Simon Williams, Director of Housing and Community, will provide a verbal update at the meeting.

Simon Williams, Director of Community and Housing, provided members with an overview of the objectives the Council is seeking to achieve through its response to the Grenfell Tower fire, further to the written communications sent out to all Councillors:

1.    Provide mutual aid to affected areas: currently, affected areas are the Grenfell Tower and the London Borough of Camden.  Staff who have volunteered to help at rest centres in both locations were highlighted and thanked.  Steve Langley, Head of Housing Need and Strategy, was specifically mentioned as he is currently assisting with the Grenfell rehousing response;

2.    Reassure residents: whilst the Council doesn’t hold any housing stock, it has written to all social housing providers to seek clarification that all accommodation is free from cladding containing aluminium composite material (ACM), that providers are doing a detailed review of other fire risks in these buildings, and that they have responded to DCLG as instructed.  All landlords of private residential housing blocks that are six storeys and over have also been written to seeking the same reassurances.   Most social housing providers have responded whilst the Council is still waiting to hear from some private landlords.  All information gained has been collated into a database and shared with the local borough commander of London Fire Brigade  and

3.    Communication: to ensure that all Councillors and the boroughs MPs are briefed on the Council’s response to the Grenfell Tower fire.  It is planned that briefings will continue to be provided weekly.  From this week, these communications along with the overall council response will be co-ordinated by Caroline Holland, Director for Corporate Services.

In response to member questions, Simon Williams clarified:

·         Owners of the Brown and Root tower have confirmed that its cladding is made from glass and not aluminium.  It also has sprinklers fitted and has passed the fire safety requirements;

·         As a chain, Premier Inn is looking at the fire safety of all its accommodation across the country.  No concerns have arisen at this stage in Merton;

·         There is one medium rise property in Merton that has cladding on the first two floors (Plough Lane).  The managing agents are having the cladding tested this week;

·         The authority is with the Fire Brigade to issue or refuse a fire safety certificate; 

·         Clarion, the largest social housing provider in the borough, has conducted a further fire safety inspection of all its housing in the borough in partnership with the Fire Brigade;

·         Insulation used between floors and units in the conversion of any buildings in the borough (for example, the Brown and Root Tower and the telephone exchange building in Walpole Road), would have been subject to building control and a fire safety inspection at the time of development.  It will be for the Grenfell public enquiry to consider whether standards in these areas need to change and if so what retrofitted modifications would be appropriate will need to be considered;

·         Merton has been able to respond as needed with mutual aid.  Rest centres are scaling down and as a result the need for mutual aid is decreasing.  Skilled housing managers are now required which is why Steve Langley is currently assisting.  The focus is on devising policies and procedures in order to prioritise those most in need; 

·         The promise is to rehome in the borough and as Merton isn’t neighbouring, it is unlikely that any of those affected will come here;

·         It is difficult to speculate on possible changes to the fire regulations.  This will be for the public enquiry to determine.  The fire at Grenfell Tower has sadly brought home that fire safety must be paramount;

·         The Council urgently clarified that the advice from the Fire Brigade to ‘stay put’ in your dwelling and not evacuate remains in place.  This is to prevent potential harm from smoke inhalation and to ensure the Fire Brigade’s access to the building is not impeded.  Consideration of this advice will be part of the public enquiry; and

·         Some landlords have committed already to install sprinkler systems.  This would be possible.  One issue to consider is the financial contribution that leaseholders would have to make towards the costs and the required consultation.

James McGinley, Assistant Director for Sustainable Communities, also clarified:

·         Fire safety for new developments is part of building regulations and can be conducted by private inspectors.  The onus is on the land/property owner to ensure that this is in place; and

·         The Brown and Root Tower has one staircase and it is understood that this complies with fire safety regulations.  Confirmation is awaited from the property owner. 

RESOLVED: to record the Panel’s thanks to and best wishes for Simon Williams, who will shortly be retiring from the Council.