Subject: Exeter City Council Lightning Failures
Dear Mr Bradshaw
I acknowledge and thank you for your recent letter with an attached letter from the Exeter City Council.
Quite frankly, the ECC response is most disconcerting and it would appear to me that the senior management at the ECC are completely clueless to lightning dangers and requirements for the same..
quote from the Assistant Director Of Development Mr Richard Short:-
“LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE NOT CONSIDERED TO BE SIGNIFICANT RISK TO HEALTH. IT’S MAIN IMPACT TENDS TO BE ON ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, IT SYSTEMS & ALARMS.”
Such statements are pure, unadulterated hogwash and he should not be in the position of trust which he currently holds if he doesn’t have the basic knowledge of electrical protection for buildings and structures and the general public’s safety and in particular BS/EN-62305/2008.
No wonder the City of Exeter has so many non-compliant structures and buildings which have not been provisioned with minimum lightning protection.
He also claims the ECC former planning office Mr Alan Stokes was in regular touch with me, which is incorrect because Alan Stokes was also oblivious to lightning dangers and ignored my letters of concern..
Mr Short goes on to say,” THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT IN BUILDING REGULATIONS OR PLANNING APPROVAL FOR LIGHTNING PROTECTION”.
There is a requirement to adhere to
1. BS/EN 62305/2008.
2.Construction Design Management (CDM 2004/07)
3.The Electrical Works Act 1998.
All three acts most certainly clearly state that a Lightning Risk Assessment shall be carried out at design phase.
I request my MP to now call for an emergency meeting with the ECC and the HSE to address the apparent ignorance of lightning protection in the City.
Did you not do the basic Faraday Cage history at school Mr Bradshaw? Obviously not or you would not have said Mr Richard Short’s letter would be useful to me. His letter is about as much use to me as the lightning protection at numerous structures and buildings that the ECC have approved.
Mr Short also claims the Printworks has been provisioned with lightning protection which again I say is hogwash, ditto for the RDE Hospital, numerous bridges around the City ,1/2 doz PFI schools, leisure centres, Climbing Centre on the Quay, swimming pools, John Lewis Store, Pricesshay Complex, etc, etc. Oh yes, and the DCC HQ.
In essence, it would appear the ECC Planning Authorities are failing their fiduciary duty of care when issuing Planning Completion Certificates. The signature of Planning Completion Certificate with full knowledge of lightning protection failures is a fraudulent act.
I suggest you also contact the local constabulary on this matter.
In essence, Mr Richard Short’s letter (undated and unsigned) is prima facie grounds that the Exeter City Council have been grossly negligent to lightning protection.
For your information, action and files
With thanks
Yours sincerely
Alan M Dransfield.
