Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to address the committee’s concerns from the meeting held on 26 June 2019, with regard to Fire Safety Management across domestic and commercial portfolios, and based on the follow-up review which identified a number of outstanding issues.

Resolved that the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee noted the report.

During the discussion, the following points were raised:-

·         Councillors queried when the extra posts would be filled to assist with the fire risk assessments.

Officers advised that they had been working with an officer who came highly recommended and had previously carried out surveys for the Council via their work with Savills.  The other extra posts would be advertised and recruited hopefully by October 2019.

·         Concern was raised that there the posts had not been filled yet.

The Property Compliance Specialist confirmed that the extra posts were a result of the recent Government papers that were written due to the Grenfell Tragedy and so therefore, they had only been given the go ahead to recruit extra posts in June 2019.  Officers gave reassurance that assessments were being carried out and actions were being enforced.

·         Councillors queried where the funding had come from for the extra posts.

A written answer would be distributed.

·         Councillors queried whether the fire risk assessments only related to the housing stock in the Taunton area of the district or whether it related to all Council owned buildings across the whole of the district area.

The assessments were for all the Council owned properties in the whole of the district.

·         Concern was raised that due to the restructure there could be areas where the work might not have been carried out and Councillors queried whether the money had been ring-fenced for the works.

Officers confirmed that the money had been set as part of the works programme.

·         Councillors highlighted that the Council was still waiting for advice on what type of doors to install as a result of the papers distributed after the Grenfell Tragedy.

Officers confirmed that was correct but it was only the communal buildings that we were waiting for new doors and not houses.

·         Concern was raised on the large case load placed on officers and Councillors wanted reassurance that those officers would be able to pick up the ‘slack’ until the new posts were filled.

The Head of Customer had every confidence that the work was being completed.  In the new structure, it was the Locality Champions that were carrying out the work but they had asked if some of the Housing and Asset Case Managers could assist with the work load.

·         Councillors queried whether the Council enforced fire risk assessments on properties owned by Housing Associations.

Officers worked closely with the Housing Associations but that they were responsible for their own checks.

·         Concern was raised that there wasn’t a works schedule in place yet and Councillors queried how long it would be before that was in place.

Officers were developing the works schedule and it should be in place by November 2019.

·         Councillors suggested that the Fire Service could assist with some of the assessments on properties where vulnerable tenants were located.

Officers had discussed options and worked closely with the Fire Service, who were happy to assist with prohibition notices.

·         Concern was raised that the works appeared to still be too far in the future and that the assessments were due to expire in August 2019.

Officers confirmed that the fire risk assessments were valid for three years but that the Council opted to carry out checks on an annual basis.  The programme of works were due to start on 2 August 2019 and once the new posts were recruited, they would shadow officers before taking on the work.

·         Councillors queried the location of the commercial property mentioned in the report.

The property was Auction House which was detailed within the report.  Clarification was given.

·         Councillors thanked officers for their hard work and requested an update be brought back to the Committee in December 2019.

Resolved that the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee noted the report.