JULY 2017

Welcome to MULTI MATTERS

This newsletter is dedicated exclusively to all tenants and residents in multi-storey flats.

Whatever it is you would like to share please get in contact:Carol Hannaford,Business Hub 11, Level 2 West, Marischal College, Broad Street, Aberdeen AB10 1ABCHannaford@aberdeencity.gov.uk

We would like to assure residents that both Aberdeen City Council (ACC) and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRC) take fire safety very seriously.

Since the terrible fire in London in June Council officers have been working in partnership with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to check the specification of materials used in Aberdeen multi-storey blocks. We can confirm that the materials and design used fully comply with all relevant building regulations and standards.

We are committed to working with tenants and residents to ensure their safety and we have held a series of drop in meetings at multi-storeys where residents were able to come and speak to the Council and fire service staff.

What to do in the event of a fire

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service advise householders in multi-storey buildings to have a thought out fire escape plan for the whole household. This means looking at how you and your family can get out of your flat quickly, identifying where the front door keys are located and choosing a ‘safe room’ in case you can’t escape.

If a fire occurs in your own flat the SFRS advice is to alert your household and get out quickly - by crawling if there’s smoke - close any doors behind you to prevent smoke and fire spread, use the stairs to exit the building and then call 999.

If the fire is elsewhere in the building i.e. not in your flat, SFRS advice is to call 999 to tell them of the location of fire if you know it, stay in your flat with the front door closed, pack a towel or sheet around the bottom of your front door to prevent smoke from getting in, go to an open window and wait for the fire service. Only leave the safety of your flat if you’re affected by heat

or smoke, or if you’re told to leave by firefighters or the Police.

If you are trapped, you should go to your ‘safe room’ and gather everyone there, call 999 and protect the room by packing bedding or towels along the bottom of the door, open the window to breathe and attract attention by waving a sheet.

What can residents do?

Residents can help reduce the risk of fire spreading by ensuring that their waste is disposed of properly - by using either the bin chute or recycling bins.

Please do not abandon any large items beside bins or anywhere else in the building. If you have household items that you no longer need you can take them to a Household Waste Recycling Centre or arrange for a collection.

You can book a bulky waste collection by calling 03000 200 292. Or you can visit one of our Customer Access Points:• KincorthCustomerAccessPoint

can process all Environmental Service requests. They are able to take cash, cheque and card payments and can process invoices.

• MastrickAccessPoint can process all Environmental Service requests. They are able to take cash, cheque and card payments and can process invoices.

• WoodsideAccessPoint can process all Environmental Service requests. They are able to take cash, cheque and card payments and can process invoices

• MarischalCollegeCustomerService Centre do not process requests for Environmental Services or take payments for them. Instead they can provide you with free access to the Contact Centre 03000 200 292 number.

Aberdeen City Council tenants are entitled to have up to four bulky items collected free of charge, which can be split over a maximum of four collections. The cost is covered by the Housing Service and is included as part of your rent. Only the tenant named on the lease can call and organise the uplift.

If you receive council tax and/or housing benefits, you will be eligible for the reduced rate of £12.50. When you call for a collection you will be asked to provide a benefit claim reference number.

For everyone else there is a standard charge of £25 for up to four items.

Fire Safety in Multi-storeys

Fire alarm panels and other fire safety equipment are checked on a regular basis. In addition, SFRS undertake a fire safety inspection of each multi-storey block every two months.

Aberdeen City Council owns a total of 3,879 flats within the multi-storey blocks and all, apart from 47, have been fitted with mains powered smoke detectors. The remaining 47 flats have battery-operated alarms which are due to be replaced by mains powered.

These smoke detectors have a life of 10 years and, at the time of installation, residents are given a leaflet stipulating the maintenance regime, i.e. regularly check that the green mains light is lit and to test the alarm weekly, by depressing the test button. ACC carries out checks on the smoke detectors when a property becomes void. The smoke detectors are replaced as part of a rolling programme.

In ACC’s capital programme for 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, we are upgrading mains powered systems in 19 multi-storeys at a cost of more than £500,000.

When the multi-storey buildings were constructed, there was no requirement to have fire suppression systems so the 59 multi-storeys do not have them. We will take on board any findings from the fire service investigation in London and review as necessary.

What are the next steps?Aberdeen City Council, SFRS and the Scottish Government will continue to work closely throughout the investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire, and we shall continue to review multi-storey block fire safety on an ongoing basis.

