Defects found in council buildings in capital

Nineteen council buildings across Edinburgh have defects similar to one which caused a wall to collapse at a primary school in the capital, a new report has revealed.

Checks were carried out following the incident at Oxgangs Primary School in January 2016, which sparked the temporary closure of 17 schools across the capital.

By the end of January this year 154 properties had been checked, with 19 “having issues similar to those identified at Oxgangs School”, a new report from the public spending watchdog has revealed.

Libraries, care homes and community centres are among the properties affected.

The Accounts Commission said the discovery of the faults “signifies the importance of all councils in Scotland undertaking regular, comprehensive structural risk assessments and inspections on public buildings to ensure the safety of service users”.

Graham Sharp, chairman of the Accounts Commission, said: “The City of Edinburgh Council responded quickly and comprehensively to the wall collapse at Oxgangs Primary School.

“However, all councils in Scotland must ensure public buildings in their care are regularly checked and appropriately maintained.

“While reduced resources mean councils must make difficult decisions about service provision, they should have an appropriate level of expertise to deliver and safely maintain buildings.”