DUMBARTON and the Vale MSP Jackie Baillie has called for sprinklers to be fitted to all high flats across the area.

An investigation last week found there were no sprinklers in more than 300 high-rise buildings across Scotland, including 22 in West Dunbartonshire and three in West Bridgend.

New buildings since 2005 require sprinklers but there is no requirement to retro-fit systems.

Ms Baillie said the Scottish Government should provide extra funding for councils to make improvements in the wake of the deadly Grenfell Tower blaze that cost at least 80 lives last month.

Buildings in West Dunbartonshire have dry riser systems to pump water to other floors.

West Dunbartonshire Council said they would wait for recommendations after enhanced fire safety risk assessments being carried out.

The call comes even as figures show the number of fires in high flats in Scotland is at an eight-year low.

There were 238 incidents reported in 2016/2017 in buildings 10 storeys or higher, down 52 per cent from the 499 fires in 2009/2010.

It was also a substantial drop on from 314 the year before.

Ms Baillie said: “Lessons must be learned from the horrific fire at Grenfell Tower and we need a review of existing building regulations and their enforcement. There are hundreds of families living in high-rise flats in our local area and their homes should be subject to the same high standards as newer buildings.

"Labour believes the government has a responsibility to work with councils to put in place a programme that will ensure the highest safety standards in all high-rise flats, which would include sprinkler systems.

“Given the level of cuts to local authorities in recent years, the SNP Government must accept that it also has a responsibility not just to agree any improvements to safety in high-rise flats, but also to fund such programmes.

“To simply leave any programmes to improve safety to cash-strapped councils would not be acceptable and the Scottish Government must be willing to put in place the resources to ensure all high-rise housing in Scotland is to the highest safety standards.”

A 2015 report to the Scottish Government concluded it would not be cost-effective to fit sprinklers except for at-risk groups, such as the elderly or those with mental health problems.

The Scottish Government said they were carrying out a "thorough and critical review" of regulations.

A West Dunbartonshire Council spokesperson said: “We have previously commissioned enhanced fire safety risk assessments on all of our domestic multi-storey buildings, with work now underway on that front. We await the recommendations of the assessments.”