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| Fire chiefs warned that councillors were failing safety duty | Fire chiefs warned that councillors were failing safety duty |
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| The London fire brigade was so alarmed about the failure of the capital’s councillors to take responsibility for the risks posed by refurbished high-rises that two years ago it issued specialist guidance on the questions local councils needed to ask contractors and planning officers to ensure buildings were safe. | The London fire brigade was so alarmed about the failure of the capital’s councillors to take responsibility for the risks posed by refurbished high-rises that two years ago it issued specialist guidance on the questions local councils needed to ask contractors and planning officers to ensure buildings were safe. |
| The apparent failure to take responsibility has been thrown into sharp relief by the Grenfell Tower tragedy, which has exposed multiple failings by Kensington and Chelsea council. It has emerged that the council approved the use of a cheaper, less fire-retardant cladding on the 24-storey building. There are also questions about whether it opted for a less expensive, less retardant insulation. | The apparent failure to take responsibility has been thrown into sharp relief by the Grenfell Tower tragedy, which has exposed multiple failings by Kensington and Chelsea council. It has emerged that the council approved the use of a cheaper, less fire-retardant cladding on the 24-storey building. There are also questions about whether it opted for a less expensive, less retardant insulation. |
| On Friday, the leader of the council, Nicholas Paget-Brown and his deputy, Rock Feilding-Mellen, the councillor ultimately responsible for the refurbishment of Grenfell, resigned. Paget-Brown said he had to “accept my share of responsibility”, as Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, called for commissioners to be sent in to run the council. | On Friday, the leader of the council, Nicholas Paget-Brown and his deputy, Rock Feilding-Mellen, the councillor ultimately responsible for the refurbishment of Grenfell, resigned. Paget-Brown said he had to “accept my share of responsibility”, as Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, called for commissioners to be sent in to run the council. |
| In 2015, the brigade issued all 33 London councils with an audit tool to help them conduct a risk assessment, fearing that competition to bring down costs among contractors, project managers and planning inspection teams had led to high-rise refurbishments being passed off without adequate oversight. | In 2015, the brigade issued all 33 London councils with an audit tool to help them conduct a risk assessment, fearing that competition to bring down costs among contractors, project managers and planning inspection teams had led to high-rise refurbishments being passed off without adequate oversight. |
| The tool formed part of the brigade’s “Know the Plan” campaign. This was launched following a recommendation to increase public awareness about fire safety, made by the coroner at the inquest into the 2009 Lakanal House tower-block fire in Camberwell, south-east London, in which six people died. It was reissued on Friday, a move that some will see as an acknowledgement that more should have been done to recognise and address the lack of oversight. | The tool formed part of the brigade’s “Know the Plan” campaign. This was launched following a recommendation to increase public awareness about fire safety, made by the coroner at the inquest into the 2009 Lakanal House tower-block fire in Camberwell, south-east London, in which six people died. It was reissued on Friday, a move that some will see as an acknowledgement that more should have been done to recognise and address the lack of oversight. |
| The six-page document states: “London fire brigade is concerned about the arrangements in place for protecting the fire safety precautions of a building, especially if it has been refurbished or if any modification or maintenance projects have been carried out.” | The six-page document states: “London fire brigade is concerned about the arrangements in place for protecting the fire safety precautions of a building, especially if it has been refurbished or if any modification or maintenance projects have been carried out.” |
| It continues: “In the brigade’s experience, buildings can and do become compromised in fire safety terms by works carried out. These works can be high or poor quality; they might be carried out for very desirable reasons; but sometimes many different types of works can unintentionally damage the fire safety arrangements of a building.” | It continues: “In the brigade’s experience, buildings can and do become compromised in fire safety terms by works carried out. These works can be high or poor quality; they might be carried out for very desirable reasons; but sometimes many different types of works can unintentionally damage the fire safety arrangements of a building.” |
| The document was designed to ensure “councillors do not simply make assumptions about how the services which they govern are being planned and delivered. Councillors ask questions about policies, processes and delivery on the ground. London fire brigade wants councillors to apply that same discipline to fire safety.” | The document was designed to ensure “councillors do not simply make assumptions about how the services which they govern are being planned and delivered. Councillors ask questions about policies, processes and delivery on the ground. London fire brigade wants councillors to apply that same discipline to fire safety.” |
| But the Grenfell tragedy has raised questions about the extent to which Kensington and Chelsea councillors heeded the call. | But the Grenfell tragedy has raised questions about the extent to which Kensington and Chelsea councillors heeded the call. |
| In an Observer online article, Rita Dexter, deputy commissioner of the London fire brigade between 2009 and 2015, who produced the audit tool, says that the brigade had felt it necessary “to encourage elected members and senior managers to ask questions about projects, and to not leave fire safety oversight to a small group of professionals”. | In an Observer online article, Rita Dexter, deputy commissioner of the London fire brigade between 2009 and 2015, who produced the audit tool, says that the brigade had felt it necessary “to encourage elected members and senior managers to ask questions about projects, and to not leave fire safety oversight to a small group of professionals”. |
| She adds: “Those who aren’t experts, but are responsible for results, need to know the right questions to ask. The audit tool encouraged councillors to ask whether their council ensured that before any refurbishment works were carried out there was a proper assessment of the impact on fire safety.” | She adds: “Those who aren’t experts, but are responsible for results, need to know the right questions to ask. The audit tool encouraged councillors to ask whether their council ensured that before any refurbishment works were carried out there was a proper assessment of the impact on fire safety.” |
| Dexter writes: “The intention was to try to penetrate a world where projects are executed by building and engineering professionals, and where those with political and strategic responsibility often lack the means or chance to satisfy themselves that all is safe and well.” | Dexter writes: “The intention was to try to penetrate a world where projects are executed by building and engineering professionals, and where those with political and strategic responsibility often lack the means or chance to satisfy themselves that all is safe and well.” |
| The need for councillors to take responsibility was important, Dexter says, because “fire safety laws are complex and responsibilities are spread across many agencies and individuals”. She adds that her “experience as deputy commissioner in London left me in no doubt that there was room for confusion”. | The need for councillors to take responsibility was important, Dexter says, because “fire safety laws are complex and responsibilities are spread across many agencies and individuals”. She adds that her “experience as deputy commissioner in London left me in no doubt that there was room for confusion”. |
| The Observer approached all 33 London councils to ask how they had responded to the brigade’s recommendation to use the audit. The boroughs of Enfield and Kingston upon Thames were the only two authorities to confirm they had applied it in full. | The Observer approached all 33 London councils to ask how they had responded to the brigade’s recommendation to use the audit. The boroughs of Enfield and Kingston upon Thames were the only two authorities to confirm they had applied it in full. |
| A spokesman for Croydon said: “We already comply with the standards set out in the London fire brigade audit as part of our usual refurbishment programme. As a result of the Grenfell Tower fire, we have set up a fire safety board with London fire brigade to work on a review of our policies and practices, as well as on our installation of sprinklers in 25 tower blocks and other improvements.” | A spokesman for Croydon said: “We already comply with the standards set out in the London fire brigade audit as part of our usual refurbishment programme. As a result of the Grenfell Tower fire, we have set up a fire safety board with London fire brigade to work on a review of our policies and practices, as well as on our installation of sprinklers in 25 tower blocks and other improvements.” |
| Several other councils said they were implementing new measures. | Several other councils said they were implementing new measures. |
| Kensington and Chelsea referred questions to Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, which manages the council’s properties, but it did not respond to requests for comment. | Kensington and Chelsea referred questions to Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, which manages the council’s properties, but it did not respond to requests for comment. |