EXCLUSIVE: Seven Years After Grenfell and Redbridge Towers City Council Tower Blocks STILL Have "High Risk" Fire Safety Failings

 

The 2017 Daily Echo Headline That Began Our Fire Safety Campaign
After the Redbridge Towers Fire

We can exclusively reveal that Southampton City Council still has "high risk" fire safety failings in its tower blocks, seven years after the Redbridge Towers fire in early 2017.

Southampton Independents led the campaign for better fire safety in Council tower blocks and secured a commitment from the Council for sprinklers to be installed in all Council tower blocks.

Later that year, the Grenfell disaster occurred in London, with 72 victims.

Two years ago, we reported that there were still problems. 

Now, a Southampton City Council report that we have obtained states that:

"17 high risk fire actions are overdue"

The report does not state which blocks these are in, or what the risks are.

Andrew Pope, who led the campaign for sprinklers in all Council tower blocks, says:

Andrew Pope on ITV News after Redbridge Towers fire in 2017

 

"This news does not surprise me. I have seen the state of repair of tower blocks in the City, including Shirley Towers when I stood as a candidate in the recent by-election.

Southampton City Council is a bad landlord. I've heard so many complaints from tenants of the Council and not just in tower blocks. Even the Director of Housing has admitted it, saying and I quote:

'Over the last few years, our performance relating to our housing landlord function has fallen below an acceptable standard. We must and will do better.'

BBC Radio 5 Live initially did not believe me when I told them that the Council was failing on fire safety in its tower blocks.

So I showed their journalist Adrian Goldberg, having invited him to come to Southampton. He was shocked and published video footage on the BBC website.

Yet all these years later, the Labour-run Council still have not got a grip on fire safety. I will be writing to the Cabinet Member for Housing, Labour Councillor Andy Frampton, asking for more information and demanding action."

VOTE ANDREW DOUGLAS POPE INDEPENDENT FOR SHIRLEY WARD ON SOUTHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL ON 10TH OCTOBER 2024

Andrew Douglas Pope
Independent Candidate for Shirley

"I pledge to listen and act for you. I will ask questions the other councillors do not ask.

I stand up for you in the media.

I have a proven track record of delivery.

I try to be the change that you want to see.

I've helped thousands of people over the years."

In Shirley Ward on 10th October, elect a proven winner for Southampton and its great people.

Vote Andrew Douglas Pope 

Independent Candidate for Shirley Ward on 10th October 2024

Andrew Pope Founded Southampton Independents With Other Residents

Andrew Pope was Southampton City Councillor for eight years in the Maybush, Millbrook and Redbridge areas of Southampton between 2011-2019, first for Labour and then after standing for Parliament in the 2015 General Election in New Forest East, he resigned from Labour in disgust at what the Labour Council were doing to the City and the people in the area that he represented passionately and skilfully.

 

 

With the support of other residents, Andrew founded Southampton Independents and became its first ever councillor. 

Andrew did not stand for Council in 2019. The Council was not bankrupt then. But having seen the dire state of the Council over recent years under new Labour MP Satvir Kaur's leadership before she quit the Council to vote at Parliament for cuts to pensioners, Andrew spoke to residents. He says:

"Standing as an Independent is different to the Westminster political parties. 

I asked them and residents encouraged me to stand for Council and said that they would vote for me."

So Andrew is standing in the Shirley by-election as an Independent candidate.

He runs his own business in Shirley, PopeyMon Games and Consultancy, a technology consultancy and also repairs and trades vintage toys and games.

As well as many years experience listening and acting for Southampton people, Andrew listens carefully to the public every day as a professional interviewer for official surveys. These surveys are run for Government and charities. Andrew listens and records people's views and experiences on the NHS, education, work, transport, housing, mental health, the signs of ageing and on broadcast media.

These surveys are used to make important policy decisions by Government and campaigners.

Councillor Andrew Pope on BBC South Today
Standing Up For Southampton

Andrew Pope's Proven Record of Delivery

 

Andrew Pope Campaigning For Safe Standing
At St. Mary's Stadium

 

As a councillor and campaigner outside the Council, Andrew Pope has a track record of winning for Southampton:

• EXPERT IN COUNCIL FINANCES, LEADERSHIP AND CAMPAIGNING - trained by the Local Government Association in council finance and leadership. Andrew is a proven campaign winner, shown across the Southampton Independents website. Click the links below, or search the website using the web version search, or scroll down on your phone.
  
