Agenda item - Housing Fire Safety Policy

(3 Reports Attached)

21.1    The Officer presented the Fire Safety Policy

·           The new fire safety policy would be reported at the Housing & New Homes Committee on 18 January 2017.

·           The current policies and vulnerable resident fire procedures had been updated.

·           The sprinkler system had been installed in Somerset Point and a further two high rise blocks were to have the system installed in 2017.

·           Following the advice from the East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, alternative solutions were being found to store mobility scooters, as they could not be kept in the communal hallways.

·           There was an article in the previous edition of Homing In providing information regarding fire safety, and there would be a further, more detailed, article in the winter edition. Posters had been redesigned and leaflets had been produced.

21.2    Residents stated the following concerns and enquiries:

·           Is the new sprinkler system just for current high rises or is there scope to have the system installed to low rise estates as well?

·           Is it a legal requirement for a new build to have the new system?

·           Are sprinklers per flat or per room?

·           Clarification regarding at what height sprinklers begin?

21.3    Officers responded to the resident’s concerns and enquiries with the following:

·           Would like to see the sprinkler system everywhere unfortunately the funding implication is large,

·           Given the go ahead to explore 2 further blocks however retro fitting the system to other high rise blocks is too expensive however cannot concretely state it will never happen for certain

·           Installation of a sprinkler system is an extra not a sign of sub-standard housing

·           It is 1 sprinkler per room which operates on a heat system, once set off, will not simultaneously activate in all other rooms.

·           Have sent 1.5 million on upgrades throughout the city, the concentration of high rise blocks due to logistics surrounding getting fire safety teams to the top

·           Confirmed that sprinkler systems are a requirement for high rise blocks over 30 metres in height.

21.4    RESOLVED – that the report be noted