Exeter City Council is the non-metropolitan district council responsible for one of the UK’s fastest growing and most dynamic regional cities. The Council oversees a diverse portfolio of residential, commercial, and public properties, ensuring they remain safe, compliant, and fit for purpose.
Pennington Choices was commissioned by Exeter City Council to conduct Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) across their residential and commercial property portfolio. The properties assessed included a wide variety of building types, such as:
Residential properties:
Commercial and public buildings:
We assessed a range of medium-sized buildings, such as historical visitor attractions and large buildings, from the Exeter Council Civic Centre to the St Sidwell’s Point Leisure Centre. For complex properties such as the Civic Centre, a multipurpose facility utilised by the police, charities, and council services, we undertook a thorough desktop review to understand the intricacies of the building’s design. Additionally, we collaborated closely with the Council to map out key stakeholders' roles and responsibilities, ensuring fire safety advice was effectively communicated.
In contrast, we also assessed smaller facilities, including public toilets and changing rooms in parks and recreational grounds, where our FRAs focused on mitigating fire risks caused by vandalism in unstaffed buildings.
During the first year of our appointment, we prioritised assessing all blocks of flats, followed by a Council-determined priority order in subsequent years.
Recognising our commitment to high-quality service delivery and strong client relationships, Exeter re-appointed us in August 2023 on a new four-year contract. Under this contract, we are conducting Type 3 FRAs across approximately 510 residential buildings and 60 non-residential and commercial properties.
Assessment Scope:
Where remedial actions were identified, we provided detailed recommendations within the FRA reports, specifying risk ratings and required completion timeframes. Common remedial actions included:
All FRA reports were delivered within a 10-working-day turnaround, ensuring the Council had timely insights into fire safety risks and could undertake all necessary remedial actions.
Through our proactive and structured approach, we have helped Exeter City Council enhance fire safety across its diverse property portfolio, reinforcing our commitment to compliance, efficiency, and resident safety.
Our strong partnership with Exeter City Council has been instrumental in the project's success, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration over the coming years.
“Pennington Choices commenced delivery of our current FRA programme in April 2024. The initial programme was 12 months for completing all Fire Risk Assessments, however a revised programme for completing all FRAs by Christmas 2024 was then agreed. Pennington Choices met this timescale, completing all FRAs by mid-December.
Throughout the programme, communication and the flow of information from Pennington Choices was professional and timely, which greatly assisted in the management of the contract and reporting from our side. Any queries raised were responded to appropriately by Pennington Choices with a good level of detail.
We look forward to working with them again on this year’s programme due to commence this Spring.”
- Compliance Works Surveyor at Exeter City Council