assessments, and the cost of them to this the Council being less than the current arrangement, then this may be an opportunity that the Council may wish to pursue.

RECOMMENDED:

(1)        That the Policy on Fire Safety in Flat Blocks be deferred to the next scheduled Panel meeting to consider the contents of the letter received by Councillor J Knapman from Essex Fire and rescue Service and the further resultant guidance from officers;

(2)        That the Council consider undertaking a programme of installing mains-wired smoke detectors in all properties, funded from any resources arising from HRA Self Financing, along with other funding priorities which will be considered by the Housing Portfolio Holder at a later date;

(3)        That no smoke alarms be installed in common parts of flat blocks in line with the recommendations within the Local Government Group Guidance document “Fire safety in purpose built flat blocks;” and

(4)        That the Director of Housing explores further a joint working approach to fire safety risk assessments in flat blocks with Harlow District Council.