Fife Council has reaffirmed its commitment to tenant safety by agreeing a comprehensive response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Part 2 report.

Since the Grenfell tragedy in 2017, the council has undertaken significant fire safety upgrades, including cladding reviews and improvements across twelve tower blocks. These early actions formed a foundation for further safety measures.

At its Cabinet Committee meeting on Thursday 26th June, councillors approved a series of new actions designed to enhance fire safety across the council’s housing stock, with a particular focus on high-rise and sheltered housing.

The Part 1 report of the Grenfell Inquiry examined the outbreak and rapid spread of the fire that led to catastrophic consequences. In its immediate aftermath, actions taken by Fife Council and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service reassured both the council and tenants that such events could not be repeated in Fife’s tower blocks.

Published in September 2024, the Part 2 report of the Inquiry looked into the circumstances that enabled the building to be in a condition where fire could spread as it did. The report put forward 58 recommendations aimed at preventing similar future tragedies.

The Scottish Government responded by committing to stronger building standards, revised fire safety guidance, and the introduction of mandatory fire risk assessments and personalised evacuation plans.

In alignment with these national measures, Fife Council’s Cabinet Committee has agreed to a four-stage approach for assessing fire safety and planning long-term improvements. This will include analysing existing fire safety gaps, preparing a compliance roadmap with a fully costed programme of proposed works, developing a remediation strategy, and ultimately delivering the physical upgrades.

Housing spokesperson Councillor Judy Hamilton said:
“We acted swiftly after Grenfell and we’re now going further. The current improvement work at Swan and Memorial Courts in Methil are an example of how we’re committed to fully mitigate potential fire risks and make long-term improvements for our tenants.

I visited the tower blocks recently to see the £7 million large-scale works first-hand. The project is replacing external wall insulation, installing fire stopping in each flat, replacing older kitchens and bathrooms, upgrading the heating system and installing a new fire evacuation alarm system.

We’ll continue to work closely with tenants, the Scottish Government and fire safety experts throughout the process to deliver lasting improvements, ensuring that such a tragedy never happens again.”

Further reports will be presented to the Cabinet Committee to outline a costed work programme and address additional recommendations from the Part 2 Inquiry.

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