Council to fit sprinklers in all 213 tower blocks after Grenfell

Birmingham City Council is to fit sprinkler systems and other fire suppression measures in its residential tower blocks, following the Grenfell Tower fire in London.

Council leader John Clancy has confirmed that the council will look urgently at the 213 blocks of flats it owns to assess what work is needed to reassure tenants that their homes are safe. He said he was prepared to find up to an estimated £31 million to retrofit measures to reduce the risk of fire.

"Whatever it takes"

"The dreadful events in London have understandably triggered an outburst of public anger and demands that councils need to do far more to protect tenants living in high-rise blocks," Cllr Clancy said.

"Now is the time to underline that promise by recognising that as a council we have a duty to provide the best possible fire protection for our tenants, and we will do whatever it takes to keep people safe."

All of the council's blocks already have sprinklers in their communal bin areas.

A call for government help

Cllr Clancy has written to the leaders of Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield councils, which together with Birmingham make up the Core Cities group, asking them to lobby the government to help pay for fire suppression in all council tower blocks.

"The Government should accept this is a national emergency that fully justifies establishing a fund to allow councils to fit sprinkler systems as a matter of urgency," he said.

He intends to press ahead with a rolling programme regardless of whether the government contributes. One option being considered, if government funding does not come, is to pay for the work from capital receipts, money raised by selling council assets. Cllr Clancy said tenants would expect less important building projects to be delayed if necessary, and that the programme would also create skilled jobs and apprenticeships in the city.

What the council has done so far

Since the Grenfell fire, the council says, it has visited all 213 of its tower blocks and all of its fire checks are up to date. Every block has a current fire risk assessment, blocks are inspected daily, and any fire risks are dealt with as a priority. Housing officers wrote to all tower block tenants and are planning to visit them to discuss any concerns.

The council has also moved to reassure residents about cladding. It says the external wall insulation used on 16 of its tower blocks is an insulated render system, different from the type of cladding that appears to have been used on Grenfell Tower. The products used are rated as low risk under national building regulations and have passed the relevant fire performance test for external cladding systems.

The announcement makes Birmingham one of the first major councils to commit to a full sprinkler programme in response to the disaster, and it will add to the pressure on the government to help councils across the country do the same.