Angus schools defects detailed in new report

Repairs carried out on number of primaries in region – at no cost to council – in wake of PPP scandal

Defects in Angus schools that were constructed under private public partnerships (PPP) were similar to those in the Edinburgh school where a wall collapsed last year.

The full extent of the repairs needed at Angus schools in the wake of the PPP scandal has been revealed in a new council report.

The collapse of an external wall at Oxgangs Primary School in Edinburgh in January last year prompted all local authorities to carry out an urgent review of schools that were constructed under PPP schemes.

The Oxgangs inquiry identified the failure of the contractor to adequately tie the external cladding of the brickwork into the main structure with a lack of suitable wall ties at the top of the wall (head restraint) or in the main sections of the walls.

The council report said the review of Angus schools “highlighted some similar construction issues, on a smaller scale, to those found in the Edinburgh Council schools”.

In Angus, seven schools had construction work as part of the PPP scheme in partnership with Elgin Education (Forfar & Carnoustie) Limited and constructed by Robertson Construction.

The contractors involved in PPP schools in Edinburgh were not used in Angus.

Council officers conducted visual inspections and intrusive investigations where they removed sections of external walls to allow inspection of the wall ties and head restraints.

At Strathmore Primary, four issues were identified – missing or inadequate head restraints, a tie missing from the outer leaf of the external wall, the ties not being horizontal due to a difference in coursing levels, and some of the ties had an embedment less than the 50mm necessary.

An initial investigation at Langlands Primary found that some wall ties had an embedment 5mm less than the 50mm required. A further investigation found that the majority of ties were greater than the requirement.

Burnside, Whitehills and Woodlands primaries had missing or inadequate head restraints. Woodlands also had wall ties embedment less than the minimum requirement.

No issues were found at Carlogie Primary School or Carnoustie High School.

The defects were repaired last year at no cost to Angus Council.

The report states: “One school (Woodlands PS) required remedial tie replacement in three wall panels and remedial header tie works were required at four schools (Burnside PS, Strathmore PS, Whitehills PS and Woodlands PS).

“Consulting engineers, Fairhurst, were employed by the PPP contractor to provide the remedial works design/ details and Robertsons organised the onsite construction.

It added: “All surveys, including intrusive works and any subsequent consultant costs and remedial works, have been met by Elgin Education (Forfar & Carnoustie) Limited and/or their contractor.”

One school (Woodlands PS) required remedial tie replacement in three wall panels and remedial header tie works were required at four schools (Burnside PS, Strathmore PS, Whitehills PS and Woodlands PS). COUNCIL REPORT

Picture: PA. The collapsed wall at Oxgangs Primary in Edinburgh in January last year.