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At the council’s cabinet meeting on Monday night, deputy leader Councillor Alison Butler announced that the council will install fire sprinklers in all council blocks that have 10, 11 or 12 storeys.
The announcement comes after the council began a review over the weekend of its housing blocks following the Grenfell Tower fire in Notting Hill last week. Croydon’s review covers all 16 council blocks over six -toreys high that have cladding, plus another 23 without cladding. Independent checks have already confirmed the materials used in four of the clad blocks are good-quality and fire retardant, and the council is expected to conclude its review by the weekend. The council has also written to all affected residents, and they will receive regular updates throughout the review.
Since 2009 Croydon has invested around £10m in upgrading fire safety in its council stock, the council said, and it has also installed sprinklers in six special sheltered accommodation blocks for the elderly.
“This council is committed to installing fire sprinklers in 25 council blocks with 10 storeys or taller because last week’s tragedy showed we all need to bolster fire safety measures for our residents,” Cllr Butler said. “I will also be writing to the government challenging them to give us more support in our plans to make our borough safer. In the meantime, we will continue to work with London Fire Brigade to ensure our housing continues to meet fire safety standards, and we will respond to any recommendations that emerge from the Grenfell Tower investigation.”
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