Councillor and Tenants Still Unhappy with Council’s Confusing Fire Alarm Policy

Published on: 19 Dec, 2017
Updated on: 22 Dec, 2017

Downsview Court in Bellfields one of several blocks of flats that have had fire or smoke alarms removed from communal areas.

The councillor who raised the issue of smoke and fire alarms being removed from council flats and occupants of affected flats remain unhappy with Guildford Borough Council’s action more than a week after it was brought to light.

But Guildford Borough Council (GBC) has failed to respond to The Guildford Dragon’s questions on the subject.

Rebecca Casalicchio points to holes in her
stairwell ceiling, left after smoke alarms were
removed.

Rebecca Casalicchio a private leaseholder who lives in one of the affected properties, Downsview Court in Bellfields, said: “I was one of the residents who raised this issue with Cllr Walsh after I noticed the holes in the ceiling and realised that the smoke alarms in the stairwells had been removed.

“It angers me that the council are continuing to state that it is: ‘… important that all flats should have a smoke detector and it is the council’s policy that all flats with council tenants have one installed.’

“The council tenants in my building do not have smoke alarms installed, I have checked. GBC would have discovered this if they’d consulted us prior to removing the communal alarms.

“When I pointed this out to the council I was told, ‘Some tenants remove alarms.’ That is not what has happened here – the alarms were never installed inside the flats in the first place.”

“In light of what happened at Grenfell, the council action just seems irresponsible.”

David Beamish, who chairs the residents association at Downsview Court, confirmed that the council tenants, who occupy 16 of the 24 flats at Downsview, did not have smoke alarms fitted and there was no evidence that tenants had removed them.

He said: “Generally, the council is pretty good but it is the way they prioritise things that seems wrong. They were very keen, a few days after Grenfell, to impose the strictest rules on what can be left in communal areas, sometimes without applying common-sense. But now they have taken the communal fire alarms out.

“Surely we want the earliest possible warning of any fire and decide for ourselves whether to evacuate or stay put?”

Cllr James Walsh

James Walsh the Labour borough councillor who represents Stoke, made the issue public almost two weeks ago. His enquiries revealed that the issue was affecting flats across Guildford.

Today (December 19, 2017) he said: “I recently met with the council leadership to discuss my concerns about fire safety at the flats and was assured that a comprehensive letter to all residents – both tenants and leaseholders – will be sent to explain the council’s position on fire safety and to reiterate the need to have wired-in fire alarms in their flats.

“I was also assured that internal alarms were checked while other works were being undertaken in the flats – for example, by contractors or utility providers. Unfortunately, there is no register of which flats have alarms, so I suspect there will be cases where there are broken or missing alarms. I hope that the council and landlords will now work with residents to put this right where necessary.

“The council has to follow current fire safety advice regarding flats which is the ‘stay put’ policy. I am not at all happy with this, not least because there are too many variables around ‘stay put’ and because the Grenfell inquiry may yet lead to new advice and legislation. My position is, therefore, that rules like this should always be challenged – not always an easy or legal process for councils.”

The Guildford Dragon asked GBC:

Can you say if the council intends to re-install the fire/smoke alarms in the communal areas from which they were removed?

What is being done about the council flats that have been left with no fire/smoke alarms despite the stated policy that all flats should have them fitted?

Has the “Stay Put” policy been reviewed in light of the Grenfell fire?

No reply has been received.

Since publication of this article a response was received from the council and can be read in the story: Following Complaints, Council Asks Tenants To Report Missing or Broken Smoke Alarms

Responses to Councillor and Tenants Still Unhappy with Council’s Confusing Fire Alarm Policy

Martin Elliott Reply

December 20, 2017 at 12:11 pm

Before making any changes, the current suitable and sufficient risk assessment should be formally reviewed and revised as necessary for those changes, if agreed.

The assessment should describe how the elements of fire prevention, detection, and mitigation work together to minimise the risk.
It should be explained and issued to residents and other interested parties.

It seems, as usual, this has not been properly done leading to confusion over the, not necessarily obvious, interactions of alarms, fire blocks, sheltering in place, or evacuations at each specific location.

That is discraceful, given the current concerns following residential property fires.
Brian Creese Reply

December 23, 2017 at 4:22 pm

Why does Guildford Borough Council find it so hard to admit a mistake, apologise and move on?

As the six-month anniversary of Grenfell passes, who in their right minds would mess with fire arrangements without having got everything double, triple and perhaps quadruple checked?

They made a crass error of judgement, carried out in an insensitive way and they should just admit to it and engage in a sensible discussion with residents about how to keep them safe from fire in the future.

Brian Creese is a spokesperson for the Guildford Labour Party