Agenda item

To consider item 10

Group Commander Mould advised Members that this report was broken down into several areas and was to provide a quarterly update on the Protection Teams progress against the Building Risk Review programme (BRR) and Protection activity. The BRR had progressed well, with returns provided to the Protection Policy Reform Unit (PPRU) against all 57 premises identified within Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes and the PPRU had confirmed that the programme had been completed for this Service a month ahead of schedule.

Group Commander Mould advised Members that the Service continued to deliver the Protection Uplift Programme, utilising the associated grant funding to deliver improvements in fire safety delivery, response staff knowledge and support wider business engagement. Fire safety training for operational staff had been secured.  A pilot was delivered to a dozen Flexi Duty Officers last month, with a second planned for December.  Following this and any necessary amendments due to feedback and clarity around the Fire Safety Act 2021, the training would be rolled out to crews.  This training would broadly cover relevant legislation and any changes, the built environment and fire safety requirements. Training was due to start in January 2022.

Group Commander Mould advised Members that other areas covered within the report were Business Engagement, Technology, Competency Fire Standards and the Fire Safety Act 2021, which was due to go live in the very near future and an update on the Building Safety Bill’s passage towards receiving Royal Assent in Spring – Summer 2022.

A Member asked regarding the pie chart of the initial assessment outcome and what sort of things were not in scope and was advised by Group Commander Mould that the scope of the project was 18 metre plus residential premises, anything below 18 metres was out of scope, including hotels and commercial high-rise premises over 18 metres.

A Member asked if the Authority was a consultee for any buildings over three floors and was advised by Group Commander Mould that the Authority was statutory consultees under the building regulation consultation.

A Member noted that in Appendix 7 it referred to the draft Building Safety Bill and in it, refers to an accountable person rather than a responsible person. What were the differences in these terms; and was advised by Group Commander Mould that the responsible person was identified under the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order and the accountable person would be identified under the Building Safety Bill, clarity would be provided when there had been further passage of the Bill.

A Member asked about inspection costs which seemed to be covered by a government grant, was there anything in the legislation that actually puts costs, onto the owners, and was advised by Group Commander Mould that within the Building Safety Bill, there were some processes for reclaiming costs associated directly with work and burdens placed under the Building Safety Bill. The Authority had received a grant to assist with third party accreditation and this was mirrored under the Fire Safety Act which would go live imminently. The National Fire Chiefs Council were continuing to lobby for further grants to support the ongoing costs of accreditation.

Councillor Marland who was the Leader of Milton Keynes Council advised Members that recently Milton Keynes Council had unanimously passed a motion regarding Grenfell, and he had been requested to write to the Secretary of State regarding building control and strengthening building control measures.

The Chairman asked if Council Marland could share the document and letter with Members.

RESOLVED –

That the Building Risk Review and Protection update be noted.