Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service working with Places for People

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) have been partners with Places for People under the Primary Authority Scheme (PAS) since 2015.

Places for People is a leading UK affordable homes led placemaker. The Group’s award-winning, placemaking, property investment, development and management companies are active throughout the UK and collectively have the capability and expertise to create and manage entire places, considering all the things a place needs to become a sustainable community.

A spokeperson for Places for People said:

“As a responsible landlord, the safety of our customers is our priority, and we continue to review and enhance our fire safety approaches and implement fire prevention and protection measures with the support of TWFRS.”

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has provided difficult challenges in maintaining high levels of fire safety compliance. However, during the early stages of the national lockdown and restrictions, Places for People worked closely with TWFRS to develop guidance for all Places for People companies to ensure we could continue to deliver our high levels of fire safety and keep our customers safe. This guidance identified best working practices, whilst ensuring fire safety compliance was maintained through testing and servicing regimes, Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) programmes and completion of FRA actions on major projects.

We have also learned to adapt our partnership during lockdown to ensure we continue to work closely together during this uncertain time. We have increased communications virtually through Microsoft Teams meetings and have set up a Social Housing Partners Working Group, which brings together all social housing providers partnered with TWFRS, with the aim of sharing best practice and providing additional support mechanisms.