• WON CAMPAIGN FOR SPRINKLERS IN ALL COUNCIL TOWER BLOCKS - a campaign that he started after the Shirley Towers deaths and after the Redbridge Towers fire, months before the Grenfell disaster later in 2017.
  
• WON 7-YEAR “SAFE STANDING” CAMPAIGN AT ST MARY’S STADIUM BY WORKING WITH SOUTHAMPTON FC
• STOPPED LABOUR COUNCIL PLAN TO CHARGE YOU TO USE YOUR VEHICLE ON OUR ROADS BY CALLING FOR A REFERENDUM AND THEY U-TURNED!
• IN 2014/15 (before Southampton Independents website was created), WON COMPENSATION FROM POWER COMPANIES FOR 100s OF RESIDENTS
• GETS RESULTS AND HOLDS COUNCIL TO ACCOUNT FOR RESIDENTS - this website shows some, but not all, of his results. Andrew's work is in the Daily Echo, on BBC South Today (see photo above), on BBC Radio Solent and on the local BBC News website and Wave 105 Radio. Nationally, Andrew's work has appeared in The Guardian, the Daily Mirror and Daily Mail (on the living wage and minimum wage) and other national printed and TV news.
  
• INVESTIGATES AND PUBLISHES ON THIS SOUTHAMPTON INDEPENDENTS WEBSITE - just use the search on the web version, or scroll down on your phone to see his hard work
  

In Shirley Ward on 10th October, elect a proven winner for Southampton and its great people.

Vote Andrew Douglas Pope Independent for Shirley Ward on 10th October 2024.

 

VOTE TODAY FOR DENISE Polling Stations Open 7am - 10pm!

Look out for this dropping on your mat!

Lots of residents are backing Denise!

Denise Wyatt is the Southampton Independents Council Candidate for Redbridge Ward. Denise lives and works locally.

Denise Wyatt

Denise says: 

"Please vote for me today!

I am at the bottom of the ballot paper, because the names are in alphabetical order. With your help, when the votes are counted, I will be at the top!

I have been receiving amazing support from people on their doorsteps and on the streets. Lots and lots of people told me that they have already voted for me by post, and asked their friends and family too.

So many people have put posters up in their windows and put Southampton Independents boards in the gardens. Have you seen them? Thank you. Will you do the same? It's brilliant if you do it today. Show your support.

And it's not over yet! I'm not elected yet! Only one seat needs to change for a positive future! Labour has just a two majority and one seat changing means no more majority and we will stop their stupid decisions.

Please get out there and get all your friends and family to vote for me too.

We can't carry on with this useless Council!

You know that I stand up for you."

Sylvia and Richard support Denise

Sylvia Priestley (left), who lives in Redbridge says:

"I have joined Southampton Independents because they listen to you and they act upon your problems."

Richard Smith (right), who lives in Maybush says:

"Southampton Independents are the only party that actually DO what they say they will. They listen and act on what residents say."

Jenny supports Denise

Jenny Murray (left) lives in Millbrook, next to Mansel Park. Jenny says:

"Vote for the best. Vote for Denise Wyatt Southampton Independents."

Shelley supports Denise

Shelley Jones (left) lives in Redbridge. Shelley says:

"Vote for Southampton Independents for the things you want done.

They listen and act for you."

Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope, who Denise hopes to join on the Council, lives in Maybush and says:

Southampton Independents
Councillor Andrew Pope
supports Denise

"Please put your cross next to Denise Wyatt Southampton Independents Putting You First and the Southampton Independents logo.

Denise has worked hard for 3 years for this. I know because I have worked with her and with lots of other local residents who want a better area.

Residents know this. Residents trust Denise. Residents know Denise stands up for them. 

Denise is a respected and trusted woman in our area. 

This is why residents are backing Denise. You can get Denise elected today, or you can carry on with more of the same stuff.

Denise did very well the first time she stood, two years ago, but did not win overall. 

