Nearly three-quarters of public buildings inspected in Hertfordshire last year were found in breach of fire safety regulations, figures reveal.

Home Office data shows 366 buildings inspected by the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in the year until March did not comply with fire safety laws – which made up 71 per cent of those inspected.

They included 47 schools and 46 forms of sleeping accommodation in the county.

Fire services conduct audits on most public buildings and the shared areas of residential properties such as flats to make sure they meet safety regulations.

When inspections are unsatisfactory, auditors may issue an informal notification – for example to agree an action plan – or formal ones such as enforcement notices, warning that a building breaches the law.

In the most serious cases, inspectors may issue a prohibition notice to restrict or ban access to a building or they may prosecute those responsible for the property’s safety.

In the year to March, the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service issued five formal notifications, including five prohibition notices. There were no enforcement notices nor prosecutions.

With the number of inspections plummeting nationally due to the pandemic, the Fire Brigades Union warned catching up will be made difficult by a drop in the number of inspectors.

A number of audits were also carried out remotely, though a figure has not been provided by the Home Office.

Across England, 34,400 fire safety audits were carried out in 2020-21 – 29 per cent fewer than the previous year.

In Hertfordshire the number of audits dropped by 467 to 519 in the period.

Matt Wrack, the FBU's general secretary, said: "It is understandable that audit figures have dipped during the pandemic, given the reduction in non-emergency contact with the public.

"Any shortfall in inspections needs to be made up, however.

"This may be difficult, though, with steep falls in the number of fire inspectors in recent years.

“This fall in inspectors is also concerning due to the building safety issues that have come to light since Grenfell and the increased number of buildings fire inspectors are responsible for."