Issue - meetings

[To approve the executive response to the final report and recommendations from the Scrutiny Fire Safety Scoping Group]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

That the Executive response to the Scrutiny Group’s recommendations be approved.

Councillor Peter Bilson presented for approval the executive response to the findings and recommendations from a scrutiny scoping exercise into fire safety.  He paid tribute to the work of the Scoping Group and its chair Councillor Greg Brackenridge for his diligence to the work.  He asked that the Panel’s congratulations be passed onto those involved in the scrutiny scoping work.

Councillor Greg Brackenridge was in attendance for this item.  He acknowledged the contributions made by all of the Scoping Group, witnesses and Scrutiny Board. The overall aim of the review was to assess the response of the City of Wolverhampton Council to the Grenfell Tower Fire.  The review report contained 26 recommendations and Councillor Brackenridge highlighted a number of the findings.

Councillor Peter Bilson recommended that the Panel accept all of the recommendations from the scoping group. Some were actionable right away and others would take longer to deliver.  On to the question of the installation of sprinklers, Councillor Bilson commented that there was a need to introduce sprinklers as a matter of routine.  The Wolverhampton Homes Delivery Plan for 2018-2019 agreed by Cabinet on 20 February 2018 included a capital provision for the installation of sprinklers in the Council’s housing stock.  Sprinklers would be retro fitted initially in Heath Town estate regeneration.

Resolved:

That the Executive response to the Scrutiny Group’s recommendations be approved.

The Board received a presentation from Cllr Greg Brackenridge in relation to the work of the Fire Safety Scoping Group. The final report and recommendations form the Group were due to be considered by Cabinet on 20 March 2018.

Cllr Brackenridge thanked the members of the Group for their hard work and stated that one of the main focuses of the Group had been to engage with tenants and to include representatives of tenants at the meetings.

The interim Hackitt report had now been published with the final report expected in late Spring. So far it appeared clear that the current building regulations were not fit for purpose.

Cllr Brackenridge updated the Board as to the Group’s recommendations which included a recommendation that a restructure take place in Corporate Landlord to allow for less reliance on consultants.

Cllr Brackenridge commended the work being carried out by some departments in the Council and Wolverhampton Homes and in particular the work done by Darren Baggs’ team in Wolverhampton Homes.  Cllr Brackenridge and the Group had also been very impressed by the work carried out by the Emergency Planning team which had been recognised nationally.

The Chief Executive of Wolverhampton Homes, Mr Shaun Aldis stated that fire safety was taken very seriously and that he welcomed the findings of the Group. An action plan was already being been drawn up based on the report and recommendations and his team were keen to participate.

Mrs Sue Roberts (MBE) stated that by sitting on the Group she had been able to ask more questions and take information back with her in her role as Chair of the Tenants Association.

The Board agreed that the Group had been well led and thanked Cllr Brackenridge for his hard work. The Board considered that this was an extraordinary piece of work.

Mr Aldis confirmed that sprinklers were to be fitted in Wolverhampton Homes tower blocks at a cost of £19.2 million.

Cllr Brackenridge stated that the plan would be for the group to reconvene following the publication of the final Hackitt Report and that an update would be brought back to the Board in around six months.

The Group queried what powers the Fire Service or Council had in relation to the private sector. It was stated that powers were limited in that the Fire Service would only be able to access communal areas and was not able to access private property to carry out checks.

The Group considered that it was very important to keep on top of the recommendations and to keep all lines of communication open and to ensure that findings and outcomes were communicated to all parties.

Resolved:      That an update be brought back to the Scrutiny Board in six months.