Southampton Independents

Wednesday, 25 February 2026

VICTORY: Andrew Pope's Pressure Forces Council To Fix Sprinklers At Shirley Towers

 

Andrew Pope Finding Fire Safety Breaches
Photo: Southampton Independents

Andrew Pope has today confirmed with residents, and has obtained photographic evidence, that the sprinklers in the bin area have been refitted.

This is a victory for Andrew's campaign to expose the Labour-run Council's failure to fix the sprinklers that have been out of action since December.

After Sunday's incident in the Towers, Andrew informed the Fire Service about the sprinklers on the ground floor being out of action. The Incident Commanders confirmed that the Council had not told them prior to attending the incident.

Andrew says:

Andrew Pope
Photo: Southampton Independents

 

"I am determined to protect Shirley Towers residents from the Labour-run Council's negligence. And I am determined to get residents' voices heard. 

It is abysmal that Labour Cabinet Member for Housing Councillor Andy Frampton did not want to respond to my questions on behalf of residents.

Never forget that his predecessor in that role Warwick Payne lied to me in 2017, after the Redbridge Towers fire, that residents did not want sprinklers, and that the Tory Leader of Kensington said the same about residents of Grenfell. Labour or Tory, same old story.

Now residents know that Labour does not care about the fire safety of residents, nor the safety of firefighters attending Shirley Towers. It is not just negligence. It is wilful ignorance.

And Labour need to be voted out from the Council.

I very much hope Shirley residents will vote for me in the by-election and for Independent Network candidates in May."

 

The Shirley by-election is on Thursday 26th February and the Council elections are in May 2026.

 

Sprinkler in Shirley Towers
Photo: Andrew Pope

Sprinklers Refitted in Bin Area 
Photo: Andrew Pope

Other side of Bin Area with Sprinklers
Photo: Andrew Pope