Residents can book a free home fire safety visit from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service:

Text ‘FIRE’ to 80800;Call 0800 0731 999; orVisit www.firescotland.gov.uk

More information can be found on the SFRS website: www.firescotland.gov.uk/your-safety/for-householders/multi-storey-flats

Wehaveproducedalistofcommonquestions asked by residents at our dropinsessionsorviasocialmedia.

How many Aberdeen City Council multi-storeys have over-cladding?Aberdeen City Council has 59 multi-storey blocks of flats, with over-cladding currently on 18 of them. There are a further seven multi-storey buildings undergoing over-cladding work.

The over-cladding programme has been carried out by the contractors Lovell, Graham Construction, and Keepmoat.

Is there a difference in cladding here compared to London?The materials used in the over-cladding of ACC multi-storey buildings are not the same as what has been reported to have been used on the Grenfell Tower in London. The materials used in ACC multi-storey buildings are resistant to the spread of fire.

ACC technical officers in partnership with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have been checking the specification of materials used in Aberdeen blocks and can confirm that the materials and design used fully comply with all relevant building regulations and standards.

All of the ACC over-cladding is made of the following materials:

1. Insulation made of stone fibres which is non-flammable and is hard-up against the concrete wall. It is 125mm thick and is a rigid material;

2. Solid façade sheets made of a fibreglass reinforced polymer which is resistant to the spread of fire and hinders smoke development;

3. Cavity barriers at each party floor and party wall, and around each window. These barriers enclose any fire so as to prevent the risk of it spreading from flat to flat, and prevent it spreading within the over-cladding. These cavity barriers are made of both the previously-mentioned stone fibre insulation (around the windows and at the party walls) and also intumescent seals and steel at the party floors. The intumescent steel fire stop which, when it heats up, expands to block any fire.

What fire safety measures are in place in multi-storey properties?All Aberdeen City Council multi-storey blocks benefit from a number of systems including fire alarms and smoke detectors that are linked to a fire alarm panel, emergency lighting in all communal landings, and exit staircases. Each multi-storey block is also equipped with a dry riser with an outlet on each floor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cladding Materials

Cleaning in Multi-storeys

ResidentsatDenburnCourtmayhavenoticedtwonewbenchesoutside their building.

The Denburn Tenant & Residents group decided to honour two former tenants by arranging for two benches to be placed in their memory.

Denburn Court Resident Irene Hodgins the Vice Chair and Treasurer of the group said “John McConnachie was the chairperson of our group for many years and he was also actively involved in citywide tenant participation, working with the Council to improve partnership with tenants and residents.

Betty Grant was my close friend as well as being treasurer of the group. She was also a member of the citywide multi-storey group until ill health stopped her attending.”

We hope all the tenants and residents of Denburn Court and their family and friends enjoy sitting on the benches - lets hope the sun shines!

Official statistics released by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service show a total of 238 incidents were reported over 2016/17 in buildings at least ten storeys high. This is down almostaquarteronthepreviousyearand 261 (52%) less than 2009/10.

Casualty rates have also reduced in buildings of more than ten storeys, with 45 recorded over the period, marking a near 30% reduction on 2015/16 when the figures stood at 64.

In the past year firefighters undertook 70,743 home fire safety visits, which are essential in helping detect risks in the home. In addition, more than 2,400 operational assurance visits have been carried out at high rise properties where communal facilities, such as stairwells, are checked for the purposes of firefighting and firefighter safety.

Assistant Chief Officer David McGowan said:

“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attends at every emergency and has an agreed Standard Operating Procedure in place which sets out how fires in high rise properties should be dealt with, utilising appropriate training and equipment, including high reach appliances.

“Whilst it is encouraging to note an overall reduction in the number of fires affecting domestic properties, we are not complacent.

“We routinely carry out operational assurance visits at high rise premises for the purposes of checking facilities and arrangements for firefighting and firefighter safety.

“In addition, we have specific safety information relating to high rise premises available on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service website.“This includes tried and tested national advice regarding what to do in the event of a fire, should the fire occur in the flat you are in or elsewhere in the building.

“I would remind communities in Scotland that we are here to support them, most notably through our free home fire safety visits where firefighters will provide safety advice and guidance on what to do in the event of an emergency.”

