The Barton House independent review concluded that the decision to evacuate Barton House reflected our responsibility to prioritise the safety of all residents.
The review identified that those making the decision acted within their responsibilities, based on the information available at the time.
Our awareness of the risk and how we communicated with residents
The situation developed in response to new technical information about potential structural risks.
The review found that communication could have been better, and residents should have been given clearer and more accessible information throughout the evacuation.
Information was intended to be shared with residents as response arrangements were put in place, but it did not always reach residents quickly or consistently.
Why residents were not told sooner or more clearly about the risks
Decisions had to be made in response to emerging information about potential structural risks.
The review concluded that the ways in which residents are informed should be clearer and more accessible information and should be shared during crisis events.
Why some residents found out through the media
In the evacuation, information did not always reach all residents as quickly or as consistently as intended.
Information appearing in the media affected planned communication arrangements.
One of the review's recommendations is to improve communication processes and make sure residents receive timely, accessible and understandable information.
How the evacuation was handled
The review describes a situation where urgent action was taken to ensure resident safety in response to potentially serious structural risks.
While support was put in place quickly and adapted over time, the review found that the early stages of the response did not fully consider the scale and complexity of residents' needs. This is one of the key lessons identified.
Why it took so long for detailed explanations
The review recognises that we were responding to evolving technical information while managing an evacuation.
As more information became available and was understood, further explanations could be shared. The review highlights the importance of improving communication with residents throughout incidents and recovery periods.
Responsibility for not escalating risks sooner
The review is clear that the issues faced were structural and systemic and not the result of individual failings.
It found shortcomings in organisational systems, governance, oversight and risk management processes.
We're now responsible for implementing the review's recommendations, being transparent about our progress, and making sure stronger arrangements are in place for the future.
Accountability for the evacuation
Accountability for the issues identified by this review falls with us.
We accept the review's recommendations in full, and we're accountable for implementing them, reporting on progress and making sure that learning from Barton House results in meaningful improvements for residents and housing services.
The review found that preparedness for emergency situations could have been better, particularly in relation to resident data and planning for households with complex needs.
It recommends improvements in these areas, so support can be tailored more effectively in future emergencies.
Hotel conditions and facilities
The review found that support arrangements evolved and improved over time as the scale and complexity of residents' needs became clearer.
However, it concluded that the early stages of the response did not fully anticipate the level of support that would be needed after such a large-scale evacuation.
How the evacuation affected different groups of residents
The review recognises that residents experienced the evacuation differently. Households with complex or additional needs often needed different types of support.
This is why the review recommends better planning for complex household needs and a stronger understanding of resident circumstances before emergencies occur.
Support for residents experiencing trauma, grief and mental health impacts
The review recognised that the evacuation caused severe disruption and had a lasting impact on many residents. We acknowledge those experiences and the continuing effect they may have on individuals and families.
Residents are encouraged to contact their Housing Officer, who can discuss their individual circumstances and assess any support needs.
If needed, a Housing Officer can make a referral to specialist support services to help address the resident's specific physical, mental health, or wider wellbeing needs. Support will be considered on a case-by-case basis to make sure it meets the resident's individual circumstances.
We're committed to using residents' experiences to shape our response and future planning.
Compensation for residents
If the Barton House evacuation has caused financial loss or hardship, residents can contact us to discuss their circumstances and the support that may be available.
Residents can ask us to consider compensation or reimbursement for losses they believe are related to the Barton House evacuation. Each request will be assessed individually and in line with our policies.
Residents who are unhappy with the support or services they have received can also use our complaints process.
Following the evacuation, extensive surveys, investigations and remedial works were completed before residents returned. We continue to monitor the building to make sure appropriate building safety measures remain in place.
We have made changes across the housing service to strengthen monitoring, increase accountability and improve risk management.
This includes:
- changes to the leadership and structure of housing services
- better governance arrangements
- a greater focus on building safety
Lessons from Barton House are also being applied to work on other high-rise buildings.
How risks in the building are being monitored
The review recommends better processes for responding to external safety advice and improved risk management arrangements. Since the evacuation, we've strengthened oversight and governance within the housing service, with a greater focus on identifying, managing and escalating risks appropriately.
The risk of a similar situation happening again
The review identified several lessons and recommendations to reduce the likelihood of a similar situation happening in future.
These include:
- clearer processes for responding to external safety advice
- stronger governance and risk management arrangements
- improved training
- better preparedness for emergency situations
While no organisation can remove every risk, we have strengthened our arrangements and are applying the lessons from Barton House across our housing service.
What we would do differently if it happened again
The review found that there are important lessons from the Barton House evacuation that we can use to strengthen future responses.
If a similar situation arose, we would have:
- better emergency planning arrangements in place
- clearer processes for responding to safety advice
- stronger risk management arrangements
- better coordination across teams and partner organisations
There would also be a stronger focus on:
- understanding residents' needs in advance
- planning for households with complex needs
- making sure resident information is up to date
- providing clear and accessible communications
- having visible support throughout the response
We recognise that uncertainty about the future of Barton House is difficult for residents and that many people want clearer information about what will happen next.