Denise has achieved so much for our area.  As an elected councillor, she can achieve so much more by carrying on her hard work. I am proud to stand up for residents with her and I will be proud of serving you with Denise.

You can make it happen today, polling stations are open 7am to 10pm.

Thank you for supporting Southampton Independents.

We listen to YOU. We put YOU first."

FIRE SAFETY FAULTS - Southampton Labour Council's Sticky Tape for Fire Safety

Detector and Duct Tape

We have listened to residents of tower blocks across Southampton.

Residents are very worried about the failings of Southampton City Council to provide adequate safety against fire. 

There are THOUSANDS of people who live in the City Council's tower blocks. As shown in fire safety reports, in just ONE block there can be 300-400 people.

We listened to residents' worries after the Redbridge Towers fire back in April 2017.

We listened to the reports on fire safety that residents had given to Southampton City Council, which alarmingly had not been acted upon by the Labour-run Council for YEARS. When the Tories had run the Council, they were no better.

Since the Grenfell Tower disaster, residents have understandably become even more concerned about the failures of the Council to protect them by improving fire safety.

Southampton Independents has repeatedly asked the Council to address residents' concerns IMMEDIATELY. Yet the Council has dithered, or not acted at all.

We have asked why the Council has neglected safety for years. We don't yet have the answers, or enough action. The photo above, taken on Friday 13th October 2017, shows how pathetic the Southampton Labour Council is. A fire detector and tile held on with sticky tape. We have plenty more evidence of Labour's failures.

As shown on this website, Southampton Independents won its campaign for the Council to commit to installing sprinklers in ALL tower blocks. And as shown on this website, the Labour Councillor responsible for Housing, Councillor Warwick Payne, did not want to do it. It was our campaign, working with residents, that made him and the Labour Council change their minds.

We have been repeatedly informing the media about the failures of the Council. Why? Because the Council wasn't listening. And the Council wasn't acting to protect residents.

We are pleased that the BBC, ITV, the Daily Echo and Wave 105 have all reported on the failings of the Council to install sprinklers for seven years after the Shirley Towers tragedy and to take action to protect residents.

We thank all of our media colleagues for helping us to expose and put pressure on the Council.

And we thank residents across Southampton for telling us about the continuing failures of the Labour-run Council to protect them.

Southampton Independents has listened.

Southampton Independents has acted.

Please see our related article for some of the latest evidence we have gathered.

It shows that Labour Councillor for Housing, Cabinet member Warwick Payne and the Labour Leader of the Council Councillor Simon Letts, who is ultimately responsible for Property and the performance of Cabinet members, have continued to put lives at risk DESPITE all of the warnings and complaints.

They both should resign in shame.

And if they do not resign as councillors, we ask Southampton residents to VOTE LABOUR OUT IN MAY 2018 at the City Council elections. Labour only has a majority of two seats of 48.

And don't forget, the Tories were rubbish at running the Council before Labour got in.

Vote for Southampton Independents candidates at the May 2018 local elections.

Southampton Independents stand up for action, not words.

Sign the Petition to Government: Sprinklers in ALL Tower Blocks

Redbridge Towers Fire Damage

Daily Echo Front Page

Since the fire at Redbridge Towers in April 2017, Southampton Independents have been campaigning for sprinklers to be compulsory. We listened to residents and acted for them, getting the issue on the front page of the Daily Echo and putting pressure on the Council.

Our campaign to protect tower block residents has forced Southampton City Council to commit publicly to put sprinklers in ALL Council tower blocks. The Labour-run Council didn't want to do it. But pressure from us and residents made them change.

Denise Wyatt

Leader of Southampton Independents Denise Wyatt says:

"As we have said repeatedly before on our website and in the media, and proved by our actions, we will hold the Council to account until all sprinklers have actually been installed. 

The Labour-run Council is still delaying and dithering actually doing what they promised."

Sadly, it isn't the law that sprinklers have to be installed in all tower blocks - only for new ones.

On this website, and via our social media, we supported a petition created by Southampton resident Tracy Cutler earlier this year, which rightly achieved a lot of signatures after the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Sadly that petition did not directly lobby the Government and has not resulted in a change to the law. The Tory Government, like the Labour Council, is dithering and delaying. The enquiry into Grenfell has only just started, months after the tragedy.

