Agenda item

9.23pm – Councillor Stephen Cowan moved, seconded by Councillor Larry Culhane, the following special motion:

“The Council notes that the fire at Grenfell Tower came some eight years after the Lakanal House fire in Southwark and four years after recommendations were made to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by the Coroner of the Lakanal fire.

The Council deeply regrets the Government’s failure to address all the recommendations of the Coroner’s Inquest into the Lakanal fire and pledges to campaign to secure their full implementation, backed by the appropriate Government funding.

While recognising the need for the Government to act, the Council nevertheless pledges to introduce its own Fire Safety Plus for all the homes it owns and manages.

The Council will support significant investment into Fire Safety Plus which is being put together with residents and being designed by independent experts.

The new Fire Safety Plus packages includes:

•      Installing new fire sprinklers

•      New fire safety checks for every home

•      New, free front and internal fire doors and walls for leaseholders and other council residents

•      New free replacement of appliances that fail safety checks

•      New free plug adapters

•      And more to be agreed with the borough’s new Residents’ Fire Safety Review Panel

The Council determines to continue to work openly and share fire safety information with the fire services, residents, and the new Residents’ Fire Safety Review Panel to ensure the continuing safety of all who live in a council home.

It also calls on the Government to implement the findings of the previous inquest by the Coroner, presented in 2013, into the deaths of those who lost their lives at Lakanal House.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Larry Culhane, Natalia Perez, and Stephen Cowan (for the Administration), and Councillors Mark Loveday, Lucy Ivimy, and Belinda Donovan (for the Opposition).

During the debate, Councillor Mark Loveday, under Standing Order 15(e)(5), moved to extend the time limit of his speech for an additional 5 minutes. The motion to extend the time of his speech was then put to the vote.

FOR                            UNANIMOUS

AGAINST                   0

NOT VOTING            0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

Councillor Stephen Cowan made a speech winding up the debate and the motion was put to the vote.

FOR                            UNANIMOUS

AGAINST                   0

NOT VOTING            0

The substantive motion was declared CARRIED.

9.55pm – RESOLVED

The Council notes that the fire at Grenfell Tower came some eight years after the Lakanal House fire in Southwark and four years after recommendations were made to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by the Coroner of the Lakanal fire.

The Council deeply regrets the Government’s failure to address all the recommendations of the Coroner’s Inquest into the Lakanal fire and pledges to campaign to secure their full implementation, backed by the appropriate Government funding.

While recognising the need for the Government to act, the Council nevertheless pledges to introduce its own Fire Safety Plus for all the homes it owns and manages.

The Council will support significant investment into Fire Safety Plus which is being put together with residents and being designed by independent experts.

The new Fire Safety Plus packages includes:

•      Installing new fire sprinklers

•      New fire safety checks for every home

•      New, free front and internal fire doors and walls for leaseholders and other council residents

•      New free replacement of appliances that fail safety checks

•      New free plug adapters

•      And more to be agreed with the borough’s new Residents’ Fire Safety Review Panel

The Council determines to continue to work openly and share fire safety information with the fire services, residents, and the new Residents’ Fire Safety Review Panel to ensure the continuing safety of all who live in a council home.

It also calls on the Government to implement the findings of the previous inquest by the Coroner, presented in 2013, into the deaths of those who lost their lives at Lakanal House.