Dear Dean Kirby,

Re: Freedom of Information Request - 05981

I am writing regarding your request for information, which was received on 27th June.

In In that request you asked us for information as shown below:

Where we have provided information regarding high rise tower blocks, this covers tower blocks owned by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council only. We do not hold information concerning properties other than our own. In responding, we have defined a tower block as being a building of six or above floors.

With that in mind I can confirm that the search for the information you requested has been completed and I can advise you of the following:

1.  How many residential tower blocks are there in your council area?

There are 15 residential tower blocks.

No council owned high rise tower blocks are cladded.

2.  How many people live in these tower blocks?

There are 2084 tenants. The occupancy of leasehold properties is not known.

3.  How many of those residential tower blocks do not contain sprinkler systems?

Sprinklers are installed in each of the refuse rooms in each tower block.

We are reviewing current fire risk assessments and fire audits, and will carry out a further tri-partite review of fire safety between the Council, South Essex Homes and Essex Fire and Rescue Service (EFRS).

This will involve inspections and all recommendations will be considered and acted upon as a matter of priority. The installation of more extensive sprinkler systems will form part of this review with EFRS and the outcomes will subsequently be communicated to residents.

4.  How many people live in tower blocks without sprinkler systems?

Please see the response to question 2 and 3.

5.  How many residential tower blocks do not have a central fire alarm system?

In 13 of our tower blocks, our tenants have mains supplied smoke detectors installed within each flat. This does not apply to leasehold properties.

These tower blocks do not do not have a central fire alarm system by recommendation of the fire service.

However as I have stated in answer to question 3, we are currently carrying out a tri-partite review of fire safety between the Council, South Essex Homes and EFRS.

The remaining two tower blocks identified in question 1 have a central fire alarm system in place.

6.  How many people live tower blocks that do not have a central fire alarm system?

1862 tenants, leaseholders not known.

7.  How many residential tower blocks are cladded?

0

8.  How many people live in cladded residential tower blocks?

N/A

9.  How many residential tower blocks are cladded with Aluminium Composite Material (also known as Aluminium Composit Panels)? How many people live in tower blocks cladded with ACM/ACP?

0

10. Please state, for each building cladded with ACM/ACP, the type of insulation and core used with the panels, for example polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PUR), profiled metal or a mineral core. How many residential tower blocks are cladded with each core?

N/A

11. How many people live in each building cladded with each core?

N/A

12. How many residential tower blocks are cladded with Reynobond PE cladding? How many people live in tower blocks cladded with Reynobond PE cladding?

0

13. How many people live in tower blocks cladded with Reynobond FR cladding?

N/A

14. Where another type of cladding was used on a residential tower block, please state the type of cladding used.

N/A

15. How many buildings are covered with each other type of cladding and how many people live in them?

N/A

16. Where cladding has been installed on a residential tower block, please state the name of the company that carried out the installation (where this is known).

N/A

17. Where fire tests have been carried out since the Grenfell Tower fire, please state how many residential tower blocks have been found to be cladded with materials found to be combustible? Please state how many people live in these tower blocks and the type of material that was found to be combustible.

N/A

18. Please provide a copy of any fire test reports on cladding that have been produced since the Grenfell Tower fire and the results of these tests.

N/A

19. Please provide a list of all buildings in your area (residential and non-residential, where council managed or not) with ACM cladding and buildings more than 18m high. Please provide a copy of fire rest reports and results on these buildings (see 11).

N/A

20. How many of these buildings are used to house asylum seekers? How many asylum-seekers live in these buildings?

0

21. Please provide a copy of any correspondence with the Government about tower block cladding sent or received since 13 June, 2017.

Please see the attached ‘Return from local authorities and housing associations’ spread sheet which was sent directly to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

22. Please provide a copy of any correspondence sent or received in the last seven years between the council and your local fire brigade and your local coroner about cladding on any buildings in your area.

None

23. Please provide a link to any planning applications involving cladding in the last seven years and a copy of any fire safety advice about cladding.

Details of all planning applications are available to view on our website at www.southend.gov.uk/publicaccess. The information requested is therefore exempt from disclosure under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act ‘Information Accessible to applicant by other means’. Planning Files are covered under the Local Government Access to Information Act 1985 and are public documents.

If you wish to discuss any of the above, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to request a review of our response, you should write to the Group Manager – Policy, Engagement and Communication, Department of the Chief Executive, PO Box 6, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6ER.

If you are not content with the outcome of your review, you can make a complaint under the Council’s complaints process by writing to Corporate Complaints Officer, Department of the Chief Executive, PO Box 6, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6ER.

You can also apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision although generally the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the Council’s complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Howard

Corporate Freedom of Information Team