Action is needed NOW.

So we have created a new petition on the Government petition website.

Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope says:

Councillor Andrew Pope

"We want to force the Government to change the law to make sprinklers compulsory in all tower blocks, new or old.

Do you?

The petition is here.

Join the other concerned people who have signed it already. 

Please sign. 

And please get your friends and family to sign it too."

Council STILL Failing on Fire Safety in Tower Blocks

Research and evidence gathered by Southampton Independents shows that despite:

1. the fatal Grenfell Tower tragedy in London on 14th June 2017, which killed around 100 people but for which the investigation has not concluded, and
2. the fatal Shirley Towers tragedy in Southampton 5th April 2010, in which two firefighters were killed and the Coroner making recommendations to the Council and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS), and
3. the Redbridge Towers fire in Southampton on 9th April 2017, which thankfully killed nobody

that fire safety in the Southampton City Council’s tower blocks is lacking in several ways, including a lack of sprinklers, a lack of adequate signage and a lack of standard cabling. 

Leader of Southampton Independents, Denise Wyatt, says:

“Southampton City Council claims to have fire assessments done “regularly”, and that its fire assessments are up-to-date.  

Yet these flaws in fire safety are very clear to residents and Southampton Independents has provided evidence to the media this week. 

Southampton Independents is calling for fire safety in tower blocks to be properly and independently assessed in the City’s tower blocks, NOT by the Council and NOT by 3SFire which is not “independent”, as claimed by the Council. 

More evidence on the lack of fire safety will be published by Southampton Independents in the near future. 

It seems that Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council are not the only Council to fail on fire safety. Southampton City Council has failed to take action, whether under Labour or Conservative control since Shirley Towers in 2010. 

Why did it take pressure from Southampton Independents and public opinion following the Grenfell disaster to make the Council take action? That is totally wrong.”

Sprinklers: Questions the Council Need to Answer - NOW!

Redbridge Towers

After the Redbridge Towers, Shirley Towers and now Grenfell Tower fires, Southampton City Council need to urgently answer the questions below in the bottom of this post.

Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope has today asked these questions to the Labour Leader of the Council, Councillor Simon Letts, copying in Cabinet Member for Housing Councillor Warwick Payne.

Councillor Pope on ITV Meridian News
holding Southampton City Council to account

Let's not forget that as recently as April 2017, Councillor Payne dismissed residents' concerns about the lack of sprinklers, which was shortly after the Redbridge Towers fire. Councillor Payne said residents didn't want sprinklers! What a liar! Residents DO want sprinklers. He also said there isn't enough money! That is also untrue. 

Councillor Payne needs to go, or to be sacked by the Leader of the Council.

If you want to see what Councillor Payne looks like, he's the one in the second row from the bottom, holding both his hands up, in the below photo. Is it because he is doubly guilty of putting the public at risk by his lies? You may think that, but Southampton Independents couldn't possibly comment! Here are his contact details. Ask him why he has failed to protect residents in high-rise blocks.

The Labour Group of Councillors - Yes, Guilty

The Councillor behind him is Labour Councillor Sharon Mintoff. She is paid an allowance to stand up for the safety of Southampton residents on the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority - councillors which are supposed to hold the Fire Service to account. When Councillor Pope asked her to tell him what she had done to promote sprinklers - she declined to respond - twice in writing and once in person. Here are her contact details - ask her why she did nothing!

It is therefore fair to say that Councillor Mintoff did nothing to promote fire safety in high-rise blocks.

Perhaps with the massive response to Southampton Independents supporter Tracy Cutler's petition, with over 65,000 signatures since it was created yesterday, Councillor Payne might now change his mind that residents don't want sprinklers? The petition is embedded on our page here. If you haven't signed Tracy's vital petition, please do so and share it widely.

And now perhaps Southampton City Council will change its mind, and fit sprinklers to ALL Southampton high-rise blocks?

We will see, when we get the answers that Southampton residents deserve.

The Chief Fire Officer of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, Dave Curry, is still yet to answer the questions we have asked for months now, and asked again.

Firefighters put their lives on the line, but they shouldn't have to if the Council and Fire Service managers like him are doing their jobs properly.

