Fire safety concerns lead council to close top three floors of Shirehall
Shropshire Council workers cannot use the top three floors of Shirehall because of fire concerns, it has been revealed.
The council said that under its 'fire risk assessment', its county headquarters at Abbey Foregate in Shrewsbury is only 'compliant' based on a "maximum occupancy limit" and the use of "just the basement, ground, first and second floor".
It said the assessment had been agreed with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, and that the top floors are only accessible for 'storage'.
It comes after a fire at the building several weeks ago caused smoke to enter the ventilation system, with staff asked to work from home for the day.
Work to address concerns over fire safety at the six-storey building was due to take place earlier this year but has not yet started because the contractor arranged to do the work pulled out.
The authority says the work will now begin this week but will not be finished until January – and added "we will not bring the upper floors of Shirehall back into operation".
Currently most of the council's staff are working from home – as they have been since the start of the pandemic.
The confirmation that staff will never return to the building's upper floors appears to be another nail in the coffin for the landmark building.
The council has said it plans to leave the site – although its first proposal for an alternative base at Shrewsbury's Pride Hill Shopping Centre was abandoned last month.
It is understood the authority is examining whether it could build new premises on the site of the Riverside Shopping Centre – which is due to be demolished.
The building has required million pounds of maintenance work for some years, a plan to spend £24m on refurbishment was approved in 2018, but was abandoned over the costs the following year.
The council's chief executive, Andy Begley, said: "Work to make Shirehall safer in the event of a fire was due to be carried out at Shirehall over the summer. Regrettably, the appointed contractor pulled out, leading to work being delayed while we appointed a new contractor.
"The work is now due to begin this week and be completed in January next year.
"This work will improve those areas which we plan to use in the short-to-medium term, and is critical to ensure that we have a safe and compliant workplace for staff and councillors.
"It will be carried out in phases and by area, and will also enable us to maximise the use of the building for essential users and bookable space. Services or tenants directly impacted by this will be contacted and some areas will be out of bounds as work is carried out."
He added: "The recent fire occurred several weeks ago, when an electrical pump failed causing smoke to enter the ventilation systems. The fire prevention and alarm systems worked perfectly and the matter was resolved within half a day. It’s important to note that most Shirehall-based staff continue to work from home so very few staff were affected.
"Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service have been consulted throughout the process of bringing forward improvements and maintenance, and continue to engage with the council to ensure its premises are safe in respect of fire safety."
