Schools in Scotland containing Raac concrete named
At least thirty schools in Scotland found to have potentially dangerous concrete have been named by councilors.
Figures shared with the PA news agency by 14 local authorities in Scotland show the potentially dangerous material, reinforced aerated concrete (Raac), has been found in at least 33 schools across the country.
Five councils have not yet responded to requests for figures, including Scotland’s largest council, Glasgow City Council.
Edinburgh City Council currently has the highest number of Raac schools and said eight across the local authority had incorporated the material.
Trinity Primary School and Cramond Primary School had set up temporary accommodation blocks, a council spokesman said, while other pupils were still in their own classrooms.
- Edinburgh City Council – 8 schools
- Aberdeen City Council – 7 schools
- West Lothian Council – 5 schools
- Dundee City Council – 2 schools
- Aberdeenshire Council – 2 schools
- Highland and Islands Council – 2 schools
- Moray Council – 1 school
- Argyll and Bute Council – 1 school
- East Lothian Council – 1 school
- Perth and Kinross Council – 1 school
- Inverclyde Council – 1 school
Aberdeen City Council has seven schools that have the material.
West Lothian Council said Raac was present at five schools – St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn, Balbardie Primary School and Windyknowe Primary School in Bathgate, and Riverside Primary and Knightsridge Primary in Livingston.
A spokesman said all areas with the material on roofs had been closed and students and staff had been relocated to other areas.
Meanwhile, Dundee, Aberdeenshire and Highland councils said Raac had been found in two of their schools.
Moray, Inverclyde, Perth and Kinross, North Lanarkshire and Argyll and Bute Council each reported one school with Raac in their local authority areas.
Perth and Kinross Council said Raac was found at a property, Perth Grammar School, in February this year.
The affected area remained closed to students and staff until the panels could be removed and replaced with a steel profile roof over the summer holidays.
A Moray Council spokesman said designs for the mitigation works in Forres had been completed and a contractor had been selected to carry out the work shortly.
I can fully understand why there is public concern about this, particularly given the way announcements are handled in England
Stirling Council said a desktop investigation had not identified any buildings containing the material but it was carrying out a full program of inspections of all its educational facilities.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar councilor said he had also carried out a desktop study and was confident Raac had not been used in any of his school campuses.
A spokesman said there was 100 percent safety, but further testing would be carried out in the coming months on schools and other buildings constructed within the specified period of use.
East Dunbartonshire said no schools where Raac was located had been identified but further investigations had been ordered to confirm the situation across the estate.
Councils said no schools in Fife, Angus, the Orkney Islands, Renfrewshire or East Renfrewshire were affected.
Scottish Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said 37 schools were affected and ministers had known about it since last year.
She said: “This is of course an issue that the Government has been aware of for some time and that is why action has been taken and has been for some time, for example Scottish Government officials contacted the Scottish leaders as early as July 2022.” Property Services and Education Directors in Scotland to share information about Raac.
“I can fully understand why there are public concerns about this, particularly given the way announcements are handled in England.
“But I can assure the member that we appreciate that the public’s interest means we need to be as open as possible about this because parents and staff are concerned about this issue.”
The schools where Raac was found by municipal district are:
Perth and Kinross – Perth Grammar School
West Lothian Council – St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn, Balbardie Primary School, Windyknowe Primary in Bathgate, Riverside Primary and Knightsridge Primary in Livingston.
Highland Council – Charleston Academy, Nairn Academy.
Moray – Forres Academy.
Inverclyde Council – a school not named
Aberdeenshire Council – Mackie Academy, Westhill Academy
North Lanarkshire Council – a school whose name was not given
East Lothian Council – Parts of Preston Lodge High School, Prestonpans
Argyll and Bute Council – John Logie Baird Primary School in Helensburgh
Aberdeen – Abbotswell Primary, Cornhill Primary, Hazlehead Academy, Northfield Academy, Quarryhill Primary School, St Machar Academy, Westpark School
Edinburgh – Pentland Primary School, Fox Covert Primary School and St Andrews Fox Covert RC PS (one site), Colinton Primary School, Currie High School and Lorne Primary School, Cramond Primary School and Trinity Primary School.
Dundee – Ardler Primary School and St Fergus Primary School
North Ayrshire Council – Ardrossan Academy
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/raac-schools-councils-perth-dundee-b1105061.html Schools in Scotland containing Raac concrete named