What does Chief Curry and Southampton City Council have to hide?

They must both be held to account. Help Southampton Independents to do that by asking the same questions of the Leader of the Council. Here are his contact details. Thank you.

This is a matter of public safety.

---

E-mail follows;

Dear Councillor Letts,

When you were on BBC Radio Solent this morning, responding to the Southampton Independents campaign with residents for sprinklers in all high rise blocks, you appeared to indicate that money would be allocated for Redbridge and Millbrook Towers.

1. What is this money?

2. What is it for?

3. Where is it coming from?

4. When will the works be done?

5. What will the works entail?

When I asked Cllr Payne in April about sprinklers, he dismissed the idea completely. He said residents didn't want sprinklers. He also said there wasn't the money.

For your information, one of Southampton Independents' supporters T Cutler has created a petition on the topic yesterday. It currently has almost 20,000 supporters and is growing rapidly.

6. Cllr Payne - do you still maintain that residents don't want sprinklers?

7. Why has not a single sprinkler been installed for SEVEN YEARS after the Shirley Towers tragedy, and over TWO YEARS after it was decided to do the 3 blocks? The Council statement sent yesterday confirms this.

8. And finally, I will give you both one last chance - will you commit to installing sprinklers in ALL of Southampton's high rise blocks, and by when?

Sign the Petition: We Are STILL Campaigning for Sprinklers - Are you?

The fire damaged Redbridge Towers

The Grenfell Tower tragedy in London has brought attention in Southampton back to fire safety in our City, and the Shirley Towers tragedy in 2010 where two firefighters were killed.

After the Redbridge Towers Fire in April this year, we listened to residents who wanted sprinklers installed. It is accepted that sprinklers save lives, and would likely have stopped the loss of lives at Shirley Towers.

Here is some of the work that we did with residents.

We listened to you and stood up for you. We worked with you to generate the headlines in the Daily Echo and spoke up for you on ITV Meridian News.

Councillor Andrew Pope standing up for you in the Daily Echo

Daily Echo back in April 2017

Councillor Pope on ITV Meridian outside Redbridge Towers

Back in April, Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope requested Southampton City Council to install sprinklers.

You can see the disgraceful responses from Labour Councillor for Housing Warwick Payne here. He dismissed residents concerns.

Do you agree that Warwick Payne should resign or be sacked?

After the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and thinking of the safety of Southampton residents, Councillor Pope has been standing up for you and putting pressure on Southampton City Council and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service by speaking on BBC Radio Solent yesterday and today, being quoted in the Daily Echo today and Andrew will be appearing on Wave 105 radio later today.

The Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service policy is that sprinklers should be installed in high-rise blocks. Here is a section from the policy:

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Sprinkler Policy

The Council have tried to make out they have taken adequate steps on safety. Residents are not reassured. One resident, a former employee of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, contacted us this morning to say:

"I have just had a letter in last few minutes from Council, reference the fire in London and what the council are doing re ECU improvement works (cladding). They intend to do all blocks and assure us the materials they are using are naturally fire resistant, but there is they say following London fire, nothing at all to suggest the system is unsafe in any way. How they can say that before there has been a full investigation I don't Know!"

Another resident has contacted us to say:

"I think it's the same tripe they put out after every incident"

As Councillor Pope told BBC Radio Solent yesterday, residents are NOT reassured.

We work to expose failures and cover-ups. And Redbridge Towers is another one.

Why do we do this? We put pressure on those who have failed to protect you. Why?

Because Southampton Independents listen to you.

Southampton Independents work for you.

Southampton Independents stand up for you.

One of our supporters has created a petition to change the law to improve fire safety. She lost a friend in the Lakanal disaster in London in 2009. Why does the law need to be changed? Because it can't be left to councils like Southampton City Council, when they ignore residents like Warwick Payne did. Please sign and share this petition widely. If it doesn't appear below, please click this link.

Like our Facebook page "Southampton Independents" for updates, follow our Twitter feed @SotonIndies and keep coming back to our website.

Redbridge Towers Fire - Is It A Cover-Up?

Smoke Damage to Redbridge Towers

Like Mr and Mrs Taylor say on the Southampton Independents leaflets dropping on your doormats now, Southampton Independents stand up for you.

