Agenda item

Report of the Director of Placemaking and Housing. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for  Housing & Planning (Deputy Leader).

This document sets out the Council’s Building Safety Strategy for its High-Rise Residential Buildings (HRRBs), and details how we will ensure that buildings

that are in the scope of the Building Safety Act in 2022, are effectively managed,

and our residents kept safe.

The Leader of the Council introduced the report in the absence of the Cabinet Member for Housing & Planning (Deputy Leader). The report sought approval of the Building Safety Strategy which applied only to the Council’s Residential Housing stock. It set out the Council’s approach to managing fire and structural safety across its high-rise, higher risk residential buildings to ensure and improve the safety of residents and to comply with the requirements of the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which supplemented the duties imposed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The strategy set out objectives and targets for how the Council intended to manage and deliver its Building Safety role and provided a framework against which it considered and formulated associated policies and processes on housing safety issues.

The Leader highlighted the following:

-       The Building Safety Strategy detailed how the Council ensures that buildings within the scope of the Building Safety Act 2022 were effectively managed and safe.

-       The Building Safety Strategy was part of the Housing Improvement Plan. It tackled repairs, fireproofing, insulation, security and other renovations.

-       It was a five-year plan that focused on High Rise Residential Buildings and went beyond what was required by the government.

-       The Building Safety Strategy was created with residents and residents' involvement in future decisions would be a core objective.

-       It was noted that to deliver and maintain improvements, there must be better information systems, consistent funding and an improved workforce.

The Cabinet was asked to accept the recommendations and adopt the Building Safety Strategy for 2024-2028 and give authorisation to the Director of Housing & Placemaking to amend the strategy to address any future changes brought in through legislation.

In response to questions from Cllr Emery, the following information was noted.

-       Director of Housing & Placemaking affirmed that most of Council properties were up to date with fire risk assessments and remedial action needed bar one or two cases. Action was needed to gain access to these properties. All assessments had been reported to the Social Housing Regulator as required.

-       Although a 24-hour timescale for reporting and acknowledgment of building safety complaints was established, no set timescale could be given for remedial action to be taken. It was explained that it depended on the work, however where there were structural defects in a building, the response time was 24 hours. Where damp and mold were an issue, categories were assigned as to the severity, which would initiate different procedures and response times. There were no timescales stated in the policy however it was noted the Council were following government guidelines that stated response time should be within 14 days.

RESOLVED

1. To Adopt the Building Safety Strategy at Appendix 1 setting out the Council’s vision and strategic approach to safety in high-rise, higher risk buildings for the period 23 July 2024 to 31 December 2028.

2. To delegate authority to the Director of Placemaking & Housing, following consultation with the Lead Member for Housing Services, Private Renters, and Planning, to amend the BSS in order to address future changes brought in through legislation or guidance.

Reasons for decision

Robust strategies are widely recognised as essential to the delivery of local authorities' housing functions. This is the first Building Safety Strategy which has been developed to ensure the Council is fully compliant with the requirements of the Building Safety Act (2022), the Fire Safety Act (2021), and elements of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, and other legislative and regulatory changes introduced and proposed following the Grenfell tragedy in 2017.

The strategy details how we will ensure that buildings that are in the scope of the legislation are effectively managed, and our residents kept safe. It will be supported by several related individual policies and procedures, which are already in place, or are being developed and regularly updated. The strategy builds on the work already undertaken as part of the Haringey Managing Building Safety Programme, which, since 2021, has been implementing measures in response to, and in preparation for, the regulatory framework requirements.

The development of a Building Safety Strategy is a key Workstream in our Managing Building Safety Programme that was established in 2021 and has since been incorporated into and adopted as a key commitment of our Housing Improvement Plan 2023, which was approved by Cabinet in April 2023.

Alternative options considered.

Whilst Local Authorities are not required to adopt a specific building safety strategy, this should not be considered as a viable option for two reasons. Firstly, the Council is committed to adopting a Building Safety Strategy having agreed a Housing Improvement Plan and then carried out consultation with residents and peer organisations, which showed strong support for its objectives. Secondly, given the prominence of the Building Safety agenda following the Grenfell Tragedy and the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022, having a robust strategy demonstrates the Council’s commitment to ensuring the safety of its residents.