Hampshire County Council

Building, Land and Procurement Panel Item 10

16 July 2004

Fire Safety Policy in the Built Estate

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

How the conclusion in this report fits with the Corporate Strategy

This scheme will impact on the delivery of the following Corporate Aims:

Aim 2 - stewardship of the environment - protecting where appropriate core building and heritage assets

Aim 4 - building strong and safe communities - protecting buildings from fire that are critical to the local community though additional fire protection measures.

Aim 5 - improving services - identifying through a risk-assessed process those building which require improvements to structural fire precautions to protect life of building users

1

Summary

1.1

Earlier this year, the County Council agreed a revised policy for installation of sprinkler systems based on a risk assessed approach, where appropriate, across the built estate. This report confirms the decisions made, the estimated cost to implement the policy and the additional structural fire precautions that have emerged. It was agreed that regular reports would be submitted to this Panel.

1.2

In addition to sprinkler systems, the comprehensive risk based approach has identified additional structural fire precaution improvements. In consultation with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, works have been identified which will improve fire safety. These will be included alongside the installation of a sprinkler system, or where no sprinklers are required, implemented in parallel with new building and alteration works on site. In all cases an evidentially based judgement is made on the scope of works based upon priorities across the built estate. Progress has been significant. Members will also be aware that at the time the sprinkler policy was implemented it was reported that its financial impact would be significant. This report discusses the issue in more detail.

2

Risk Management Strategy for the Built Estate

2.1

The strategic risk assessment for the built estate recognised fire in County Council buildings as the highest risk category for 2003/4. The decision to rank fire as the top risk, approved by the Panel on 24 October 2003, considered the construction and age of buildings and the use to which buildings are put, their occupants and staffing ratios, and supports the priority to protect life of building users.

2.2

The County Council, through its Strategy for the Built estate, approved by the Panel each year, has recognised that improving fire precautions is an integral part of its asset management strategy. This is confirmed in the objective `to ensure that buildings are accessible and safe to occupy and a robust corporate health and safety strategy exists'.

2.3

The risk-based decision for each project considers enhanced structural precautions, age, structure and performance of the building, occupancy profile, geographical location, evacuation strategies, heritage and community loss to establish the need for sprinkler systems or improved structural fire precautions.

3.0

Sprinkler and Fire Precaution Implementation

3.1

Since the approval of the revised policy in February 2004, over thirty building projects have been assessed. Twenty-three sprinkler installations have been proposed across a wide range of buildings such as new nursing homes, older persons home refurbishments, schools and community buildings which are listed in Appendix 1.

3.2

It is anticipated that within 6 months £1.2m will have been committed on sprinkler systems for major capital projects as illustrated by the estimated costs in Appendix 1. In some cases Service departments are contributing to the costs. The £1.2m funding for capital projects is in addition to the £1.9m committed on the Nursing Care project. No financial provision exists within capital programmes for this additional work and the future funding of the revised policy requires careful consideration.

3.3

It should be noted that in addition to this £3.1m a further £1m will have been spent on fire precautions work, principally in schools and residential accommodation.

3.4

The Council is meeting best practice for new capital projects, and working towards improved standards for refurbishment projects. Installing sprinkler systems in existing buildings is more complex and disruptive with consequential additional costs. It is not economically possible to upgrade every existing building to meet with current best practice and the strategy, supported by risk assessment determines where effective fire evacuation cannot be achieved locally within the time provided by the fire resistance of the building fabric.

4.

Costs and Funding

4.1

The cost of including sprinkler systems for new build schemes is on average around 3.5% of the overall project cost. In some instances, for example John Hunt of Everest where economies of scale exist, the installation of sprinklers is 2% of the project cost. However, Minstead Rural Studies Centre where special conditions exist the cost is around 10%. With refurbishment projects the average increases to around 7% of costs. This is due to the additional building work involved.

4.2

Funding for the schemes highlighted in appendix 1 is detailed below:

£000's

Capital provision from Enhance 1,900

Education Capital Programme 500

Reinvestment of Older Persons' Homes 250

Policy and Resources 400

Recreation and Heritage 50

3,100

5.0

Conclusion

5.1

The County Council has had a fire safety strategy in place for many years recommending the protection of life as opposed to the protection of the built estate. Best practice is constantly evolving, imposing stricter standards on the Council which requires significant additional resources to be allocated year on year to address the highest priorities. Implementation of risk-based structural fire precautions improvements, including sprinklers, limits the damage and costs of fires, both accidental and deliberate and ensures the improved safety of building users and enhanced protection of the County Council's assets. This improvement and protection comes at a price.

5.2

All new capital schemes will be compliant buildings with the relevant statutory benchmark standard, however any enhanced fire precautions provide a considerable additional cost to each project. Given the scale of the capital programme and the number of buildings in the estate, it is inevitable that the Panel will need to revisit how the policy is funded.

Recommendation(s)

That the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel advises the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that:

1

Further consideration be given to identify resources to support the continued implementation of the revised sprinkler policy and the completion of structural fire precautions.

2

The summary schedule of projects where sprinklers and additional structural fire precautions will be implemented as a result of the new policy be noted.

Project

Sprinkler Proposal

Nursing Care New Build

Andover Hospital

Yes

Bickerley Green

Yes

Coldeast

Yes

Emsworth House

Yes

Fleming House

Yes

Marlfield

Yes

Oakridge House

Yes

Tatchbury Mount

Yes

Ticehurst

Yes

Westholme

Yes

Sub total £1.3 million

Nursing Care Refurbishment

Bickerley Green

Yes

Emsworth House

Yes

Fleming House

Yes

Marlfield

Yes

Oakridge House

Yes

Ticehurst

Yes

Westholme

Yes

Sub total £0.6million

Social Services Structural Fire Precautions Programme

Bishops Waltham EPH

TBC

Courtbourne EPH

TBC

Malmesbury Lawn EPH and Day Centre

Yes

Sub total £0.3 million

Education Projects

John Hunt Of Everest School

New Secondary School

Yes

East Hants CLD School, New School Facility

Yes

Lakeside Special School Refurbishment

Yes

Costello Technology College - Replacement Maths & Tech Block

Yes

Portchester Community School - Refurbishment Of Reception

No

Chiltern Primary School - Classroom Extension & Refurbishment

No

Education Projects cont'd

Nightingale Primary School - Early Year Conversion

No

Cherbourg Primary School - Staff & Classroom Extension

No

Neville Lovett School Refurbishment

No

Sub total £0.8 million

Other Community Projects

Tile Barn Campsite Dormitory Block

No

Minstead Study Centre Dormitory Block

Yes

Calshot Activities Centre

New Residential Block

Yes

Gosport Discovery Centre

No

Havant Bus Station - Passenger Interchange

No

Sub total £0.12 million

(Estimated additional costs excluding fees & VAT)

Total - £3.12 m

Fire precaution work - £1m

TOTAL £4.12m