We were there with residents during the Redbridge Towers fire, and we have been standing up for you in the Daily Echo and on ITV Meridian News.

The media reports and our actions on your behalf have helped put pressure on the failing Labour Council.

But the Labour Council has tried to stop us and residents from finding out why the Council and other local agencies failed to deal properly with the occupant of the flat where the fire started, for which there is an arson investigation continuing.

Daily Echo Front Page on
Southampton Independents Actions

Residents have asked us why the Council failed to look after them during the fire, but told ITV Meridian News that they had. We have had it confirmed that the school WAS NOT OPENED until 8pm and the school was only contacted at 7.30pm. The Council tried to make out to the media that it had been opened earlier than this.

Residents have asked us why the Council failed to keep them warm? The community rallied around each other, and looked after each other with drinks, using the toilets, and reassuring people. We were with residents.

Residents have asked us why there was only ONE Council officer there, plus possibly a surveyor, for the entire fire and aftermath?

Residents have asked us why there are no sprinklers installed in Redbridge Towers? The Labour Council claim that residents don't want sprinklers and that there is no money even if they did. Residents do want sprinklers so the Council need to find the money.

Andrew Pope, the Fire Service and residents
calling for sprinklers

Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope, also our Parliamentary Candidate for the Southampton Test Constituency at the 8th June 2017 General Election, says:

"I've tried to get full and frank answers from both Southampton City Council and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. The Labour Councillor responsible for Housing, Warwick Payne, claims that the Fire Service agreed that only 3 high rises would have sprinklers installed after the Shirley Towers tragedy.

These do not include Redbridge Towers.

While I have praised the Fire Service and Police for their actions on the night, I cannot praise the Council, because they failed residents.

And now the Council seem to be trying to cover up their failures.

Officers at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (not firefighters but civilians) are also trying to hide behind "purdah" election rules to provide answers.

I've told them this is an emergency, and that if another fire was to happen, their attempt to delay getting the full answers will look very foolish and is frankly dangerous.

I will continue to try to get answers for Southampton residents.

If elected to Parliament, I will campaign for ALL high-rise blocks to be legally required to have sprinklers installed. If it's good enough for new high-rises, it's good enough for Council tenants."

Women's Pensions: Labour or Tory Same Old Story

Andrew Pope making the #WASPIPledge
in Redbridge

Our Southampton Test Parliamentary Candidate Andrew Pope has been backing the campaign for equal pensions arrangements, Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), since last year.

Southampton Independents Andrew Pope and Denise Wyatt (red jacket)
with WASPI campaigners at Southampton City Council
(Photo courtesy of Southern Daily Echo)

As a councillor on Southampton City Council, he voted for a motion supporting the WASPI campaign (pictured above).

And if elected to Parliament, Andrew has made the WASPI pledge to support WASPI and to work in Parliament to find a solution for the women affected (see photo above). Andrew apologises for the squinting - it was a windy and bright day.

Here is Andrew showing his support next to Redbridge Towers. Redbridge Towers is a high-rise block in the Redbridge ward that Andrew represents on Southampton City Council. It is an iconic building that guards the Western entrance to Southampton and the Southampton Test Constituency for which he hopes to become the next Member of Parliament.

Andrew says: "The womens pensions issue is another case of successive Governments bickering over whose fault the problem is. It's another case of Labour, Lib Dem or Tory, same old story. Instead of bickering, they should have resolved the issue and allowed women to plan for their retirement.

As an Independent MP,  as I do as an Independent councillor, I will be a strong voice to ensure the WASPI campaign is heard, and that steps are taken to get compensation or fair transitional state pension arrangements are made for these women."

What would you like Andrew to do to help you, your family and your area? 

Vote for Andrew in the 8th June General Election to find out.

UPDATED: Redbridge Fire - Did the Council Fail AND Lie to the Public?

The fire damage to Redbridge Towers

As we have previously posted, Southampton Independents campaigners Denise Wyatt and Councillor Andrew Pope were with residents on Sunday night, after the fire at Redbridge Towers.

We were there when the Council failed to look after residents, with only one person there to look after hundreds of people, most of whom were Council tenants.

Since then, Denise and Andrew have spoken with more residents, to listen to their concerns about how the Council handled the fire.

