The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) setting out the progress in delivering the Council’s Fire Safety Review, which was established following the Grenfell Tower fire on 14^th June 2017.

Resolved:

1.  That the work undertaken by the Council and South Essex Homes with respect to Fire Safety, be noted and endorsed.

2. That the Council’s initial response to the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, be noted and endorsed.

3. That a further update be submitted to a future meeting of the Cabinet (Spring 2019).

Reasons for Decision:

The Council has undertaken a fundamental review of its fire safety policies and procedures, reviewed its property stock, and put in place appropriate resources to ensure it maintains its buildings in a safe condition whilst upgrading them where this is appropriate and practicable.

Other Options:

The Council could decide to maintain all operational properties in their current condition with fire improvement works and, where practicable, to bring them up to the requirements of the latest Building Regulations when they next undergo major alterations and/or extension. All operational buildings would still meet statutory requirements although it could be argued that the Council would not be meeting the section of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that requires Employers to ‘put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures’. This option has, therefore been discounted.

The Council could maintain the current arrangements whereby individual building managers are identified as responsible for the buildings within which they operate.  However, they will not necessarily have the knowledge and expertise to assess the impact of works on the overall fire strategy for the building whilst the majority of the Council’s operational buildings do not have a permanent staff presence on site.  This option has, therefore, been discounted.

The Council could commit to the immediate adoption of all recommendations set out within the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.  However, as the Government has yet to issue its formal response to the recommendations the Council could take action that is contrary to the Government’s formal policy.  This option has, therefore, been discounted.

Note: This is an Executive Function

Eligible for call-in to: Place Scrutiny Committee

Cabinet Member: Cllrs Courtenay, Cox and Flewitt