To book a free home fire safety visit call 0800 0731 999, text ‘FIRE’ to 80800 or visit www.firescotland.gov.uk

The Benches

The number of high rise flat fires in Scotland has fallen to its lowest in eight years.

INCIDENTSdecrease of

2009 - 2017

52%

CASUALITIESdecrease of

2009 - 2017

30%

Orbisarethecompanycontractedby Aberdeen City Council to clean all 39mainstreammulti-storeyblocks.They are responsible for cleaning areas such as the foyer, lifts and backstairs,communallandingsandchuterooms.Residentsareremindedthat they should keep these areas clearandfreeofitemstoallowthecleaning staff full access to carry out their duties.

Orbis also provide a 24hour emergency call out service.

The emergency call out service number is 03000 200 292.

Contract Cleaning SurveyIn May Kerry Laing, Contract Manager, visited all of our multi-storeys to gain residents’ views on the service currently provided.

The survey closed on Friday 9 June and Kerry has been busy collating the information you provided. Results will be shared with residents as quickly as possible and a decision will be made whether to renew the contract with Orbis or to go to tender and work with another cleaning company.

There were 528 responses in total across the 42 multi-storey buildings.As part of the survey residents asked questions about certain elements of the survey.

Q. You asked what cleaning products are used.

A. Orbis use a variety of products that are all suitable for use with hot or cold water. All products are environmentally friendly. Some of the products used include floor cleaner, disinfectants, deodorizers, stainless steel cleaner and Sanitaire kits.

Q. You asked how weekend staff know what tasks theyhavetocomplete.

A. Each member of staff receives a full induction from their Supervisor; they complete online training and receive regular on site visits. We also have a cleaning schedule specific to each building that lists which tasks are to be completed each day this is available for all staff to view when working in a building.

Q. You asked how staff washtheirmops

A. Mops are rinsed out with cleaning products after use and are changed approximately once a week. Staff use different mop heads and brushes for bin rooms than they do for inside the building.

Orbis purchase around 200 new mop heads per month.

Q.Somerespondentsqueried how weekend cleaningismonitored

A. There are two supervisors employed by Orbis that each take turns of working various shifts at the weekend, the supervisors will visit different sites each weekend to monitor weekend cleans.

Weekend cleans are shorter than weekday cleans and take place at different times to your regular weekday clean. Staff are allocated 1 hour per block Saturday and Sunday.

Q. You asked who you can speak to about the cleaning contract

A. General enquiries should be directed to the Contract Manager by phoning 01224 489528 or email contractcleaning@aberdeencity.gov.uk.

A 24 hour call out service is available in case of emergencies such as, but not limited to:

• Excrement

• Vomit

• Urine

• Contentsofrefuseininternal communal area e.g. bin bag bursts

• Hypodermicneedles

• Blood

The emergency call out service number is 03000 200 292.

If there is an urgent problem at the weekend please phone 03000 200 292.

Cleaning in Multi-storeys

Any comments or queries about the service should be directed to Kerry Laing, Contract Manager by calling 01224 489528.

Many respondents commented on the helpful and friendly manner of cleaning staff.

“Block smells fresh after cleaning.“

“Cleaner is very pleasant and does

a good job.”

“The ladies that have cleaned our blocks are always professional and pleasant and have learned names of tenants too.“

Citywide Multi-storey Network TheCitywideMulti-storeyNetworkmeetstwiceayearandaimstoencourageharmoniouslivinginmulti-storeys,stoprumoursandgetall the residents working with the Council and our partners.

The group met for the first time this year in March where there were representatives from the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, factoring service, contract cleaning, City Wardens, the waste team and Derek McGowan, our new Head of Communities and Housing. Tenants and residents have the opportunity to ask any questions about the services provided by each team.

Citywide Multi-storey CommitteeTheCitywideMulti-storeyCommitteemeetsmoreregularlythantheNetwork.Thisallowsthesmallergroup of housing volunteers to look atissuesaffectingmultisacrossthe city and invite the appropriate peopletotheNetworkmeetings.

At the last meeting in June Inspector David Howieson from Police Scotland attended the meeting to discuss the role of the police when dealing with rough sleepers in multi buildings. Inspector Howieson emphasised how important it is for tenants and residents to call 101 if they have concerns.

Inspector Howieson, or a Police Scotland representative, will attend all future meetings of this group as they feel that it is a great forum to meet tenants and try to resolve any issues taking place in multi-storey buildings.