We have been standing up for residents, and speaking to local media on TV and in print.

The Southern Daily Echo Front Page Tuesday 13th April 2017

We would provide a link to the ITV Meridian News piece, but there is no way of linking to it that we are aware of.

Here is a transcript of part of what was a very thorough report.

ITV interviewed residents, the Fire Service and Cllr Andrew Pope. ITV also referred to people who were affected by the tragedy at Shirley Towers, almost seven years ago to the day.

ITV journalist Richard Slee said:

"There are complaints that Southampton City Council didn't do enough to help residents."

Independent Councillor Andrew Pope said:

"There was only one, maybe two, Council officers there the entire evening.
There were a lot of Council tenants affected.
And those involved didn't know what was happening and they weren't being looked after.
Eventually the school was opened up, but that was several hours after the incident.
And it was too late because most of the people were already back in the block."

In a statement to ITV Meridian, Southampton City Council said:

"A Duty Officer from Housing Services was on the scene, ensuring that residents were kept warm and secure in Redbridge School... and that ward councillors were also on site speaking with tenants."

We have challenged the Council statement because residents told us that it is factually incorrect. And we believe that it is factually incorrect too - because we were there!

We have asked the Council's Communications officers to send us the statements made to ITV, the BBC and the Echo. We have asked also for who authorised those statements.

And we've given them until the end of today to do so...

UPDATE (Saturday 15th April 2017): The Council's Communications officers finally responded around 4pm on Thursday. We will be publishing our full response in the near future, but we can confirm that what they told the media contains information that is factually incorrect, as we stated above - and more importantly, what residents believe are bare-faced lies.

It would add insult to injury to residents if the Council sought to cover up its failures, or for the Council to lie about what happened, wouldn't you think?

Tell us what you think using the contact details here.

Please keep coming back to this website. Like our Southampton Independents Facebook page to know when there are updates and follow our @SotonIndies Twitter feed.

UPDATED: Sprinklers in ALL High-Rise Blocks not a Community Garden

(15th June 2017): The latest article on Redbridge Towers, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, is here.

As reported in Tuesday's Daily Echo, we agree with residents that Redbridge Towers should have sprinklers.

Here is the view of fire safety campaigner Lin Bannon Trott, who posted this on the Redbridge Towers fire:

"Yet one more reason to install #Sprinklers"
https://twitter.com/pinklindy42/status/851184847066365952

UPDATED (25th April 2017): Following further conversations with residents of Redbridge Towers, we have confirmed once again that they DO want sprinklers installed. On top of the below, Cllr Pope has told the Labour-run Council once again that they need to find the money for them to be installed.

Residents are very angry that the Council has found the money for the "Arts", a community garden and fancy fencing that residents don't want - but not for sprinklers. And residents told Council officers this at the meeting on the proposed changes to Cuckmere Lane and Studland Close, confirmed by the Council as costing £1.675m.

Councillor Pope campaigning for sprinklers
The Fire Service agreed with our campaign!

We have asked the person responsible for making the decision to NOT install them, Labour Councillor Warwick Payne, Cabinet Member for Housing, to answer questions on sprinklers.

Below are Councillor Payne's rather unhelpful answers to our questions on sprinklers:

1. What do you think of Councillor Payne's answers?
2. Do you agree that he should put the money into sprinklers, instead of spending money on an unwanted community garden and fancy metal fencing on Cuckmere Lane? That is what most residents told us they wanted today.
3. And do you think his views are offensive to all those residents who have told us they want sprinklers?
4. Have you even heard of the "Tenant Resource Group" that Councillor Payne seems to want to blame?

Tell us what you think! 

Contact us on 07580 715 687 or on sotonindies [at] gmail.com or on our Facebook page Southampton Independents.

Questions from Councillor Andrew Pope, Southampton Independents councillor for Redbridge:

Q1: Why did you, the Cabinet and the Leader decide not to fit sprinklers in all high-rise blocks in the City, following the Coroner's recommendation following the Shirley Towers incident?