The independent review recommends putting residents at the centre of discussions about the future of the building with meaningful engagement taking place before decisions are made.
No decision has yet been made about the long-term future of Barton House. We're continuing to look at options for the building, and residents will play an important role in shaping future discussions.
How residents will influence future decisions
We're committed to involving residents in future discussions and decision-making processes.
The pdf Resident Voice Strategy (565 KB) is intended to:
- strengthen resident influence
- improve engagement
- ensure residents have meaningful opportunities to help shape decisions that affect them
If you no longer want to live at Barton House
We understand that some residents continue to feel unsafe. Following the evacuation, changes were made to housing allocation arrangements, including additional consideration for health needs and the circumstances of affected residents.
Barton House residents who want to move, can apply for alternative social housing through HomeChoice Bristol.
Residents should also contact their Housing Officer for advice on the options available to them and any support they may need with their application.
HomeChoice Bristol
Through HomeChoice Bristol, eligible households can:
- have their housing needs assessed
- bid for available council and housing association properties across Bristol
Housing applications are prioritised in accordance with the HomeChoice Bristol Allocations Scheme, which assesses factors such as housing need, medical and welfare circumstances, overcrowding, and other relevant criteria.
Demand for social housing in Bristol is high. Waiting times can vary significantly depending on an applicant's assessed housing need and the type of accommodation they need.
Any rehousing requests will be considered in line with our published pdf HomeChoice Bristol policy and procedure(569 KB) to ensure a fair and consistent approach for all applicants.
The review recommends better communication with residents and communities.
In response, we're:
- improving communication processes and making sure information is clear, accessible and easy to understand
- improving resident data
- introducing the pdf Resident Voice Strategy (565 KB)
- putting a greater emphasis on timely, clear and accessible information before, during and after emergency situations
- taking more time to understand resident needs before we start building works
- taking opportunities to meet residents and making sure we're regularly on site so people can ask questions and raise concerns at any time
We've learned lessons and are putting this learning into practice in places such as St Judes and in high-rise housing where cladding is being replaced.
Accessible communication
The review found that residents whose first language was not English often experienced greater uncertainty and anxiety during the evacuation.
It identified the need for better planning for households with complex needs and more accessible communication.
We'll focus on understanding residents' needs in advance, improving resident data, and use this learning to make sure communications are tailored to the needs of all residents and households.
Listening to residents in the future
The Resident Voice Strategy includes:
- increasing opportunities for involvement
- improving feedback mechanisms
- introducing clearer "you said, we did" reporting,
- creating more inclusive and transparent engagement processes
Residents will continue to be able to raise concerns, provide feedback and participate in engagement opportunities as plans and services develop.
Resident involvement in the review process
The independent reviewer advised that all residents had opportunities to participate in the review and that engagement arrangements were considered as part of the review's design.
We recognise the importance of resident participation, and we're committed to involving residents in future work from the review. We're grateful to all residents and former residents that took part in the review.
The review recognises that the evacuation had a lasting impact on trust.
We're committed to rebuilding that trust through:
- implementing the review's recommendation
- strengthening governance
- improving communication
- listening to residents
- embedding the pdf Resident Voice Strategy(565 KB) into housing services
We recognise that trust will be rebuilt through actions rather than words.
Progress against the review's recommendations will be monitored through our governance and scrutiny processes, and residents will be told about implementation and changes made because of the review.
The review did not find evidence of direct discrimination.
However, it found that some groups experienced the evacuation differently and were more affected than others, including larger families, households with additional needs, and some residents whose first language was not English.
These findings are helping to inform improvements to communication, engagement, planning and support arrangements. We recognise the importance of learning from these experiences and improving how we listen to and work with residents.
Changes we've made already include:
- changes to leadership and structure within housing services
- strengthened monitoring, accountability and risk management
- enhanced governance arrangements
- improved approaches to communication and resident engagement
- implementation of a new pdf Resident Voice Strategy(565 KB)
- applying lessons learned across high-rise housing programmes
These changes are intended to strengthen both prevention and response.
Supporting residents in any future emergencies
We need to have:
- stronger emergency preparedness
- better resident information and data
- more effective and accessible communication
- improved planning for households with complex needs
- stronger coordination between teams and partner organisations
- visible, on-the-ground support throughout an incident
These lessons are already being applied across housing services.
How we're improving emergency planning and actions taken following the review
The review identified that we need to improve preparedness for emergency situations.
In response, we have already begun implementing changes to strengthen emergency planning and resilience across housing services and beyond, including:
- stronger governance arrangements
- improved risk management processes
- better data systems
- enhanced training
- more effective communications planning
We accept the review's recommendations in full and are committed to ensuring that the lessons from Barton House lead to meaningful and lasting improvements for current and future residents across Bristol.
Improving housing services across Bristol
The lessons from Barton House are being applied across housing services, particularly in relation to high-rise housing, building safety, emergency planning, resident engagement and risk management.
The review's findings are informing wider improvements to services and emergency situations procedures across the organisation.