Also at the meeting was Gordon Riddell from Scottish Fire & Rescue, John Quinn, Head of Service for Land and Property Assets, Derek McGowan, Head of Service for Communities and Housing and Colin Doig, Architect to discuss what the Council has done in response to the tragic fire in the Greenfell Tower in London.

The group were very relieved to hear that the used on the multis in Aberdeen is NOT the same as the cladding used down in London, please see page X for more information

The group were also pleased to hear that the Council were holding information sessions with residents who live in multi-storeys with cladding. Our housing volunteers appreciate the efforts made by the Council and its partners to reassure residents that Aberdeen’s multi-storeys are safe places to live.

Join usIf you live in a multi-storey and want to work with Aberdeen City Council to improve multi-storey living then come along to the next meeting of either the Committee or the Network.

The next Committee meeting is on Wednesday 30 August 2017 at 6pm in the Town House.

The next Network meeting is on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 6pm in the Town House.

Itisimportantthatresidentskeepemergencyvehicleparkingareasclear and do not park in this area. In the event of a fire there will be at least four fire appliances in attendance.

It may not seem very important to residents to keep emergency vehicle parking areas clear, but firefighters require access to fire hydrants and the building quickly. If they are unable to get access or are delayed, it may be the difference between a successful outcome and tragic consequences.

When parking your vehicle please keep this in mind and also pass the information on to any visitors you may have at your building.

Please visit firescotland.gov.uk for more information.

03000 200 292

Parking at Multi-storey Buildings

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have attended numerousmulti-storeycallsoverthepastthreemonths.These calls have involved the deliberate activation of the break glass points. These incidents put lives at risk and leaves the break glass point ineffective. On each occasion the SFRS have responded with their standard attendance of four fire appliances and a dedicated height vehicle.

These unnecessary incidents tie up over half of the SFRS resources located in Aberdeen city and has potential serious consequences should a genuine emergency occur at the same time elsewhere in the city. We would like to remind residents that they should not buzz people into the building unless they are their guests.

False Alarms

Housing Officer ContactsPleasecontactyourHousingOfficerifyourhaveanyissuesrelatingtoyourtenancy.

Name of Building Housing Officer Phone

Aulton Court Rachel Harrison 01224 489517

BalgownieCourt Rachel Harrison 01224 489517

BayviewCourt Graham Walter 01224 489522

BeachviewCourt Graham Walter 01224 489522

BrimmondCourt Martha Harris 01224 523296

BruceHouse Jim Webster 01224 522931

Cairncry Court Deirdre Catto 01224 524957

Cornhill Court Deirdre Catto 01224 524957

Davidson House Jim Webster 01224 522931

Denburn Court Sheena Davidson 01224 522760

Donside Court Kerrie Smith/Kevin McArthur 01224 489521

Elphinstone Court Alison Allan 01224 489519

Gilcomstoun Land Danielle McGregor 01224 523739

Grampian Court Martha Harris 01224 523296

Grandholm Court DavidBrown 01224 489518

Greig Court Ken Donaldson 01224 523479

Hutcheon Court Debbie Dionne 01224 522763

Inverdon Court Rachel Harrison 01224 489517

Kincorth Land Michael McFadyen 01224 522509

Kings Court Alison Allan 01224 489519

Linksfield Court KerryWill/PaulaBoon 01224 489520

Marischal Court John Smith 01224 522082

Mastrick Land Lisa Hannah 01224 788516

Morven Court Martha Harris 01224 523296

Northsea Court Graham Walter 01224 489522

Oldcroft Court Isabel Murray 01224 524941

Porthill Court CaraBriggs 01224 522178

Promenade Court KerryWill/PaulaBoon 01224 489520

Regent Court KerryWill/PaulaBoon 01224 489520

Rose House Jim Webster 01224 522931

Rosehill Court Deirdre Catto 01224 524957

Seamount Court CaraBriggs 01224 522178

St Machar Court DavidBrown 01224 489518

St Ninian's Court Rachel Harrison 01224 489517

Stockethill Court Isabel Murray 01224 524941

Thistle Court Danielle McGregor 01224 523739

Tillydrone Court Kerrie Smith/Kevin McArthur 01224 489521

Virginia Court John Smith 01224 522082

Wallace House Jim Webster 01224 522931

OtherUsefulContacts AntisocialBehaviourTeam 08000510434City Wardens 03000 200 292Emergency Repairs 03000 200 292Recycling and Waste 03000 200 292