A: The coroner said landlords should be “encouraged to consider” fitting sprinklers, so it wasn’t a firm direction on his part, just a suggestion. On the back of this, SCC housing chiefs and fire chiefs met to discuss the best way forward, and it was decided jointly that sprinklers would provide the greatest benefit in Shirley Towers and its sister blocks (Sturminster House and Albion Towers) due to their complex layout which makes firefighting more complicated, which is less of an issue at our other towers which have a simpler layout (for example, Redbridge Towers).

Q2: Was this issue raised by OSMC (the Council's chief scrutiny committee which tries to hold the Labour-run Council to account) when it was considered by the Committee in early 2016? If it was, what was your response?

A: Yes, and the response was identical to the above, which was accepted.

Q3: What role did cost have in your decision?

A: Extending the project where it would have much less impact has been discussed with the Tenant Resource Group (which oversees HRA spending) and OSMC. Neither has objected to the current position, which is especially crucial regarding the Tenant Resource Group as it’s their rental income which would have to fund it (there is no government money available for this as far as can be established). Extending sprinkler coverage would cost millions, which perhaps we could justify if residents were clamouring for us to do it, but that hasn’t been the case and, for the record, I haven’t received a single phone call or email today (Monday) from any council tenant in the city asking about sprinklers, at Redbridge Towers or otherwise. In short, I don’t feel like I’ve ever had a firm mandate from tenants to spend their cash in this way.

Q4: In making this decision, did you consult with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and who was your contact?

A: As mentioned above, HFRS chiefs shaped the proposals jointly with us, so they weren’t just consultees, they worked out the details with us and were in the room all along.

UPDATE on Fire at Redbridge Towers

The outside fire damage to Redbridge Towers

Southampton Independents campaigners Denise Wyatt and Councillor Andrew Pope attended the scene of the fire at Redbridge Towers on Sunday night.

We now provide an update to the initial statement we released after we had been at the scene.

We were there for several hours and we tried to keep residents informed and we also asked for the school to be opened.

Since that night, we have been back to the block and spoken to more residents.

We have provided statements to ITV Meridian News and to the Daily Echo.

Front Page of the Daily Echo, Tuesday 11th April 2017

In those statements, we have spoken up for local residents of Redbridge Towers and Cuckmere Lane.

Today, we spent the afternoon speaking to more residents.

Residents are not happy with the response from the Labour-run Council:

- with the events leading up to the fire
- with how the Council handled the fire and the evacuation
- with how the Council failed to keep them informed, and failed to look after their welfare
- with how the Council has responded since the fire

To give an example of the Labour-run Council's failures, Councillor Pope asked, and then asked again, for an update regarding the release of the occupant of the flat where the fire started.

This was because residents contacted us to ask whether that person would be returning to Redbridge Towers. Obviously they would be concerned if that person would be returning.

It was confirmed by the Police that there is a continuing investigation, and as reported by the Daily Echo today, the only suspect was released.

Officers did not respond to Councillor Pope's emails. Eventually, the senior housing officer called Councillor Pope today.

Councillor Pope agreed with that officer to inform residents of the following:

"The occupant of the flat where the fire started will NOT be returning to Redbridge Towers for the foreseeable future."

Southampton Independents would like to be able to say more, but we are sorry that we cannot at this stage.

However, we hope this statement will reassure residents for the time being.

Residents remain angry and that was very clear when we spoke with them again today.

Hampshire Police have asked residents to call 101 if they have any information relating to the ongoing investigation.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service continue their investigation into the cause of the fire.

Southampton Independents work on the issues that matter to Southampton people.

We do not jump to party-political instruction, unlike Labour or Tory, who always give you the same old story.

Please continue to give us information, and we will try to get you answers.

Best wishes,
Denise Wyatt and Councillor Andrew Pope

Fire at Redbridge Towers

Following the fire at Redbridge Towers this evening, Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope, ward Councillor for Redbridge, has issued the following statement:

"I have personally thanked the Police and the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service for their excellent response in ensuring that no serious injuries were sustained.

However, I was concerned that tenants of Southampton City Council and local residents were not being kept informed by Council officers.

No facilities were made available, despite requests by residents, on what was a cold night. Some residents and children were clearly traumatised and understandably so.

I understand that the Police and Fire Service are already investigating the cause.

I have already begun investigating what the Council did and did not do prior to this unfortunate incident, and have asked for an urgent update."