Fire safety checks hit record low

Fire safety checks at public buildings in The North East hit an all time low last year

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service conducts safety audits on most public buildings and the shared areas in residential properties such as flats but inspections hit a record low nationally last year and the Fire Brigades Union warns the scale of the building safety crisis – exposed by the Grenfell Tower fire – is “beyond all current comprehension”.

Home Office data shows the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service completed 1,454 fire safety audits on buildings in 2019-20 – the lowest number of inspections since comparable records began in 2010-11.

Nationally, the number of audits also fell to a record low of 48,400 last year – 43% fewer than in 2010-11.

Buildings tested include care homes, hospitals and high-rises, as well as schools and shops.

Of the audits undertaken in Tyne and Wear last year, 569 (39%) resulted in an “unsatisfactory” rating – with crews issuing 555 informal notifications explaining what action needed to be taken.

Tougher sanctions – enforcement notices – were handed out eight times in Tyne and Wear crews.

Prohibition notices, ordering access to a building to be restricted or for it to be closed altogether, were issued on 37 occasions.

Separate Home Office figures show there were the equivalent of 18 full-time staff members in Tyne and Wear capable of carrying out a fire safety audit in 2019-20 – down from 25 a year earlier.

Nationally, the figure rose by 12, to 963.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “The Grenfell Tower fire exposed the shameful state of building safety in the UK.”

Mr Wrack said the union supports the Government’s new bills on fire safety and building safety, which aim to expand firefighters’ prevention and protection work but added: “To be effective, the fire and rescue service must be properly funded. As things stand, the Government is trying to do public safety on the cheap.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “Funding for standalone fire and rescue services has increased by 3.2% in 2020-21.

“We’ve also made more than £20 million of funding available to the sector to support fire protection work.£