Ref: FOI/21078

RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 REQUEST

West Midlands Fire Service has now completed its search for the information requested on 3^rd June 2021

Please find below a summary of our findings.

Request.

Wall cladding on the block of flats at Solihull Heights, 54 New Coventry Rd, Sheldon, Birmingham, B26 3BB. Block A, the lower height block, is of particular interest. I understand you have been working with the freeholder to establish the safety of the building, particularly the cladding following the Grenfell fire disaster. If the cladding is deemed save, who is the surveyor who can issue an EWS1 certificate. If the cladding is not deemed safe, who needs to take what action and what is the status of the actions required.

Reply

This information is exempt under section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as this information is reasonably accessible to the requestor. Information concerning visits by the Fire Service to Solihull Heights, 54 New Coventry Road, Sheldon, Birmingham, B26 3BB should be provided to you by the responsible person for your property under section 22 of The Regulatory reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Co-operation and co-ordination.

22 – 1) Where two or more responsible persons share, or have duties in respect of, premises (whether on a temporary or a permanent basis) each such person must—

(a)co-operate with the other responsible person concerned so far as is necessary to enable them to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed on them by or under this Order;

(b)(taking into account the nature of his activities) take all reasonable steps to co-ordinate the measures he takes to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed on him by or under this Order with the measures the other responsible persons are taking to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed on them by or under this Order; and

(c)take all reasonable steps to inform the other responsible persons concerned of the risks to relevant persons arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking.

(2) Where two or more responsible persons share premises (whether on a temporary or a permanent basis) where an explosive atmosphere may occur, the responsible person who has overall responsibility for the premises must co-ordinate the implementation of all the measures required by this Part to be taken to protect relevant persons from any risk from the explosive atmosphere.

It is the ‘responsible person’ duty to share information and if they are not complying then you could approach the Housing Ombudsman at the following link:

https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/

If you have any queries about this freedom of information request, please contact us.  Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

For service complaints, issues or comments regarding this request please contact The Public Relations Department, West Midlands Fire Service, 99 Vauxhall Road, Birmingham, B7 4HW

Further information concerning Freedom of Information requests can be found on the Information Commissioner website at either the following link: https://ico.org.uk/ or at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF.