Stockport Labour is urging a Government rethink after the Department for Education changed building regulations guidance removing a requirement for the installation of Fire Suppression Systems to be fitted in new Schools.

Reddish South Councillor Walter Brett said ‘Parents, experts in fire safety and prevention, insurers, and the cross-party Local Government Association have all reacted with serious concern and a certain amount of confusion following the announcement of this unsafe, illogical and unnecessary change.

‘Sprinklers save lives, prevent fires from spreading, and also avoid causing significant disruption to our children’s education when they do occur.

‘There were over 600 fires in British schools last year, 40% of which were attributable to arson, so to remove the requirement for new schools to have adequate fire safety precautions in place is highly irresponsible and Labour is campaigning strongly to get this policy reversed.’

A motion calling for the Government to reconsider their position attracted all-party support at a meeting of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority on Thursday 8th September from Councillors across the region.

All new schools in Scotland and Wales are automatically fitted with sprinklers, leaving a risk that schools in England will be left with lower safety standards than those in other parts of the UK unless the Government performs a u-turn.

Councillor Brett added ‘Insurers estimate that each large fire in a school causes an average of £1.5 million of damage to property, so sprinklers effectively pay for themselves in lower insurance premiums and damage avoided by fire.

‘As well as being unsafe for our young people, this move is one of the worst examples of a false economy I’ve ever seen.

‘Labour will continue to say loudly and clearly that these vital regulations need to be reinstated.’

There was no advanced notice of the changes to the guidance which has been rejected across the Fire Sector, with the Fire Sector Federation, the Fire Protection Association and the Arson Prevention Bureau all speaking out in opposition.