Denbighshire County Council has today reassured parents, school staff and governors in the County that it has taken steps to ascertain the structural integrity of its buildings in the face of nationwide concern about the use of RAAC in public buildings.
The use of faulty concrete has led to school closures in England and the Welsh Government has announced that buildings in Wales will be surveyed.
Denbighshire County Council has already completed surveys of its buildings after the issue was raised via the Local Government Association in 2019/20. In response to this, the Council instigated a two-phased approach. Phase 1 involved a review of all building stock based on known construction materials and methods used in its buildings from previous surveys, specifications, and surveyor knowledge. Based on this review, the second phase identified buildings with potential RAAC or where there was insufficient information to make a judgement.
Following this, surveys of 105 buildings were commissioned in 2021 to establish whether RAAC was present. These detailed surveys were on a range of Council buildings, not just schools. All surveys returned negative results.
Denbighshire County Council will be undertaking a review of the information it currently holds to determine whether further surveys are required and to better inform any processes put in place by Welsh Government.
Councillor Gwyneth Ellis, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets said, “Ensuring our children and young people can attend school in a safe environment is paramount and thanks to the Council’s assets team, who have completed fantastic work continuously surveying our buildings, parents can be confident that their children will continue to learn in schools which are fit for purpose.
“The work undertaken by the team means that pupils can start the new term as planned, as there is no evidence to suggest any of the buildings are at risk. The Council will, of course, work with Welsh Government to instigate surveys of all school buildings if required.”
Councillor Gill German, Cabinet Lead Member for Education, Children and Families Services said, “Denbighshire County Council is proud of its continued investment in the education of the County’s young people in partnership with Welsh Government through the 21st Century Schools Programme. Over recent years, over £90 million has been invested in the County’s schools with five brand new school buildings for Rhos Street School and Ysgol Pen Barras in Ruthin, Ysgol Carreg Emlyn in Clocaenog, Ysgol Llanfair in Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, Christ the Word Catholic School, Rhyl, and Rhyl High School, while a significant extension was built at Ysgol Glan Clwyd, St Asaph and at Bodnant Community School and Ysgol Bro Dyfrdwy, Cynwyd.
“In addition, plans are in place to deliver further investments in partnership with the Welsh Government through the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, with proposals being developed for a new facility at Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn, in Denbigh together with further investment at Ysgol Pendref and Denbigh High School in Denbigh and at Ysgol Bryn Collen and Ysgol y Gwernant in Llangollen.”