Kirklees Council has given an update on how well it complies with building safety regulations across its housing stock, with one area posing a greater risk.

A presentation to the council’s growth and regeneration scrutiny panel explained how the local authority meets its responsibilities around the ‘Big Six’ – gas, electrical, water, asbestos, lift, and fire safety – across its council housing stock, as well as damp, mould and condensation.

Generally, the council has been successful, with at least 99 per cent of all gas and electrical safety certificates being issued as of November last year.

One hundred per cent of damp, mould and condensation inspections have been conducted within the required time frame and 98 per cent of DMC works carried out in the necessary period.

placeholder image — Huddersfield Town Hall.

At the same time, 99.88 percent of fire risk assessments had been completed, generating 9,661 actions. But just over 60 per cent of these have been completed.

The council has 837 buildings that require fire risk assessments including one high-rise block – Harold Wilson Court – as well as 17 medium-rise blocks and 819 other residential settings, including low rise and retirement living schemes.

Director of homes and neighbourhoods, Phil Jones, reiterated that fire safety is the area presenting the greatest risk at this moment in time, and is a primary focus for the local authority.

He said that the council is down to around 3,500 outstanding fire actions and is looking to reduce that figure through a programme of works.

Cabinet member for transport and housing, Coun Moses Crook, assured the meeting that tenants were not being put at risk. He said that the council has balanced the risk, disruption to tenants and cost-effectiveness of the remediation programme.

Back in 2024, Kirklees Council self-referred to the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) as it was aware of a “considerable backlog” of works, being required across its homes.

At the time, RSH found 20,000 overdue fire safety actions, 200 of which were considered “high risk”.

To remedy the situation, the council is investing over £115m carrying out fire safety works in its homes by 2031.