Birkenhead’s Pyramids and Grange shopping centers require £3M for fire safety fixes, including new doors and wall repairs.
Wirral Council needs more money. They need an extra £3 million. This cash will fix the shopping centers’ fire safety. The council will talk about it on February 19.
Property managers checked the centers and found health and safety issues. The council now needs to spend money to fix these problems by March 2028. It’s about £1 million each year, for three years.
A report says fire doors must be replaced, particularly in the Pyramids Shopping Centre. They also need to close wall gaps. This work is needed for fire safety.
The council bought the centers in 2023 for £10.5 million to fix up Birkenhead. Now, the centers bring in less money, a £100,000 drop.
New fire rules started after the Grenfell Tower fire and came into force in England. The rules say fire doors must work well and require regular checks.
These rules began in January 2023. The council bought the centers in May, however, the deal was agreed in April. Then, they announced it in May.
The government said everyone must follow the rules, and breaking these rules is a crime if someone gets hurt. Fire safety is super important.
Someone asked the council some questions about fire rules. They asked if the council checked the doors before buying and whether or not the buildings are safe now.