Local Council helpful or bullying?

The Local Council delivered an order of Fire requirements.

At first deemed as a helpful to keep a high standard of fire safety.

But when the Building Contractor quoted the costs was extremely high and the thought was did it achieve anything towards safety.

The question then was is the Council in its right to demand and was the demand actually achieving enhanced safety.

The building was built in 1971 and has no changes in usage or construction

Can the council then out of the blue do a fire safety inspection?

Clearly many but not all requests seem to be affordable and increases fire security.

But the old fashion milk boxes not the ones going through with a door on each side but a simpler one mounted on the outside but about 2.5cm in to the wall was requested to be removed.

The distance from the box to inside the unit is about 3.5 cm concrete assumed to be a “brick?” the inside is a long corridor and opposite the bath room hence even in a sever fire nothing to burn in the area.

Also the owners did not get the option to fire prof the box only the option to remove.

And as usual the EC hides all the information and nothing is shown to the owners hence the question before any actions and has only on the Agenda two quotes for annual Fire Safety to be discussed but as normal the minutes later will state quote approved again with no relevant info for the owners (this off course is a separate issue that the EC does not understand the minimum requirements of Agendas and Minutes and Votes)

Simple Question and does anyone know

Can the Council out of the blue without any declared reason quote the EPA reg 2000 and demand when no changes have occurred.

Can the Council demand removal without the option to fire prof the feature

Is the actual feature a fire risk as it does not penetrate the wall?