Agenda item

This Council meeting notes with great concern that:

·           The Government has recently changed the guidance to the Building Regulations, Fires in School Buildings Bulletin 100 (BB100), which no longer requires the installation of fire suppression systems (sprinklers) be fitted into new schools and those under-going major refurbishment.

·           The guidance published by the Department for Education to show how new school buildings can be built in such a way as to reduce the risk of fire and to ensure the safety of pupils, staff and visitors if a fire occurs, is now non-statutory.

·           The main objective of the Revised BB100 is to simplify the guidance. However, the process has removed the expectation that all new schools (except for low risk schools) will be protected from fire with automatic sprinklers.

·           There were more than 600 fires in British schools last year, with Arson suspected in 40% of cases. Each large fire creates an average of £1.5million and as much as £2.8million worth of damage.

·           Government cuts of £28million over the last six years have meant a reduction of over 400 firefighters from the front line in Greater Manchester. Currently Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority faces a further Government budget cut of £14.4million over the next four years.

·           The benefits of Fire Suppression, which were extensively and emphatically documented in the foreword of the previous BB100 by the then Minister of State for Schools have been erased from the revised BB100, with no mention made of sprinklers at all. This has taken place at a time when new schools in Scotland and Wales will have automatic sprinklers installed.

·           There has been no advance notification or formal consultation prior to the indication of this change which is strongly rejected by the Fire Sector, the Fire Sector Federation, the Fire Protection Association and the Arson Prevention Bureau.

This Council meeting believes that:

·           The safety of young people and schools’ staff is paramount.

·           Uninterrupted learning in schools is an essential part of a child’s education and should not be jeopardised by a short-term objective to build schools cheaply.

·           This change is remarkably out of step with the rest of Great Britain. In Scotland and Wales new schools are fitted with sprinklers. Children in England should not be educated in schools with a lower safety standard than those in our neighbouring devolved administrations.

·           The new guidance is a retrograde step. Sprinkler systems save lives, they prevent fires from spreading and from causing significant disruption to children’s education. This view is shared by the Chief Fire Officers Association, the Local Government Association, the Fire Sector Federation, the Fire Protection Association and the Arson Prevention Bureau.

·           This change of policy is a false economy as the cost of increased insurance premiums and the damage caused by fire outweighs that of the installation of sprinklers. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has concluded that the cost of installing a sprinkler system can be recouped in fewer than ten years following a fire.

·           Fred Perry House and the new Stockport Homes buildings are fitted with fire suppression systems – children and teaching staff deserve the same level of protection as Council employees, Councillors and partner organisations.

·           Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority are coming under increasing pressure to deal with major incidents.

This council meeting further resolves to:

·           Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education, informing her that Stockport Council strongly objects to the removal of the requirement to install fire suppression systems (sprinklers) into new schools and those under-going major refurbishment from the Fires in School Buildings Bulletin 100.

·           Call on the Government to reconsider its position and reintroduce the guidance to Building Bulletin 100 with regard the installation of Fire Sprinkler Systems into new school buildings.

·           Call on other Local Authorities to consider requesting that the Government reconsiders this important matter.

Moved by:                 Councillor Dean Fitzpatrick                     

Seconded by:           Councillor Walter Brett

In accordance with the provisions of Council Meeting Procedure Rule 14.7 (Alteration of Motion) at the request of the mover of the motion the Council Meeting gave its consent to the alteration of the motion as tabled to incorporate an alteration which had been published and circulated in advance of the meeting.

RESOLVED - This Council Meeting notes with great concern that:

·           The Government has recently changed the guidance to the Building Regulations, Fires in School Buildings Bulletin 100 (BB100), which no longer requires the installation of fire suppression systems (sprinklers) be fitted into new schools and those under-going major refurbishment.

·           The guidance published by the Department for Education to show how new school buildings can be built in such a way as to reduce the risk of fire and to ensure the safety of pupils, staff and visitors if a fire occurs, is now non-statutory.

·           The main objective of the Revised BB100 is to simplify the guidance. However, the process has removed the expectation that all new schools (except for low risk schools) will be protected from fire with automatic sprinklers.

·           There were more than 600 fires in British schools last year, with Arson suspected in 40% of cases. Each large fire creates an average of £1.5million and as much as £2.8million worth of damage.

·           Government cuts of £28million over the last six years have meant a reduction of over 400 firefighters from the front line in Greater Manchester. Currently Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority faces a further Government budget cut of £14.4million over the next four years.

·           The benefits of Fire Suppression, which were extensively and emphatically documented in the foreword of the previous BB100 by the then Minister of State for Schools have been erased from the revised BB100, with no mention made of sprinklers at all. This has taken place at a time when new schools in Scotland and Wales will have automatic sprinklers installed.

·           There has been no advance notification or formal consultation prior to the indication of this change which is strongly rejected by the Fire Sector, the Fire Sector Federation, the Fire Protection Association and the Arson Prevention Bureau.

This Council Meeting believes that:

·           The safety of young people and schools’ staff is paramount.

·           Uninterrupted learning in schools is an essential part of a child’s education and should not be jeopardised by a short-term objective to build schools cheaply.

·           This change is remarkably out of step with the rest of Great Britain. In Scotland and Wales new schools are fitted with sprinklers. Children in England should not be educated in schools with a lower safety standard than those in our neighbouring devolved administrations.

·           The new guidance is a retrograde step. Sprinkler systems save lives, they prevent fires from spreading and from causing significant disruption to children’s education. This view is shared by the Chief Fire Officers Association, the Local Government Association, the Fire Sector Federation, the Fire Protection Association and the Arson Prevention Bureau.

·           This change of policy is a false economy as the cost of increased insurance premiums and the damage caused by fire outweighs that of the installation of sprinklers. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has concluded that the cost of installing a sprinkler system can be recouped in fewer than ten years following a fire.

·           New Stockport council affiliated buildings such as the new Stockport Homes buildings are fitted with fire suppression systems – children and teaching staff deserve the same level of protection as Council employees, Councillors and partner organisations.

·           Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority are coming under increasing pressure to deal with major incidents.

This Council Meeting further resolves to:

·           Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education, informing her that Stockport Council strongly objects to the removal of the requirement to install fire suppression systems (sprinklers) into new schools and those under-going major refurbishment from the Fires in School Buildings Bulletin 100.

·           Call on the Government to reconsider its position and reintroduce the guidance to Building Bulletin 100 with regard the installation of Fire Sprinkler Systems into new school buildings.

·           Call on other Local Authorities to consider requesting that the Government reconsiders this important matter.