Issue - meetings

This report provides Cabinet with an update on the process for developing a detailed programme of fire safety works, following Council’s agreement of a £10million increase to the Council’s 2017/2018 Capital Programme, in order to meet the cost of enhancing the fire safety measures in the Council’s housing stock.

RESOLVED:

That the proposed process for developing a fully itemised and costed programme of fire safety work for Cabinet consideration and approval by October 2017 be noted.

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of the Council, introduced the item which put forward the Council’s planned actions to develop the detailed work programme for enhanced fire measures in high-rise tower blocks, in accordance to additional funding being agreed at a meeting of Full Council on 10 July 2017.

Conrad Hall, the Council’s Chief Finance Officer, offered additional detail on the financial implications of the planned work. He emphasised that the Council position remained that the Government should fund the work but that there had not yet been a response to the Council’s request for additional funding. He explained that in the event that the Government rejected the request for funding, an alternative financial route would need to be taken by the Council. He stated that further consideration would need to be given to the proposals and that a detailed funding plan would be brought to Cabinet in October 2017 along with an in-depth programme of works.

RESOLVED that the proposed process for developing a fully itemised and costed programme of fire safety work for Cabinet consideration and approval by October 2017 be noted.

This agenda item provides an opportunity for Members to debate fire safety in high rise tower blocks.

The Mayor outlined the rules of procedure for the item, and introduced a panel of Officers who would be on hand to respond to any specific questions from members during the course of the debate. The panel included: Phil Porter (the Council’s Stategic Director, Community Wellbeing), Mark Davidson (Borough Commander, London Fire Brigade), Peter Gadsdon (the Council’s Director of Performance, Policy and Partnerships), Rohal Bhandari (the Council’s Team Leader of District and Commercial Services) and Alice Lester (the Council’s Head of Planning).

Councillor Farah (Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform) introduced the item and stated that the tragedy which occurred at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017 had been a wake-up call for all Councils. He said that it remained vitally important to consider what Brent should do next and that the debate would assist in ensuring that all options were explored. He emphasised that he had confidence in how Brent had responded to the tragedy and paid tribute to the support that the Council had provided to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) in the aftermath of the fire. He outlined that he was proud that the Council had proposed to go above and beyond what was required on existing fire and safety regulations for its housing stock, to ensure that all residents felt re-assured and safe within the borough. He urged all Members present to contribute and stressed the importance of the debate being carried out in a calm and respectful manner.

Mark Davidson (Borough Commander, London Fire Brigade) gave an overview of the action that the London Fire Brigade (LFB) had taken since the fire and offered some specific detail on what LFB’s policies were with regards to tackling fires in high rise tower blocks. Members heard that, post-Grenfell, the Department of Local Government and Communities (DCLG) had asked all local authorities and social housing providers to provide detailed information about their residential tower blocks and to submit any identifiable cladding materials on these blocks for testing. He noted that LFB had established a taskforce for an inspection process of 380 identified high rise buildings London-wide and that any building which failed the Government’s test on cladding samples had been immediately prioritised. With regards to Brent, Members heard that, at the time of the meeting, two high rise buildings (Hornby Court in Willesden and Elizabeth House in Wembley) had failed these tests and had been inspected further by LFB.

Mr Davidson explained that LFB inspections of high rise buildings were focused on two key elements of building’s structure, these were: access for the emergency services and common parts (the building’s central shaft; staircase; wet or dry riser main pipe; and the means of escape). He noted that LFB were not involved in fire safety inspections within individual rooms but that they would check that fire risk assessments, a duty of the landlord, had been kept up-to-date. He mentioned that LFB aimed to inspect each high rise building at least once per year. Members also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7