The safety of residents and tenants is the Council’s number one priority, and our senior staff have followed closely the sad events at the flats which caught fire in Dagenham, east London.
The Grenfell Tower disaster remains a national tragedy, and the final report by the official inquiry is due to be published on Wednesday 4 September.
Runnymede Borough Council can confirm that all relevant safety and evacuation arrangements are in place at its Surrey Towers block in Addlestone, and in the residential buildings at Addlestone One and Magna Square. All three locations have a ‘stay put’ policy in place and have an appropriate fire strategy along with fire risk assessments which are carried out on an annual basis.
All of the external cladding at Addlestone One was replaced during 2023 and it now meets EWS1 (External Wall System Fire Review Certificate) standards, with the costs being met in full by the Council.
Significant investment has been made at Surrey Towers, where all flat entrance doors were replaced in 2023 to further safeguard tenants. A policy requiring hallways and staircases to remain clear has been implemented, and the building is designed to contain the spread of fire.
A Council spokesman said: “Across Surrey Towers and our developments in Addlestone One and Magna Square, hundreds of people depend on the Council for their safety, and this is an absolute priority for us.
“While no amount of precautions can ever guarantee that a fire will not break out, we are confident and have been professionally reassured that if any incident does occur, the right protections, processes and actions are in place and residents know what to do.
“Our fire risk assessments and evacuation arrangements are reviewed every year, and external fire engineers’ expertise is used regularly to ensure we have the best approach to keeping residents safe and secure.”
The spokesman added: “Residents and tenants can play a vital role in maintaining safety by ensuring they do not compromise the structural integrity of their buildings or increase fire risks. This includes keeping fire escape routes in common areas clear and sticking to safety procedures, like not lighting barbecues on balconies, which significantly heightens the risk of fire."
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